PRINCIPLES OF STERILE TECHNIQUE

1. ONLY STERILE ITEMS ARE USED WITHIN THE STERILE FIELD How do we know they are sterile? It is packed w/ c !t" # t"e$e is a%t!c a&ed tape !' t"e ste$i e c !t"es 2. STERILE PERSONS ARE (OWNED AND (LO)ED Keep hands at waist level and in sight at all times Keep hands away from the face Never fold hands under arms Gowns are considered sterile in front from chest to level of sterile field, and the sleeves from the a ove the el ow to the cuffs. Gloves are sterile. !. TA*LES ARE STERILE ONLY AT TA*LE LE)EL "nything over the edge is considered unsterile, such as a suture or the ta le drape. #se non$perforating device to secure tu ing and cords to prevent them from sliding to the floor. %. STERILE PERSONS TOUCH ONLY STERILE ITEMS OR AREAS+ UNSTERILE PERSONS TOUCH ONLY UNSTERILE ITEMS OR AREAS &. UNSTERILE PERSONS A)OID REACHIN( O)ER STERILE FIELD+ STERILE PERSONS A)OID LEANIN( O)ER UNSTERILE AREA, '. ED(ES OF ANYTHIN( THAT ENCLOSES STERILE CONTENTS ARE CONSIDERED UNSTERILE, (n peel$open packages, the edges where glued, are not considered sterile. ). STERILE FIELD IS CREATED AS CLOSE AS POSSI*LE TO TIME OF USE, *overing sterile ta les is not recommended. +. STERILE AREAS ARE CONTINUOUSLY -EPT IN )IEW ,-./(0. "/.", "/. *1N-(N#1#,02 K.3- (N 4(.5 ,terility cannot e ensured without direct o servation. "n unguarded sterile field should e considered contaminated. 6. STERILE PERSONS -EEP WELL WITHIN STERILE AREA,

 ,terile persons pass each other ack to ack or front to front. ,terile persons stay within the sterile field. -hey do not walk around or go outside the room. 17. UNSTERILE PERSONS A)OID STERILE AREAS, #nsterile persons maintain a distance of at least 1 foot from the sterile field. #nsterile persons never walk etween two sterile fields. *irculator restricts to a minimum all activity near the sterile field. 11. DESTRUCTION OF INTE(RITY OF MICRO*IAL *ARRIERS RESULTS IN CONTAMINATION 12. MICROOR(ANISMS MUST *E -EPT TO IRREDUCI*LE MINIMUM 3erfect asepsis is an idea. "ll microorganisms cannot e eliminated. ,kin cannot e sterili8ed. SUR(ICAL INSTRUMENTS ., a is /!$cep 0 %se 1 2$aspi'2 tiss%e !$ !$2a's t! 3e $e4!&ed 5, a$46 'a&6 $et$act!$ 0 %se 1 e7p!si'2 s%pe$/icia w!%'d 8, 3a3c!ck 0 %se 1 2$aspi'2 de icate tiss%e 1, 3 adde$ $et$act!$ 9, 3 ade "! de$ :, ke 6 /!$cep c a4p ;st$<#c%$&e= 0 %se 1 c a4pi'2 tiss%e !$ a$2e &esse >, kick 3%cket <, 4a6! sciss!$ ?, 4a6! sciss!$ .@, 4etAe'3a%4 sciss!$ .., 4!sB%it! /!$cep ;st<#c%$&e= 0 %se 1 c a4pi'2 de icate tiss%e .5, 'eed e "! de$ 0 %se 1 a$2e 'eed es .8, pea' /!$cep c a4p0 %se 1 c a4pi'2 tiss%e !$ &esse .1, $ic"a$ds!' $et$act!$

.9, s%$2ica 3 ades .:, t!we c a4p 0 %se 1 sec%$i'2 t!we s !$ d$apes .>, &a2i'a spec% %4 0 %se 1 $et$acti'2 &a2i'a / !!$