AORN Sterile Technique Guideline Essentials

Vocabulary flashcards covering perioperative sterile techniques, gowning, gloving, draping, sterile field maintenance, and movement in the operating room based on AORN guidelines.

AORN Guideline Quick View

A key component of Guideline Essentials designed to help the perioperative team translate AORN's evidence-based guidelines into practice by highlighting important elements, implementation steps, rationales, and images.

Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR)

A respirator whose use may be indicated for respiratory protection from certain airborne diseases, but may contaminate the sterile field because it does not filter the wearer's exhaled air.

Surgical Glove Change Interval (Routine)

Surgical gloves worn during invasive surgical procedures must be changed after each patient procedure and every 90 to 150 minutes.

Methyl Methacrylate Contact Protocol

The requirement to change surgical gloves immediately after coming into direct contact with methyl methacrylate during surgical procedures.

Assisted Glove Change Sequence

The order of changing a sterile glove during a procedure where an unscrubbed member removes the glove without altering the gown cuff position, and the scrubbed member holds open the new glove for insertion.

Isolation Technique

A process implemented during bowel surgery and metastatic tumor resections to organize the sterile field and prevent exposure to intestinal tract bacteria or cancerous cells.

Wound Protector

A device used according to the manufacturer's instructions for use (IFU) during procedures that enter the gastrointestinal or biliary tract.

Sterile Drape Placement Sequence

The technique of placing sterile drapes first at the surgical site and then extending outward toward the peripheral areas.

C-Arm Drape Contamination Zone

The upper portion of a C-arm drape, which is considered contaminated whenever the C-arm is moved into a lateral position.

Iodophor-Impregnated Adhesive Incise Drapes

Antimicrobial-containing adhesive incise drapes used in accordance with manufacturer IFU unless the patient has a known allergy to iodine.

Sterile Transfer Device

A device such as a sterile vial spike, filter straw, or plastic catheter used to transfer medications and sterile solutions to the sterile field in a slow, controlled manner.

Unscrubbed Rigid Container Opening Protocol

The procedure where an unscrubbed person lifts the lid up and toward themselves while moving it away from the container, followed by inspecting the lid filter or valve integrity.

Wrapped Sterile Package Opening Sequence

The mandatory order for opening wrapped sterile packages: open the farthest wrapper flap first, open each side flap one at a time, and open the nearest wrapper flap last before presenting to the scrubbed team member.

Contaminated Instrument Set Rule

The rule establishing that when any single contaminated instrument (assembled, clamped, or containing organic material or debris) is found in an instrument set, the entire set must be considered contaminated.

Axillary Position Restriction

A rule stating that scrubbed team members must keep hands and arms above waist level at all times and must not fold their arms with hands positioned in the axillary area.

Sterile Field Covering

A secondary strategy to reduce potential environmental air contamination over time during procedural delays, closure, or periods of increased activity.

Ultraclean Air Delivery Positioning Rule

The restriction preventing scrubbed team members from positioning themselves between the horizontal unidirectional ultraclean air delivery system air curtain and the surgical site.