#THREE MAIN PRINCIPLES OF ASEPSIS FREE#

The hands must be rubbed together vigorously for a minimum of 10–15 seconds, paying particular attention to the tips of the fingers, the thumbs and the areas between the fingers. The handwash solution must come into contact with all of the surfaces of the hand. Preparation requires wetting hands under tepid running water before applying liquid soap or an antimicrobial preparation.

ġ.1.2.4 An effective handwashing technique involves three stages: preparation, washing and rinsing, and drying.

#THREE MAIN PRINCIPLES OF ASEPSIS FREE#

Making sure that fingernails are short, clean and free of nail polishĬovering cuts and abrasions with waterproof dressings. Examples include gloves, aprons, and eye and face protection.īeing bare below the elbow when delivering direct patient care

Personal protective equipment Equipment that is intended to be worn or held by a person to protect them from risks to their health and safety while at work. Healthcare waste In this guideline, healthcare waste refers to any waste produced by, and as a consequence of, healthcare activities. Healthcare worker Any person employed by the health service, social services, a local authority or an agency to provide care for a sick, disabled or elderly person. This guideline refers to handrubs compliant with British standards (BS EN1500 standard for efficacy of hygienic handrubs using a reference of 60% isopropyl alcohol). Handrub A preparation applied to the hands to reduce the number of viable microorganisms. In this guideline this term is interchangeable with 'hand hygiene'. Hand decontamination The use of handrub or handwashing to reduce the number of bacteria on the hands. Any physical aspect of the healthcare of a patient, including treatments, self-care and administration of medication.

Using the principles of asepsis minimises the spread of organisms from one person to another.ĭirect patient care 'Hands on' or face-to-face contact with patients. It should be used during any clinical procedure that bypasses the body's natural defences. Aseptic technique An aseptic technique ensures that only uncontaminated equipment and fluids come into contact with susceptible body sites.

Three main principles of asepsis