What techniques are recommended to undertake procedures that require asepsis? Content and cluster analysis of information supplied in international guidance.

BACKGROUND: Health professionals frequently conduct procedures requiring asepsis but there is no definitive evidence-based guidance on how aseptic technique should be undertaken. OBJECTIVE: To undertake content and cluster analysis to compare and contrast information relating to the conduct of aseptic technique in national and international guidance. METHODS: Content and hierarchical cluster analysis. RESULTS: We identified 16 sources of information from: organizations that generate infection prevention guidelines, provide advice about infection prevention in addition to other topics, generate guidance for procedures (e.g., wound care); practice manuals; MeSH and Wikipedia. Content related to: theory underpinning aseptic technique; terminology used; how and when it should be undertaken; and equipment. The nature and amount of information varied widely. Most frequently stated information related to: environment or equipment (N = 13), followed by the absolute nature of asepsis and the importance of hand hygiene (N = 10); general personal protective equipment, the significance of pathogens, and no-touch techniques (N = 8); that it is risk-based (N = 7); the existence of key parts or sites, and that there are different types of aseptic technique (N = 6). The most comprehensive sources were a wound care organization in the USA, and a British internationally used textbook. Least information was provided in some general infection prevention guidelines. CONCLUSION: Progress with research and practice in relation to aseptic technique suffers through lack of common goals and understanding. This study is one step towards establishing what constitutes aseptic technique, how and when it should be conducted, and the equipment necessary. This is required to support practice, policy and education, and may improve sustainability of healthcare resources.

Challenges undertaking procedures requiring asepsis: a qualitative interview study with nurses.

BACKGROUND: Invasive devices and breaches to skin and mucous membranes increase susceptibility to infection. Nurses frequently undertake procedures requiring asepsis (PRAs), but report challenges and unwarranted variations in practice. OBJECTIVE: To explore nurses' experiences, perceived gaps in information and support needed to conduct PRAs. METHODS: Qualitative interviews were undertaken with 20 nurses in the UK National Health Service between September 2021 and January 2022 employing approaches to sampling and data collection adopted in grounded theory. RESULTS: Informants were employed in diverse clinical settings. They thought that outside operating theatres, attempts to maintain asepsis would inevitably be compromised, but that much could still be done to contain the risk of contaminating susceptible sites irrespective of circumstances. Suboptimal practice was reported, and informants were unclear whether asepsis was needed to perform routine procedures (e.g. dressing chronic wounds, manipulating indwelling intravascular lines). Problems were attributed to inadequacies in nursing education, poor access to continuing professional development, and carelessness of junior nurses and medical staff. Informants wanted more detailed guidelines to conduct PRAs. Senior nurses wanted procedures to be conducted in the same way regardless of circumstance. Nurses who undertook PRAs regularly suggested that guidelines should be flexible. CONCLUSION: There is a need for detailed guidelines to inform PRAs, better access to clinical updating, and improvements in pre-registration nursing education. To meet contemporary standards, guideline generation should adopt recognized methodology. Student nurses should be introduced to the knowledge and skills required to undertake and adjust PRAs according to circumstance during simulated practice before contact with real patients.

Is ANTT Achievable in the Home Healthcare Setting?

At the heart of infection prevention in the home care setting is aseptic technique, a generic term for the clinical competency of ensuring asepsis during invasive clinical procedures and the maintenance of invasive medical devices. Variable terminology has resulted in confused education and clinical practice. Ambiguity has played out in all care environments, but especially in the home, where the challenge of providing effective aseptic technique is complicated by unique environmental and logistical factors. This has led some to conclude that aseptic technique is not possible in the home, or that it is not required at all in certain situations. This article challenges these assumptions and outlines the Aseptic Non Touch Technique (ANTT®) Clinical Practice Framework, that is used widely internationally. Through a thematic analysis of focus group discussions with home care nurses (n = 107) in the United Kingdom and the United States, opinions about aseptic practice in the home care setting were examined. Three main polarizing themes were identified and used to discuss theory and practice applications of aseptic technique for home healthcare nurses. Specific challenges in performing aseptic technique in home-based settings are exacerbated by ambiguity between what constitutes "clean," "aseptic," or so-called "sterile" technique, and are perpetuated by a lack of competency-based training that doesn't reflect the critical importance of aseptic technique to patient safety. Rather than continuing an endless debate about the definition of aseptic technique, ANTT has redefined aseptic technique education and clinical practice, with a comprehensive clinical practice framework and associated clinical governance better supporting patient safety.

