Aseptic Non Touch Technique (ANTT)ANTT refers to Aseptic non – touch technique. ANTT is an international set of principles aimed to: Show
What is ANTT?Aseptic non-touch technique uses a defined framework and is a relatively new approach to undertaking aseptic techniques. This standardised approach, developed in University College Hospital (UCH) London, has been shown to significantly improve the aseptic technique of healthcare workers and reduce the numbers of Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs). ANTT is a core nursing and medical skill that defines the infection prevention and control methods and precautions necessary during invasive clinical procedures to prevent the transfer of microorganisms to ‘key’ or sterile body sites from healthcare professionals, procedure equipment or the immediate environment to a patient. The ANTT framework is based upon the goal of asepsis rather than sterility and the approach is gauged on the technical difficulty of each procedure rather than the diagnosis or age of the patient. Definitions
Why use ANTT?Patients suffer harm or may die as a result of Healthcare associated infections (HCAI’S). There is agreement in the literature that one of the most effective ways of reducing HCAI’S is through the application of a standardised ANTT for a clinical procedure (Rowley 2003, Pratt et al 2014). The aim of using ANTT is to prevent the introduction of micro – organisms into susceptible body sites (Rowley 2001). The aim is asepsis i.e. the absence of pathogenic organisms or toxins from the blood or tissues (Wilson 1995). ANTT has been endorsed by the Department of Health EPIC 3 guidelines (Pratt et al 2014). There are two main types of asepsis, medical and surgical. Medical asepsis refers to a clean technique to prevent and reduce the number of microorganisms. Surgical asepsis is a sterile technique, the aim being to eliminate ALL micro – organisms from an object or area during an invasive procedure. ANTT can be used to achieve medical asepsis. The main principle of ANTT is that the susceptible or sterile body sites must not come into contact with non – sterile items (Rowley 2004). Only non-contaminated equipment, referred to as “key parts” or sterile fluid should come into contact with sterile or ‘key’ sites during clinical procedures. A critical part of the practice is not to touch a “key part” directly or indirectly. When should ANTT be used?ANTT needs to be efficient as well as safe, therefore Surgical-ANTT is used for complicated procedures and Standard-ANTT is used for uncomplicated procedures. Choice of Surgical or Standard ANTT is based on risk assessment, according to the technical difficulty of ensuring Key-part and key-site asepsis. For ANTT to be safe, healthcare workers must risk assess every procedure for the level of aseptic technique and the infection prevention and control precautions required to maintain asepsis.
Infection Prevention & Control Principles of ANTTAlways decontaminate hands effectively Never contaminate ‘key parts’ of the equipment or the patients’ susceptible site Touch non ‘key parts’ of the equipment with confidence Take appropriate infection prevention and control precautions Standard precautions such as effective hand decontamination (link to Hand Hygiene section of the manual) and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) (link to PPE section of the manual) are central to ANTT practices. Non-sterile gloves should be worn in most cases as sterile gloves are only necessary if the procedure requires a ‘surgical’ approach or the operator cannot carry out the procedure without the risk of touching a key part. The ANTT environment is also critical and cleanliness of the tray/trolley must be achieved. ReferencesAyliffe’s Control of Hospital Infection Fifth Edition: A Practical Handbook. Editors: Adam Fraise and Christina Bradley; CRC Press (2009). Loveday H.P. et al (2014) EPIC3: National Evidence-based Guidelines for Preventing Healthcare associated Infections in NHS Hospitals in England. Journal of Hospital Infection, 86S1(2014) S1-S70 http://download.journals.elsevierhealth.com/pdfs/journals/0195-6701/PIIS0195670113600122.pdf Nursing Times; ANTT: a standard approach to aseptic technique, Vol. 107 No. 36. Rowley, 2003, as cited in Dept of Health (2003) Winning Ways: Working together to reduce healthcare associated infection in England. Report from the Chief Medical Officer, Dept of Health. Which of the following are the goals of aseptic techniques?The goal of the aseptic technique is to eliminate germs entirely. The goal of the clean technique is to reduce the number of germs whenever possible. Clean techniques are important for all healthcare providers and their patients because they prevent infections every day.
What are the 5 principles of aseptic technique?Aseptic technique • Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) • Respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette • Safe use of sharps • Environmental cleaning • Reprocessing of medical equipment • Appropriate handling of linen and waste management.
What are three reasons for aseptic technique?Aseptic techniques have the following objectives: (1) to acquire the knowledge of aseptic technique in the field of microbes, (2) to avoid the contamination of cultures from undesirable microbes in the laboratory, (3) to subculture (transfer cultures from one media by inoculating into another media), (4) to isolate ...
What is the main goal of good sterile technique quizlet?-Goals: to protect the patient from infection and to prevent the spread of pathogens and/or harmful microorganisms.
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