When should aseptic non touch technique be used?
Aseptic technique is used during clinical procedures to identify and prevent microbial contamination of aseptic parts and sites by ensuring that they are not touched either directly or indirectly. A widely used method of aseptic technique is known as Aseptic Non Touch Technique (ANTT®).
What are the 4 main principles of Antt?
ANTT is supported by evidence and highlights the key components involved in maintaining asepsis and aims to standardise practice.The underlying principles of ANTT are:Always wash hands effectively;Never contaminate key parts;Touch non-key parts with confidence;Take appropriate infective precautions.
What procedure is Antt used for?
ANTT aims to prevent microorganisms from hands, surfaces or equipment being introduced into a susceptible (key) site such as an intravenous device, urinary catheter or wound, by identification and protection of the key parts of any procedure.
What are the 3 types of aseptic field?
There are three types of aseptic technique:Sterile – a technique that aims to achieve total absence of microorganisms. ... Standard – a technique that utilises a general aseptic field, critical micro aseptic fields, hand hygiene, non touch technique and non sterile gloves to achieve a safe level of asepsis for:
When would you use critical aseptic fields?
Critical aseptic field - Critical aseptic fields are used when key parts/sites cannot be protected with covers and caps or handled at all times by a non-touch technique, or when open and invasive procedures require large working areas for long durations.
What are the basic principles of aseptic technique?
PRINCIPLES OF THE ASEPTIC TECHNIQUECreating a microorganism-free environment (sterile field)Use of sterilized instruments and dressings.Maintaining sterility of sterile field and instruments by preventing microbial contaminationby contact with non-sterile objects; such as:More items...
What are key parts in Antt?
Key-Parts are the critical parts of the procedure equipment that if contaminated are most likely to cause infection. E.g. needles, syringe tips, intravenous line connections, exposed lumens of catheters, tops of ampoules. infection precautions such as hand cleaning and glove usage etc.
What is no touch technique?
Non-touch aseptic technique is the practice of avoiding contamination by not touching key elements, the inside surface of a sterile dressing where it will be in contact with a wound.
What is aseptic technique NHS?
Aseptic technique refers to the procedure used to avoid the introduction of pathogenic organisms into a vulnerable body site or invasive device. The principle aim of an aseptic technique is to protect the patient from contamination by pathogenic organisms during medical and nursing procedures.
Why is Antt so effective?
When introduced on a ward or unit it heightens awareness of the basic principle of achieving asepsis. Because it is logical in its approach it is relatively easy to teach.
Why is ANTT used in both central and peripheral care?
ANTT should be used for both central and peripheral line care as it can be counterproductive to promote two different concepts of technique. This can imply that peripheral techniques do not need to be as aseptic, resulting in terminology such as ‘clean technique’. Either a technique is aseptic or it is not. Nurses would be better advised to concentrate on developing an excellent and consistent technique rather than on the route of administration and the diagnosis of the patient.
How can nurses reduce the potential for airborne infection?
Nurses can reduce the potential for airborne infection by taking sensible precautions, such as avoiding procedures that require ANTT immediately after bed-making or similar activities when airborne bacteria will be at its highest (Church, 1986a). Hands.
How to maintain asepsis?
Maintaining asepsis of key parts is achieved by preventing them coming into contact with a significant amount of potentially harmful organisms. This is difficult, as the very tools we use to perform ANTT are covered in bacteria - our hands. It has been estimated there are as many as three million bacteria present per square centimetre of normal skin (Gould, 1991).
What is the most important procedure for preventing cross infection?
Hand-washing is the most significant procedure in preventing cross infection (Voss and Widmer, 1977). Organisms present on the hands are either resident or transient. Transient organisms are those that are not usually part of the skin flora. They are acquired by contact with infected patients or infected equipment.
Is aseptic technique a clinical practice?
A review of the literature reveals an almost complete absence of research in this essential area of clinical practice. Aseptic techniques have evolved more from anecdotal evidence and ritualistic practice than from empirical research, and the principles of aseptic technique need to be re-established in nursing practice (Lund, 1983). It is essential that nurses can apply a standardised technique to aseptic procedures.
What is ANTT in medical?
ANTT better defined the infection control methods and precautions necessary during invasive clinical procedures to prevent the transfer of microorganisms from health professionals , procedure equipment or the immediate environment to the patient. It is achieved by ensuring the asepsis of procedure key parts and key sites.
How does ANTT influence practice?
This shows how best practice-based ANTT can be identified by other ANTT users. This is an important advantage as, rather than being dependent on occasional and formal audit alone, the defined and identifiable ANTT approach enables a routine day-to-day level of peer monitoring of practice standards. ANTT-trained staff also articulate a common practice language and apply a consistent approach to risk assessment and supporting aseptic processes in general.
What is the ANTT framework?
At the core of the ANTT theoretical framework for clinical practice (www.tinyurl.com/ANTT-framework) was the singular and clear infection prevention aim of asepsis for all invasive clinical procedures, no matter how simple or complex. The term “asepsis” is an accurate and achievable quality standard relating to the absence of pathogenic microorganisms (Hauswirth and Sherk, 2011). The framework’s focus was based on the simple fact that, by definition, sterile technique (requiring the complete absence of microorganisms) is impossible to achieve in typical healthcare settings due to the prevalence of microorganisms in the air. The term “clean” was discounted as being too ambiguous as a quality standard for invasive clinical procedures.
