ASEPTIC TECHNIQUE IN
HEALTHCARE
MICROBIAL GROWTH
• FOLLOWING FACTORS INFLUENCE MICROBIAL GROWTH:
• TEMPERATURE
• PH, OR THE VALUES USED IN CHEMISTRY TO EXPRESS THE DEGREES OF ACIDITY OF A
SUBSTANCE.
• FOOD.
• MOISTURE.
• OXYGEN.
MICROBIAL GROWTH
• AEROBIC MICROBES – LIVE ONLY IN THE PRESENCE OF OXYGEN.
• ANAEROBIC MICROBES – GROW BEST IN THE ABSENCE OF
OXYGEN.
CHAIN OF INFECTION
• CHAIN OF INFECTION
CONTAINS 6 ELEMENTS. IF
BROKEN, INFECTION WILL NOT
OCCUR.
SIGNS OF INFECTION
• REDNESS
• SWELLING
• WARMTH/TEMPERATURE
• TENDERNESS
• DRAINAGE
ASEPSIS
• MEDICAL ASEPSIS
• CALLED “CLEAN TECHNIQUE.”
• INCLUDES HAND WASHING, PERSONAL PROTECTIVE BARRIERS, AND
ROUTINE CLEANING OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
• USED TO LIMIT MICROORGANISMS, THEIR GROWTH, AND
TRANSMISSION
• SURGICAL ASEPSIS
• CALLED “STERILE TECHNIQUE.”
• KEEPING AN AREA COMPLETELY FREE OF MICROORGANISMS
• ONLY STERILE OBJECTS CAN COME IN CONTACT WITH STERILE OBJECTS.
OTHERWISE, THEY MUST BE CONSIDERED CONTAMINATED.
LEVELS OF INFECTION CONTROL
• SANITIZATION – CLEANING AND SCRUBBING INSTRUMENTS AND
EQUIPMENT TO REMOVE CONTAMINATED MATERIALS AND
MICROORGANISMS
SANITIZING IS MEANT TO REDUCE, NOT KILL, THE OCCURRENCE AND GROWTH
OF BACTERIA, VIRUSES AND FUNGI
WHEN YOU SANITIZE, YOU ARE KILLING/REDUCING THE NUMBER OF BACTERIA
PRESENT BY 99.9 PERCENT, BUT DOING NOTHING ABOUT VIRUSES AND FUNGUS.
LEVELS OF INFECTION CONTROL
• DISINFECTION – SECOND LEVEL USED ON INSTRUMENTS AND
EQUIPMENT THAT COME IN CONTACT WITH INTACT MUCOUS
MEMBRANE
DISINFECTING A SURFACE WILL “KILL” THE MICROSCOPIC ORGANISMS AS
CLAIMED ON THE LABEL OF A PARTICULAR PRODUCT.
IN HEALTHCARE, PARTICULARLY INSTRUMENTS, OCCURS BY ULTRASONIC
WASHERS, CHEMICAL SOLUTIONS, PHYSICAL AGENTS (BOILING WATER)
LEVELS OF INFECTION CONTROL
• STERILIZATION – COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF ALL MICROORGANISMS-PATHOGENIC,
BENEFICIAL, AND HARMLESS- SURFACE OF INSTRUMENT AND EQUIPMENT
SKIN AND HAIR CANNOT BE STERILIZED!
REQUIRED FOR ALL INSTRUMENTS OR SUPPLIES THAT WILL PENETRATE A
PATIENT’S SKIN OR ANY OTHER NORMALLY STERILE AREA OF THE BODY.
FIRST SANITIZE IT AND/OR DISINFECT IT.
AUTOCLAVING
CHEMICAL (COLD) PROCESSES
DRY HEAT PROCESSES
GAS PROCESSES
MICROWAVE PROCESSES
HSF PG. 505-506
AUTOCLAVE
PRIMARY METHOD OF STERILIZING
INSTRUMENTS
STEAM OPERATE AT LOWER
TEMPERATURE
MOIST STEAM PERMEATES THE
WRAPPING
MOISTURE CAUSES COAGULATION
OF PROTEINS CAUSING CELLS TO
BURST AND KILLING THEM.
OTHER METHODS OF STERILIZATION
CHEMICAL – USING CHEMICALS SOLUTIONS (CHEMICLAVE) WHEN
HEAT CAN’T BE USED
DRY HEAT – USED WHEN CAN’T USE HEAT OR CHEMICALS
GAS – USED IN HOSPITALS TAKES LONGER THAN STEAM
MICROWAVE – LOW PRESSURE STEAM WITH RADIATION TO
PRODUCE LOCALIZED HEAT THAT KILLS MICROORGANISMS.
STANDARD PRECAUTIONS
• EVERY PERSON SHOULD BE TREATED AS THOUGH THEY HAVE AN
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
►PROTECTIVE BARRIERS
►PROPER HAND WASHING
►APPROPRIATE DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS WASTE
►PROPER CLEANING OF CONTAMINATED AREAS
PROTECTIVE BARRIERS
• SINGLE USE DISPOSABLE GLOVES SHOULD BE WORN WHEN IT IS LIKELY YOU
COULD COME IN CONTACT WITH BLOOD OR BODY FLUIDS
ASSISTING WITH PERSONAL CARE
WHEN FRANK (VISIBLE) BLOOD IS PRESENT
WHEN CAREGIVER HAS BROKEN AREAS OF SKIN
WHEN CLEANING UP BLOOD SPILLS OR BODY FLUIDS
► DO NOT REUSE GLOVES
► REMOVE GLOVES PRIOR TO TOUCHING
• NON-CONTAMINATED OBJECTS
• ► REMOVE GLOVES PROMPTLY AFTER USE AND WASH HANDS THOROUGHLY
• ► USE RESUSCITATION DEVICES,