A
sterile field
is an area
created
by placing
sterile
surgical drapes around the patient’s surgical site and on the stand that will hold
sterile
instruments and other items needed during surgery.
What steps should be taken when setting up a sterile field?
Do not sneeze, cough, laugh, or talk over the sterile field.
Maintain a safe space or margin of safety between sterile and non-sterile objects and areas
. Refrain from reaching over the sterile field. Keep operating room (OR) traffic to a minimum, and keep doors closed.
How is a sterile field created?
A sterile field is an area created by
placing sterile surgical drapes around the patient’s surgical site and on the stand that will hold sterile instruments and other items needed during surgery
.
What is included in the sterile field?
The sterile field is the designated area which is “free of bugs that can infect people” The sterile field can include can include
surfaces, instruments, even people
. Once a surgeon, tech or nurse is “scrubbed in” (hands washed, adorned in sterile garb), then he or she is part of the sterile field.
How do you prepare for a surgical field?
- Step 1: Hair Removal. Using a clipper with a #40 surgical blade, generously clip the hair or wool from the area surrounding the proposed surgical site. …
- Step 2: Preliminary Skin Preparation. …
- Step 3: Local Anesthesia (if applicable) …
- Step 4: Final Skin Preparation.
Which is not considered part of a sterile field?
Any torn, previously opened, or wet packaging, or packaging that has been dropped on the floor
, is considered non-sterile and may not be used in the sterile field. 2. A sterile object becomes non-sterile when touched by a non-sterile object. Sterile objects must only be touched by sterile equipment or sterile gloves.
How far should you stay away from a sterile field?
This square footage minimum is intended to accommodate the equipment and personnel necessary for one surgical field. For unsterile personnel, such as the circulator, to move around the sterile field without contaminating it, he or she should maintain a distance of
at least 12 inches
from the sterile field.
Why is a sterile field important?
Maintaining a sterile field is an
important component of infection prevention
. These set of practices that are performed before, during and after invasive procedures reduce the number of potentially infectious microbes and help to reduce the risk of post procedure infection.
What are sterile techniques?
Sterile technique
involves strategies used in patient care to reduce exposure to microorganisms and maintain objects and areas as free from microorganisms as possible
.
What happens if you break sterile field?
A break in sterility can
result in infection and seriously harm the patient
. Each year 1.7 million patients acquire a healthcare-associated infection (HAI) and almost 100,000 of them die. At least one in five of these infections could have been prevented.
How must autoclave be loaded?
Spread the load evenly across the surface of the autoclave tray / shelf
and do not front-load or rear-load the vessel. If it is a mixed load with different types of products, ensure that the spread of items is even around the area of the tray / shelf.
How do you open a sterile dressing tray?
Place the sterile dressing/procedure pack on the top of the trolley. Open the sterile dressing pack on top of the trolley. Open the
sterile field using the corners of the paper
. Open any other sterile items needed onto the sterile field without touching them.
When do you open a sterile pack?
Sterile supplies should be opened and set-up
as close to the time of surgery as possible and for one surgery only
. 1. Only one patient should occupy an OR and therefore, a single sterile field should be established.
What is the proper way to pass medications to a sterile person at the sterile field?
Medications from a vial may be transferred to the sterile field by one of three methods: 1)
The circulating person cleans the stopper on the top of the vial and using a sterile transfer device
, such as a sterile vial decanter, pours the medication into the proper receptacle on the sterile field.
What are the 5 principles of aseptic technique?
These principles include the following:
(1) use only sterile items within a sterile field; (2) sterile (scrubbed) personnel are gowned and gloved
; (3) sterile personnel operate within a sterile field (sterile personnel touch only sterile items or areas, unsterile personnel touch only unsterile items or areas); (4) …
What is the proper way to put on sterile gloves?
- Prepare a clean work area. Take pets and children out of your work area. …
- Wash your hands. Turn on the water. …
- Open the package. Open the outer wrap of the sterile glove pack. …
- Put on the first glove. …
- Put on the second glove. …
- After the gloves are on.