Asepsis

Definition

Asepsis refers to practices designed to prevent contamination from pathogenic microorganisms. It is foundational to nursing practice in all settings.

Medical Asepsis (Clean Technique)

Reduces the number and spread of microorganisms. Includes hand hygiene, standard precautions, cleaning equipment, proper disposal of contaminated materials, and isolation procedures. Used for most routine care (oral care, bed baths, bed making).

Surgical Asepsis (Sterile Technique)

Eliminates all microorganisms and spores. Required for invasive procedures: surgery, catheter insertion, central line care, dressing changes on sterile wounds, and IV line insertion.

Principles of Sterile Field

• Only sterile items may touch sterile items.
• A 1-inch border around a sterile field is considered contaminated.
• Items below waist level or out of sight are not sterile.
• Moisture wicking compromises sterility.
• Never turn your back on a sterile field.

Nursing Considerations

Perform hand hygiene before and after every patient contact, the single most important infection control measure. Use PPE appropriate to the exposure risk.

NCLEX Relevance

Know when clean vs sterile technique applies. Hand hygiene is almost always a correct answer.