The presentation delineate about medical asepsis and surgical asepsis

1. CONCEPT OF ASEPSIS:
Medical & Surgical Asepsis
Mrs. Babitha K Devu
Asstt. Professor
SMVDCoN

2. Introduction:
 The dramatic reduction in the incidence of
infectious disease that occurred during the late
1800s and early 1900s resulted largely from the
understanding that microorganisms cause disease
and that they can be controlled through aseptic
practices.
 Nosocomial infections continue to occur in all
health care settings. The risk of nosocomial
infections can be reduced simply by
understanding and practicing aseptic technique.
 The two major categories of aseptic practices are
medical asepsis and surgical asepsis.

3. ASEPSIS
The term asepsis means the
absence of disease-producing
microorganisms
Reducing the number of microbes to
an irreducible number
Sum total of the effort to keep the
patient's environment free from
contamination and the patient free
from colonization

4. Concept of Asepsis
 The nurse’s efforts to minimize the
onset & spread of infection are
based on the principles of aseptic
technique.
 Aseptic technique is an effort to
keep the client as free from
exposure to infection-causing
pathogens as possible.

5. Types of Asepsis Technique
 There are two types of asepsis:
Medical asepsis & Surgical asepsis.
 Medical asepsis also known as Clean Technique.
 Surgical asepsis refers to Sterile Technique.

6. Medical Asepsis
Definition:
 Measures used to prevent the spread of organisms
from place to place.
 All the measures aimed at reducing the number or
spread of microorganisms.

7. Medical Asepsis
 During daily routine care, the nurse uses basic
medical aseptic techniques to break the
infection chain.
 Eg.of medical asepsis are changing client’s bed
linen daily, handwashing, barrier techniques, &
routine environmental cleaning.

8. Cont…
 Follow Isolation technique as appropriate.
 Clients with high susceptibility to infection
require special precautions to prevent
exposure to pathogens.

9. Cont…
 In medical asepsis, an area or object is
considered contaminated only if it is
suspected of containing pathogen (e.g., used
bedpan, the floor & a wet piece of gauze).

10. Cornerstones of Medical Asepsis
* Know what is dirty
* Know what is clean
* Know what is sterile
* Keep these conditions separate
* Remedy contamination immediately

11. Principles of Medical Asepsis
 When the body is penetrated, and natural
barriers such as the skin is bypassed ,the
patient is susceptible to any microbes that
might enter.
 Even though intact skin is a good barrier
against microbial contamination, a patient can
become colonized with microbes if appropriate
precautions are not taken.

12. Principles of Medical Asepsis
 All body fluids from any patient is considered
contaminated.
 The healthcare team and the environment can
be a source of contamination for the patient.
 Assess each patient to determine if he has an
infectious process
 Choose the barrier appropriate to the infectious
process
 Isolate the disease not the patient.
 The chain is as strong as the weakest link

15. Surgical Asepsis
Definition:
 Sterile technique is used to prevent the introduction
or spread of pathogens from the environment into
the patient.
 Refers to the procedures used to keep the object or
areas sterile from micro organisms.
 To be sterile an object must be free from all
microorganisms.

16. Cont…
 These techniques can be practiced by nurses
in the OR (surgical incision) or at the bedside
(e.g, inserting IV or urinary catheter &
reapplying sterile dressings) where sterile
instruments & supplies are used.

17. Cont…
 In surgical asepsis, an area or object may be
considered contaminated if touched by an
object that is not sterile (e.g., a tear in a
surgical glove during a procedure, a sterile
instrument placed on an unsterile surface).

18. Cont…
 The nurse working with a sterile field or with
sterile equipment must understand that the
slightest break in technique results in
contamination.

19. Cornerstones of Surgical Asepsis
 Know what is sterile
 Know what is not sterile
 Keep the two apart
 Remedy contamination immediately

20. Principles in surgical asepsis
Principles Rationale
Always face the sterile field.
Do not turn back or side on a
sterile field
Sterile objects which are out of
vision are considered
questionable and their sterility
cannot be guaranted.
Keep sterile equipment above
your waist level or above table
level.
Waist level and table level are
considered margins of safety
and will promote maximum
visibility of the sterile field.
Do not speak, sneeze and
cough over a sterile field.
To prevent or droplet infection.
Never reach across sterile
field
When a nonsterile object is held
above a sterile object, Gravity
causes micro organisms to fall
into the sterile field.

21. Principles Rationale
Keep the unsterile objects
away from the sterile field.
Micro organisms may be
transferred whenever a non
sterile object touches a
sterile field.
Keep the sterile field dry Micro organisms do not pass
easily through a dry surface.
The edge of the sterile
field is considered
unsterile.
Proximity to a contaminated
area makes sterility doubtful.
Handle liquids cautiously
near the sterile field or
prevent drapes or wrappers
from becoming wet.
When a liquid wets it
connects a nonsterile field
with a sterile field.

22. Principles Rationale
Each sterile supply should
be clearly labeled as to its
contents, time and date of
sterilization.
To ensure sterility.
Never assume that a
object is sterile. Always
check the sterility
expiration date.
Sterility of an object
wrapped in paper or cloth
becomes doubtful after 4
weeks.
Avoid sweeping and dusting
when the sterile objects
are opened.
Micro –organisms travel in
the dust particles
Put on mask, Wash hands,
put on gowns and gloves
before handling sterile
supplies.
To prevent contamination.

23. PROCEDURES INCLUDED IN
SURGICAL ASEPSIS
Surgical hand scrub
Donning a gown
Applying and removing
a sterile gloves
Sterilization of
equipments

24. Remember !!!
 Effectiveness of aseptic practices depends on
the nurse’s conscientiousness & consistency
in using effective aseptic techniques.
 The nurse is responsible for providing the
client with a safe environment.
 The nurse’s first responsibility to the client is
to first do no harm.

25. Remember !!!
 It is easy to forget key procedural steps or, when
hurried, to take shortcuts that break aseptic
procedures. However, the nurse’s failure to be
meticulous will place the client at risk for an
infection that can seriously impair recovery.
(Florence Nightingale, 1859)