Asepsis

Asepsis - Freedom from infection. There are two categories of the asepsis.

1. Surgical Asepsis - The procedure used to prevent contamination microbes and endospores before, during and after surgery using sterile technique.

2. Medical Asepsis - A reduction in the numbers of infectious agents, which in turn decreases the probability of infection but does not necessarily reduce it to zero.

 

So, hand washing does not use sterile technique, therefore, it is not part of surgical asepsis.   Your hands will not be sterile after washing them.   Wearing sterile gloves is using sterile technique.   Hand washing is reducing infectious agents to try to decrease the chance of getting an infection and to keep from spreading infection.

 

Additional Terminology

Disinfectant - Liquid chemical agent applied to objects to eliminate or destroy many or all pathogenic microorganisms.

Antiseptic - A disinfectant agent that inhibits growth and development of microorganisms, applied topically.

Antibacterial - A substance that kills bacteria or inhibits their growth or replication.

Bacteriostatic Agent -Stops bacteria from reproducing (bacteriostatic antibiotics)(bacteriostatic agents are not applied topically).

Antimicrobial Agent - An agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth.

Iatrogenic - Caused by a medical professional.

Nosocomial - Infections brought on due to hospital (acute care facility) stay.

Community Acquired - Infections developed outside the healthcare facility.

Infection - An invasion of body tissues.

Disease - Abnormal change in the function or structure of a body part or organ system (sickness).

Vector - A carrier, especially an animal, that transfers an infective agent from one host to another.

Vehicle - Any substance, such as food or water, that can serve as a mode of transmission for infectious agents.