Why should aseptic practice be standardised?
9. Aseptic practice should be standardised across and between healthcare organisations. Typically, when HCAI rates are high in specific areas, hospitals react by standardising practice with explicit guidance. ANTT has been used to good effect reactively (Rowley and Clare, 2009) but, in the best interests of patients, it is best used proactively to standardise aseptic practice across large workforces. Standardising practice naturally reduces practice variability and the number of variables in practice. It also enables peer enforcement, monitoring of standards and research enquiry.
How does ANTT practice improve aseptic technique?
By deconstructing and rebuilding a problematic area of clinical practice, the ANTT practice framework and its adoption has done much to improve standards of aseptic technique. However, many challenges remain. Contrary to the requirement of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, some hospitals and community organisations still undervalue the critical procedure of aseptic technique and do not have a single standard. Audit by ASAP has shown such hospitals practise what can only be termed “general” aseptic technique. Typically, this is characterised by variable, subjective approaches to practice, which means standards are also variable. Ineffective practice is often protected by excessive autonomy in some specialties, while risk assessment is often ambiguous and confused.
What is an ANTT field?
Common to standard and surgical ANTT is the use of critical aseptic fields to maintain the asepsis of procedure key parts. In surgical ANTT, the critical aseptic field will be a relatively large area on which only equipment that has been sterilised or is aseptic can be introduced.
What is an aseptic technique?
Aseptic technique is the most commonly performed infection prevention procedure in healthcare; it is also probably the most critical. This article looks at the Aseptic Non Touch Technique (ANTT) model for reducing healthcare-associated infections (HCAI). It outlines the principles of ANTT and the approach to practice, ...
How to prevent antt?
1. Handwashing. Wash hands using soap and water before starting procedures, between procedure steps and after procedure is finished. Hand sanitizer can be used when hands are not visibly soiled.
What is the aseptic non-touch technique (ANTT)?
The aseptic non-touch technique (ANTT) is used for CVL/PICC dressing and cap changes. This technique will help to prevent introducing germs, which may cause infection in the central venous line (CVL) or peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC).
What is anantt in medical terms?
ANTT means doing a procedure in a way that keeps germs from entering the child’s body. The safest way to protect a key part or key site is simply not to touch it. If a key site must be touched, then sterile gloves must be worn.
When to use hand sanitizer?
Hand sanitizer can be used when hands are not visibly soiled. 2. Correct glove use. Use gloves where required to reduce the transmission of harmful bacteria. It is necessary to wear sterile gloves at points during a cap or dressing change where there is greatest risk of contamination of the key site.
Do you have to wear a mask during an aseptic procedure?
You must wear a mask whenever you are doing an aseptic procedure, as bacteria from your nose and mouth may spread.
What is an ANTT procedure?
ANTT Procedure Guidelines are used widely internationally in hospital and home care settings. They are simple in design and help ensure invasive procedures are performed effectively. Patients are assured by the similarity and consistency in practice between different care providers. Health Care Organisations benefit from communicating a clear expectancy that serves as a foundation for the monitoring of standards.
Is Antt Procedure editable?
All our ANTT Procedure Guidelines are provided in editable format. Changes can easily be made to reflect local policy and equipment. We are happy to advise.
What is standard ANTT?
5.1 Standard ANTT is the method employed to help prevent contamination of wounds and other susceptible sites by pathogenic organisms, by ensuring that only uncontaminated equipment and fluids come into contact with sterile/susceptible body sites during certain clinical procedures.
What is ANTT surgical?
4.1 Surgical ANTT is a procedure to eliminate micro-organisms from an area. It is practiced in operating theatres, some treatment areas and other departments for invasive procedures such as the insertion of central lines.
Introduction
Why Is Aseptic Technique So Important?
- The interplay of microorganisms in the clinical environment and their impact on healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) is well accepted but not fully understood. It is clear that significant numbers of infections are caused by microorganism contamination of invasive clinical procedures due to failed aseptic technique, especially via in situ medical devices that breach pat…
Reducing HCAIs Using Antt
- ANTT improves aseptic practice through standardisation in two ways: 1. The practice framework (Fig 1), which provides a robust set of rules to teach safe and efficient aseptic technique and dispels the myths and rituals that have confused and complicated practice; 2. The widespread use of ANTT guidelines for common clinical procedures in both hospi...
The Antt Approach to Practice
- The influence and outcome of teaching the ANTT practice framework can be illustrated by a simple example. At a hospital in the planning stage of implementing ANTT, an infection control nurse noticed a nurse already practising exemplary ANTT – she had been employed from a hospital that used ANTT as standard. This shows how best practice-based ANTT can be identifi…
Discussion
- By deconstructing and rebuilding a problematic area of clinical practice, the ANTT practice framework and its adoption has done much to improve standards of aseptic technique. However, many challenges remain. Contrary to the requirement of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, some hospitals and community organisations still undervalue the critical procedure of aseptic te…
Conclusion
- Over the last decade numerous NHS organisations have adopted ANTT to help significantly reduce HCAIs (Pike et al, 2009; Rowley and Clare, 2009). The commitment and hard work of participating hospitals and community teams has no doubt contributed to saving many lives. In partnership with health professionals and patients, the ASAP will continue its mission to signific…