Aseptic

Method

While all members of the surgical team should demonstrate good aseptic technique, it is the role of the scrub nurse or surgical technologist to set up and maintain the sterile field. To prevent cross-contamination of patients, instruments are sterilized through autoclaving or by using disposable equipment; suture material or xenografts also need to be sterilized beforehand. Basic aseptic procedures includes hand washing, donning protective gloves, masks and gowns, and sterilizing equipment and linens. Medical aseptic techniques also includes curbing the spread of infectious diseases through quarantine, specifically isolation procedures based on the mode of disease transmission. Within contact, droplet and airborne isolation methods, two different procedures emerge: strict isolation vs. reverse isolation. Strict isolation quarantines patients to prevent them from infecting others, while reverse isolation prevents vulnerable patients from becoming infected.