Using Sterile Technique to Load a Syringe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0yE_0vX1qc

- The main purpose of using sterile technique it to avoid contamination by microbes so as to reduce the chances of getting an infection.

- During an actual sterile procedure a proper sterile kit would be provided, the entire kit has been sterilized in an autoclave, where extreme heat and pressure have been used to sterilize the equipment then the sterilized equipment is placed in a sterile container which is then sealed so as to be air-tight.

Proper sterile technique ensures that no microbes get into bodily tissue or onto foreign implanted devices. Our immune system is designed to fight infections that are in vascularized tissues, but our immune system is almost powerless when fighting bacterial infections that grow on surgically placed bodies like; central lines, pacemakers etc.

STEPS THAT MUST BE FOLLOWED TO ENSURE ASEPTIC (STERILE) CONDITIONS ARE MAINTAINED

#1. Proper hand washing with an anti-microbial soap

- After hands are clean then the working environment needs to be cleaned.

#2. Pour about 15-20 ml of rubbing (95% Ethanol) alcohol onto counter (desk) and scrub with paper towel until all alcohol residue has evaporated.

After cleaning the working environment the supplies need to be gathered and prepared.

#3. Gather up the following supplies:

1 - Sterile Kit/Tray (Plastic Plate)

1 - Pair of sterile surgical gloves (to be placed on plate).

** All other supplies placed in packaging on DESK

1 – 22-gauge needle.

1 - 5 ml syringe.

2 – Alcohol swabs.

1 – 10 ml bottle of normal saline (sodium chloride)

solution.

- Your setup should look like this at this time.

- At this time both nurses should repeat washing their hands again. The INSIDE of packages are STERILE, but the OUTSIDE of packages are NON-STERILE.

#4. After washing hands for the second time, head nurse will glove up while second nurse will assist by opening up packages so that the head nurse will not contaminate his/her gloves.

#5. As packages are opened by the second nurse, they will be placed back on the counter but the supplies must remain in the sterile insides of the packaging.- Open and place out the following on the desk:

-- Syringe -- Needle -- Saline Bottle

- Head nurse will take alcohol swabs out of package and place them on the sterile kit (plate) ** Remember that the gloves that had been on the plate had also been totally sterile as well.

#6. Prepping the syringe with the needle

- The head nurse will hold up the handle of the syringe and the cap of the needle and will carefully and gently thread the needle onto the syringe and then place the full set up back into the sterile packaging

#7. Prepping the saline bottle- The second nurse will pop the top off of the saline bottle.

- The head nurse will then pick up the saline bottle with one hand and an alcohol swab with a different sterile hand. The nurse will then spend at least thirty seconds scrubbing the rubber top of the bottle and discard the alcohol swab, then repeat with the second swab for another 30 seconds.

#8. Loading the syringe.- Then the head nurse will pick up the syringe with needle and pull back on the plunger to fill it up with 4-5 ml of air.

- Then the head nurse will pick up the bottle with the non-sterile hand and hold it upside down, at the same time this nurse will CAREFULLY take the cap off (NEVER USE TEETH) of the needle and poke the needle in through the center of the rubber top and push the 5 ml of air into the solution

WARNING: Place needle cap back into the sterile packaging for later use

- After creating a vacuum the nurse will then draw the plunger back to the 5 ml mark. At this time the needle should be pulled out of the bottle, and the sterile cap which is back in the package should be CAREFULLY placed back onto the needle.

- At this time some small air bubbles may remain inside the fluid-filled syringe. To drive these bubbles out, forceful taps should be made against the side of the syringe. After all bubbles float to form one bubble up top, this air can then be pushed out while the cap is still on.

- Now place the sterile loaded syringe back into the sterile packaging or onto the sterile kite (plate).

- After properly loading the syringe; unlock the needle off of the syringe and place the needle (with cap on) into the bio-hazardous waste container.

- Clean up by throwing out all supplies/materials – Keep the plate for the next practice run. This time the head nurse will play the second nurse and vice- versa

NOW YOU ARE READY ?