Sterile Field & ANTT SOP

What's inside

This standard operating procedure is fully drafted and structured, ready to brand and complete for your service. It covers:

• 1. Purpose
• 2. Scope
• 3. Definitions and abbreviations
• 4. Responsibilities
• 5. Before you start
• 6. Preparing the field
• 7. Maintaining asepsis during the procedure
• 8. If the field is breached
• 9. Away from the clinic
• 10. Hand hygiene and gloves
• 11. Training and competence
• 12. Monitoring and audit
• 13. Version control and review
• 14. Common failure modes
• 15. Appendix A - Key parts and key sites by procedure
• 16. Appendix B - ANTT observation audit form
• 17. Related documents
• 18. Disclaimer

CQC fundamental standard

Legislation & standards it maps to

• Health and Social Care Act 2008: code of practice on the prevention and control of infections
• Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 - in particular Regulation 12 (Safe care and treatment), Regulation 15 (Premises and equipment) and Regulation 17 (Good governance)
• Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)
• Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/618, as amended)

Who it applies to

All clinical and assisting staff at [Organisation Name] who prepare a field or take part in an aseptic procedure

Glossary

Plain-English explanations of the technical terms and legislation used in this document.

ANTT

Aseptic non-touch technique: working so that nothing which will touch the wound is ever touched by anything unsterile.

Asepsis

The absence of harmful micro-organisms.

Breach

A moment when something sterile is touched by something that is not.

Critical aseptic field

A fully sterile working area, used where a lot of sterile equipment is exposed for a while.

General aseptic field

A clean working surface, used where only a few small sterile parts need protecting individually.

Key part

The bit of equipment that will actually touch the wound, such as a blade tip or a needle.

Key site

The bit of the patient that is open, such as the wound or the injection site.

Non-touch technique

Never touching key parts or key sites, even with a gloved hand.

Sterile field

The prepared area and the sterile items on it.

Strike-through

Fluid soaking up through a drape from an unclean surface below, contaminating the field.

How it works

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2. Download your editable Word file from the link we email you straight away.
3. Complete the placeholders for your service, then have it approved before use.
4. Add the optional updates subscription and we keep it current as guidance changes.