Aseptic Technique For Patient Care

Aseptic technique is a set of measures that reduce the risk of infection in patients and medical staff and, in addition, reduce the possibility of infection or contamination of an area or clinical instruments.

Therefore, they are part of preventing the entry of foreign microorganisms into our body. They protect the patients who are under medical care, as well as the professionals who work in that hospital environment.

To perform this indispensable method,  the medical staff must have a number of prior knowledge and skills. ​​Normally used hygiene and biosafety standards should be taken into account.

Infection types according to their characteristics

Aseptic techniques  aim to minimize the development of nosocomial infections. In this way, it is possible to improve the quality of patient care and ensure their safety and that of the medical team at the specialized center.

The closest community  is also protected, as the change could spread during invasive processes such as surgical interventions. In them, the group of specialists is in direct contact with the patient’s tissues.

Currently,  we can classify infections based on different factors. On the one hand, there are endogenous and exogenous infections.

They are distinguished according to whether the microorganism in question comes from the internal or external environment. There are also other classification criteria, depending on the type of microorganism, the means of transmission, and whether it is an intra- or extra-hospital infection.

Different types of aseptic technique

Currently, a group of experts has developed a series of guidelines for the handling of medical instruments. These techniques are also needed during other situations throughout the patient’s treatment. In addition, measures such as isolation are needed to prevent the spread of infections.

Often,  the expert group must work with sterile materials. These are usually packaged in a non-sterile layer and in continuous contact with the external environment. Therefore, the medical team must take special care when handling this type of material to avoid contamination.

Some tips to remember are to  carefully unwrap the package  so that the outer layer does not touch the sterile material.

Furthermore, these instruments must be handled at all times with sterile gloves. It is also necessary to avoid the contact of this material with another contaminated product or its exposure to environmental conditions. Other important measures are not to sneeze and talk about the material to avoid contamination.

Within the usual hygiene rules, it  is very important to remember to wash your hands. As a general rule, this should be done before and after contact with a patient. Hand washing must be done before any medical procedure, and also after its completion.

Also, before using any medical compound or clinical instrument, its condition should be evaluated. In the case of drugs, the expiration date  and conditions must always be checked for correct conservation.

In the case of sterilized material, it must have been treated within the last 8 days. In addition, your packaging must be intact and intact to ensure it is not contaminated.

If the packaging is damaged, use of the product is not recommended. Likewise, all material must be kept in a clean environment, with a low level of humidity and with reduced contact with other possible sources of contamination.

If a mask is to be used in the treatment of a patient, it should be worn for less than two hours straight. After that period, the instrument loses much of its effectiveness.

On the other hand, you should pay attention to its correct placement and avoid touching or placing it again if it moves to the base of the neck.