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Medical vs. Surgical Asepsis Guide

This document summarizes the competency of differentiating between medical and surgical asepsis. It provides an example of learning about this topic from a nursing textbook and strengthening understanding through lab practice. Key differences between medical and surgical asepsis are outlined, such as clean technique involving hand hygiene and gloves to prevent contact with bodily fluids for medical asepsis, while surgical asepsis follows strict sterile technique principles. The proficiency in this competency is rated as good, with understanding of theory but lacking clinical experience. This learning will be applied in future clinical placements and impact long-term nursing practice.

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176 views3 pages

Medical vs. Surgical Asepsis Guide

This document summarizes the competency of differentiating between medical and surgical asepsis. It provides an example of learning about this topic from a nursing textbook and strengthening understanding through lab practice. Key differences between medical and surgical asepsis are outlined, such as clean technique involving hand hygiene and gloves to prevent contact with bodily fluids for medical asepsis, while surgical asepsis follows strict sterile technique principles. The proficiency in this competency is rated as good, with understanding of theory but lacking clinical experience. This learning will be applied in future clinical placements and impact long-term nursing practice.

Uploaded by

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© © All Rights Reserved
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Continuing Competency: Medical/Surgical Asepsis

Competency Number

Competency: E-11 Medical/Surgical Asepsis.


Subcategory: 1 Demonstrate knowledge and
ability to differentiate between medical and

Significant Learning Experience: Example

surgical asepsis.
NFDN 2003, Unit 2: Management of Client

of one significant learning experience in

with Altered Protective Mechanisms. I learned

NFDN 2003.

from my Canadian Fundamentals of Nursing


textbook that asepsis is the absence of
pathogenic microorganisms. Aseptic technique
refers to practices that keep a patient as free
from pathogens as possible (Potter & Perry,
2014, p. 632). My learning was then
strengthened by practicing clean and sterile
technique in the lab setting with help from the

What You Learned: What was learned and


how it relates to the competency.

lab instructor.
Medical asepsis (clean technique) includes:

Hand hygiene and clean gloves to


prevent direct contact with blood or

bodily fluids;
cleaning the environment daily;
considering an object contaminated if it

becomes unsterile or unclean and;


considering an area or object is
contaminated if it contains or is
suspected of containing pathogens

CONTINUING COMPETENCY

2
(Potter & Perry, 2014, p. 632).
Surgical asepsis (sterile technique) includes:

Following the principles of surgical


asepsis:
o A sterile object only remains
sterile when touched by another
sterile object;
o only sterile objects may be
placed on the sterile field;
o a sterile object or field out of the
range of vision or an object held
below a persons waist is
contaminated;
o a sterile object or field becomes
contaminated by prolonged
exposure to air;
o when a sterile surface comes in
contact with a wet,
contaminated surface, the sterile
object or field becomes
contaminated by capillary
action;
o fluid flows in the direction of
gravity and;
o the edges of a sterile field or
container are considered to be
contaminated (Potter & Perry,

CONTINUING COMPETENCY

2014, pp. 647-648).


Performing hand hygiene as well as

Proficiency Rating: Rate the proficiency in

donning sterile gloves.


I consider my proficiency in this competency

the chosen CLPNA competency. What was

as good because I understand the theory portion

achieved in this competency?

and I can apply the skill to my lab practice, but


I have not had the actual clinical experience
with medical and surgical asepsis that is

required to rate myself as excellent.


Nursing Practice: Describe how to apply this I will apply this learning in the future when I
learning to current and future nursing

go out to clinical placement in both continuing

practice.

care and acute care settings. I believe this


learning will impact my whole future career as
a nurse because I consider asepsis to be a
foundational nursing skill.

References
Potter, P. A., Perry, A. G., Stockert, P. A., Hall, A. M., Ross-Kerr, J. C., Wood, M. J.,
Duggleby, W. (Eds.). (2014). Canadian Fundamentals of Nursing (5th ed.). Toronto, ON:
Mosby/Elsevier Canada.

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