Sterile Technique Flashcards
It is one of the most fundamental and essential principles of infection control in the clinical and surgical setting
PROPER ASEPTIC TECHNIQUE
Absence of microorganism that cause disease
ASEPSIS
Process of removing as many microorganisms as possible from the hands and arms by mechanical washing and chemical antisepsis before participating in a surgical procedure
SURGICAL HAND ANTISEPSIS
methods by which contamination with microorganisms is prevented
ASEPTIC TECHNIQUE
What are the Principles of Aseptic Technique
- Only sterile items are used within the sterile field
- Sterile persons are gowned and gloved
- Only top of a draped table us considered sterile
- Sterile persons touch only sterile items or areas
T/F: Despite the mechanical action and the chemical antimicrobial component of the scrub process, skin is never sterile
TRUE
4 factors affecting the effectiveness of surgical hand antisepsis:
- The preparation before cleansing
- The choice of antiseptic solution
- The cleansing method
- The duration for hand cleansing
What are the characteristics of a surgical scrub? (4)
- Antimicrobial action
- Persistent activity
- Safety
- Acceptance
an ideal agent would have a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against pathogenic organisms. This agent would have to work rapidly. An agent that does not work rapidly may not provide adequate bacterial reduction before being rinsed off.
ANTIMICROBIAL ACTION
probably most important to achieving compliance in using a new product is its acceptance by the healthcare worker. A product that has ideal antimicrobial action and an excellent safety profile is of little value to good infection control if the user population fails to support its use. Although each is important in its own right, all four characteristics should be present for a complete package.
ACCEPTANCE
an agent offering persistent activity keeps the bacterial count low under the gloves.
PERSISTENT ACTIVITY
Why is alcoholic chlorhexidine most used as cleansing solution
It has a greater residual of antimicrobial activity
the ideal agent would be non-irritating and non-sensitizing. It must have no appreciable ocular or ototoxicity, be safe for use on the body, and not be damaging to the skin or environment.
SAFETY
Duration of a surgical scrub
3-5 mins
is the destruction of all forms of microbial life
STERILIZATION
It is an infection that occurs after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place.
SSI - SURGICAL SITE INFECTION
What is a surgical site infection (SSI)?
It is an infection that occurs after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place.
the physical removal of organic material or soil from objects, is usually done by using water with or without detergents.
CLEANING
What are the SSI Bundle intra-operative?
- Appropriate antibiotic dosing
- Environmental controls
- Maintain a clean environment
- Wear clean surgical attire
- Surgical skin prep and wound classification
- Hand Hygiene
- Minimize Traffic
- Adequate sterilization of instruments
defined as the intermediate measures between physical cleaning and sterilization, is carried out with pasteurization or chemical germicides.
DISINFECTION
Types of disinfection?
- High level disinfection
- Intermediate
- Low-level
can be expected to destroy all microorganisms, with the exception of large numbers of bacterial spores.
HIGH-LEVEL DISINFECTION
inactivates Mycobacterium tuberculosis, vegetative bacteria, most viruses, and most fungi; does not necessarily kill bacterial spores
INTERMEDIATE DISINFECTION
can kill most bacteria, some viruses, and some fungi; cannot be relied on to kill resistant microorganisms such as tubercle bacilli or bacterial spores.
LOW-LEVEL DISINFECTION
Medical devices, equipment, and surgical materials are divided into three general categories based on the potential risk of infection involved in their use:
- Critical
- Semicritical
- Noncritical
instruments or objects that are introduced directly into the bloodstream or into other normally sterile areas of the body.
CRITICAL ITEMS
These items come in contact with intact mucous membranes, but they do not ordinarily penetrate body surfaces.
SEMICIRITCAL ITEMS
These items are those that either do not ordinarily touch the patient or touch only intact skin.
NONCRITICAL ITEMS
This is the most inexpensive and effective method for sterilization.
STEAM STERILIZATION
It is a more complex and expensive process than steam sterilization
ETHYLENE OXIDE GAS STERILIZATION
