Sterile medical procedures Surgical Technique

Handwashing Most important method in sterile and non sterile technique Should be done: When arriving and leaving facility Before and after patient contact After every procedure Before and after gloves After contact w/ soiled items, picking stuff up off floor, use of bathroom, coughing, sneezing or use of tissue Before and after any contact w/ mouth or mucous membranes-eating, drinking, smoking, lipstick or chapstick, or inserting/removing contact lenses.

How to wash Hands Gather all equipment (sink, soap, trash, cuticle stick, papertowels) Stand back from sink (won’t contaminate uniform) and don’t touch sink w/ hands Turn faucet on w/ papertowel Wet hands with fingertips down-prevents water from running down forearms and then running back down and contaminating hands

How to Wash Hands Use soap and lather hands-rub palms, lace fingers and create friction for 10-15 seconds Wash backs of hands with palms for 5 seconds Clean nails with cuticle stick or rub nails into palms Rinse hands with fingers down to prevent contamination Dry hands thoroughly from fingers to wrist and throw towel away Use another towel to turn off faucet and discard all towels in waste container.

Standard Precautions PPE (Gloves, Masks, Goggles/Eyewear) Discarding infectious biohazard waste & sharps

Sterile Technique Sterile technique or Surgical Asepsis is used to protect patient from further infection: Example: Stitches, surgery, catheter insertion, changing a sterile dressing or cleaning a wound, cleaning a central line

Sterile Field Sterile Field-A sterile drape or towel that has been set up to place sterile instruments on or to protect area that is being worked on. Must not be broken. Never reach across field or drop non sterile objects on field. If this occurs, you must start all over.

Sterile techniques 3 main ways to put objects on sterile field: Drop Mitten Transfer forceps **Sterile Field must be kept dry since water is a reservoir for pathogens

Sterile Technique

Sterile technique IF at any time during procedure you feel that sterile field has been broken, start over. Opening sterile packages Putting on and removing sterile gloves Preparing a sterile dressing tray Changing a sterile dressing

Why is this important to know?? It keeps you from getting sick!!!

Chain of Infection

Activity Practice Handwashing Practice putting on sterile gloves Practice taking off sterile gloves