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LECTURE NOTES
PURPOSE OF HOSPITAL ASEPSIS:
1. Provide an environment that is as close to germ-free as possible.
2. Protect patients and hospital personnel from airborne pathogen, contact pathogens
and bloodborne pathogens.
3. Prevent any introduction of microorganisms to patients or staff by adhering to strict
standards of medical asepsis in the surgical OR and for the surgical items including
instruments, equipment and supplies.
a. Reduce bioburden created by surgical intervention
b. Reduce possibility of surgical patient cross-contamination
c. Prevent nosocomial infections in subsequent surgical patients
4. Maintain infection free surgical wounds by containing contamination via tissue
handling or wound closure through surgical asepsis.
PRINCIPLES FOR CONTAMINATION PREVENTION ON LIVING AND INANIMATE
OBJECTS:
1. Aseptic technique containment of microbial contamination on animate (living)
surfaces via mechanical and/or chemical means
a. Sanitization a means of reducing microbes
b. Antisepsis infection prevention through the inhibition of microbial growth.
Because antiseptics are using on animate objects they must be weaker than
disinfectants which are used on inanimate objects.
2. Sterile Technique Prevention of microbial contamination on inanimate surfaces via
mechanical, chemical, thermal or nuclear means. Selecting a sterilization method and
agent depends on multiple variables such as cost and nature of the item
(submersible/nonsubmersible, heat-sensitive/non-heat sensitive).
a. Disinfection the process of destroying all microorganisms, except spore
bearing ones.
b. Sterilization the process of destroying all microorganisms including
viruses, fungi and fungal spores and all forms of bacteria and their spore by
using sterilant or sporicidal agents.
LEVELS OF CONTAMINATION PREVENTION:
1. LEVEL 1 High level asepsis for critical items; required for any items introduced to
internal body areas or areas with high risk of infection if contaminated with
microorganisms, including bacterial spores.
2. LEVEL 2 Intermediate asepsis for semi-critical items; used for those items that
contact mucous membranes or broken skin.
3. LEVEL 3 low level or non-critical items; used for those items that contact intact
skin only.
SURGICAL SUPPLY PREPARATION PHASES:
1. Decontamination or cleaning phase Level 3 process for removing initial gross
contaminants such as blood and debris from surgical instruments; for non-critical
items, this is the only phase required before restocking