Points to Remember about Aseptic Technique

Principles of Aseptic Technique Reflects One's Surgical Conscience.
1. The patient is the center of the sterile field.
2. Only sterile items are used within the sterile field.
A. Examples of items used.
B. How do we know they are sterile? (Wrapping, label, storage)
3. Sterile persons are gowned and gloved.
A. Keep hands at waist level and in sight at all times.
B. Keep hands away from the face.
C. Never fold hands under arms.
D. Gowns are considered sterile in front from chest to level of sterile field, and the sleeves from above the elbow to cuffs. Gloves are sterile.
E. Sit only if sitting for entire procedure.
4. Tables are sterile only at table level.
A. Anything over the edge is considered unsterile, such as a suture or the table drape.
B. Use non-perforating device to secure tubing and cords to prevent them from sliding to the floor.
5. Sterile persons touch only sterile items or areas; unsterile persons touch only unsterile items or areas.
A. Sterile team members maintain contact with sterile field by wearing gloves and gowns.
B. Supplies are brought to sterile team members by the circulator, who opens wrappers on sterile packages. The circulator ensures a sterile transfer to the sterile field. Only sterile items touch sterile surfaces.
6. Unsterile persons avoid reaching over sterile field; sterile persons avoid leaning over unsterile area.
A. Scrub person sets basins to be filled at edge of table to fill them.
B. Circulator pours with lip only over basin edge.
C. Scrub person drapes an unsterile table toward self first to avoid leaning over an unsterile area. Cuff drapes over gloved hands.
D. Scrub person stands back from the unsterile table when draping it to avoid leaning over an unsterile area.
7. Edges of anything that encloses sterile contents are considered unsterile.
A. When opening sterile packages, open away from you first. Secure flaps so they do not dangle.
B. The wrapper is considered sterile to within one inch of the wrapper.
C. In peel-open packages, the edges where glued, are not considered sterile.
8. Sterile field is created as close as possible to time of use.
A. Covering sterile tables is not recommended.
9. Sterile areas are continuously kept in view.
A. Sterility cannot be ensured without direct observation. An unguarded sterile field should be considered contaminated.
10. Sterile persons keep well within sterile area.
A. Sterile persons pass each other back to back or front to front.
B. Sterile person faces a sterile area to pass it.
C. Sterile persons stay within the sterile field. They do not walk around or go outside the room.
D. Movement is kept to a minimum to avoid contamination of sterile items or persons.
11. Unsterile persons avoid sterile areas.
A. Unsterile persons maintain a distance of at least 1 foot from the sterile field.
B. Unsterile persons face and observe a sterile area when passing it to be sure they do not touch it.
C. Unsterile persons never walk between two sterile fields.
D. Circulator restricts to a minimum all activity near the sterile field.
12. Destruction of integrity of microbial barriers results in contamination.
A. Strike through is the soaking through of barrier from sterile to non-sterile or vice versa.
B. Sterility is event related.
13. Microorganisms must be kept to irreducible minimum.
A. Perfect asepsis is an idea. All microorganisms cannot be eliminated. Skin cannot be sterilized. Air is contaminated by droplets.