Asepsis

Asepsis-

  • Asepsis is the state of being free from disease- causing contaminants (such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites) or, preventing contact with microorganisms.
  • The term asepsis means "A + Sepsis" which shows the absence of disease producing microorganisms. By asepsis the number of microbes are reduced to an irreducible number. Aseptic technique is an effort to keep the client as free from exposure to infection- causing pathogens as much as possible.

Types of Asepsis Techniques : There are 2 types of asepsis:

  1. Medical asepsis
  2. Surgical asepsis

1. Medical Asepsis [Clean Technique]-

  • Medical asepsis means measures used to prevent the spread of organisms from place to place. The most important objective is to reduce the number or spread of microorganisms. During daily routine nursing care, the nurse uses basic medical aseptic technique to break the chain of infection. The nurse should follow isolation technique as appropriate. 

Essential components of maintaining medical asepsis include-

  • Hand washing [Frequently]
  • Utilizing gloves, gown and mask as indicated
  • Cleaning/Disinfection of equipment
  • Handling linens in ways that prevent germs from spreading

2. Surgical Asepsis [Sterile Technique]-

  • Sterile technique is used to prevent the entry or spread of pathogenic agents from environment into the patient. It includes all the procedures used to keep the objects or area sterile from organisms. [Free from pathogenic organisms] Like sterile instruments or supplies are used working in sterile field like OT etc.

Nurse should always face the sterile field, keep sterile equipment above waist level, do not cough or sneeze over a sterile field, never across the sterile field during procedure etc.

Procedures included in surgical asepsis-

  • Surgical hand rub/washing
  • Donning a gown with proper steps and sequences
  • Applying and Removing sterile gloves witl proper method
  • Sterilization of equipments and separate ther by labelling

 Different  between  Medical and surgical Asepsis

Medical Asepsis Surgical Asepsis
The number growth and transmission of microorganisms are  limited / controlled. Objects / articles are free from pathogenic and non-pathogenic organisms.
Transmission of pathogenic organisms is prevented.   Pathogenic and non-pathogenic organisms are totally destroyed.
A clean technique is used eg. hair combing, mouthwash etc. A sterile technique is used, giving injection and doing surgical dressing.

 

 

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