Una aportación al origen de las mascarillas / A contribution to the origin of masks

Las mascarillas, de demostrada eficacia a partir del siglo XIX (antisepsia-asepsia), se han visto reactualizadas debido a la pandemia COVID-19. En 1897, el cirujano Jan Mikulicz (1850-1905) fue el creador de las mascarillas quirúrgicas, al demostrar la teoría de la infección por las gotas de saliva (Flügge). No obstante, existen precedentes «pre-científicos» que conocemos fundamentalmente a través de grabados (s. XVII) y pinturas (s. XVIII). Presentamos una obra del pintor barroco Michel Serre (1658-1773), donde se observan personas utilizando mascarillas durante la gran peste de Marsella de 1720. (AU)

The masks, of proven efficacy from the 19th century (antisepsis-asepsis), have been updated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 1897, the surgeon Jan Mikulicz (1850-1905) was the creator of surgical masks, by demonstrating the theory of infection by drops of saliva (Flügge). However, there are «pre-scientific» precedents that we know mainly through engravings (17th century) and paintings (18th century). We present a work by the Baroque painter Michel Serre (1658-1773), where people are seen wearing masks during the great plague of Marseille in 1720. (AU)

How widely has ANTT been adopted in NHS hospitals and community care organisations in England and Scotland?

BACKGROUND: To the detriment of patient safety, the important clinical competency of aseptic technique has been notoriously variable in practice, and described ambiguously in the literature, internationally. From a UK perspective, attempts have been made to improve patient safety by reducing variability and improving education and practice through standardisation. The Welsh Government mandated Aseptic Non Touch Technique (ANTT®) as a specific national standard in 2015. All healthcare organisations in England are required by the Health and Social Care Act 2008 to have a single standard aseptic technique, demonstrable by the clinical governance indicators of education, training, competency assessment and compliance audit. In Scotland, an education-based initiative was launched by NHS Education for Scotland in 2012. To review the impact of these and other initiatives on the current status of aseptic technique, all NHS trusts in England and NHS health boards in Scotland were assessed under the Freedom of Information procedure. FINDINGS: 93% of NHS trusts in England use a single standard for aseptic technique. In 88% of these trusts the single standard was stipulated as being ANTT. In Scotland, 62% of NHS acute and community care hospitals within health boards use a single standard. In 56% of these, the single standard was ANTT. When including those that use ANTT in combination with other techniques ANTT usage is 73%. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate significant progress in standardising aseptic technique education, assessment and governance, and confirms ANTT as the de facto aseptic technique used in NHS trusts in England and health boards in Scotland.

Microbiological validation of a robot for the sterile compounding of injectable non-hazardous medications in a hospital environment.

Objectives: To design and execute a comprehensive microbiological validation protocol to assess a brand-new sterile compounding robot in a hospital pharmacy environment, according to ISO and EU GMP standards. Methods: Qualification of the Class-A inner environment of the robot was performed through microbial air and surface quality assessment utilising contact plates, swabs and particulate matter monitoring. To evaluate the effectiveness of the microbial decontamination process (UV rays) challenge test against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis spores and Candida albicans was used. The challenge Media Fill test was used to validate the aseptic processing. Results: After 3 hours, no microorganisms retained viability. Monitoring inside the equipment evidenced complete absence of microorganisms. The Media Fill test was always negative. Conclusions: According to our results, the APOTECAunit meets the requirements for advanced aseptic processing in the hospital pharmacies and the pharmaceutical industry in general, providing advantages in terms of safety for patients compared with conventional procedures of parenteral preparation production. The protocol has demonstrated to be a comprehensive and valuable tool in validating, from a microbial point of view, a sterile-compounding technology. This study might represent an important benchmark in developing a contamination control strategy, as required, for example, in the Performance Qualification of the GMP in the case of drug manufacturing.

Re-examining causes of surgical site infections following elective surgery in the era of asepsis.

The currently accepted assumption that most surgical site infections (SSIs) occurring after elective surgery under standard methods of antisepsis are due to an intraoperative contamination event, remains unproven. We examined the available evidence in which microbial cultures of surgical wounds were taken at the conclusion of an operation and determined that such studies provide more evidence to refute that an SSI is due to intraoperative contamination than support it. We propose that alternative mechanisms of SSI development should be considered, such as when a sterile postoperative wound becomes infected by a pathogen originating from a site remote from the operative wound-eg, from the gums or intestinal tract (ie, the Trojan Horse mechanism). We offer a path forward to reduce SSI rates after elective surgery that includes undertaking genomic-based microbial tracking from the built environment (ie, the operating room and hospital bed), to the patient's own microbiome, and then to the surgical site. Finally, we posit that only by generating this dynamic microbial map can the true pathogenesis of SSIs be understood enough to inform novel preventive strategies against infection following elective surgery in the current era of asepsis.

Antisépticos en la práctica clínica. Guía de uso basada en la evidencia / No disponible

No disponible

Flora bacteriana después del lavado de manos quirúrgico. Estudio piloto / Bacterial flora after surgical hand scrubbing. A pilot study

RESUMEN Introducción: La técnica de lavado de manos quirúrgico es imprescindible para la prevención de las infecciones posoperatorias en el sitio de la intervención, lo que constituye un problema actual y en evolución. Objetivo: Determinar la técnica de lavado de manos quirúrgico con mayor eficacia sobre la flora bacteriana en estudiantes de cirugía. Métodos: Ensayo controlado, aleatorio, de tratamientos no farmacológicos. Se seleccionaron 12 estudiantes de cirugía de la Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de San Martín de Porres, que cumplían con los criterios de inclusión y exclusión. Los estudiantes se dividieron en dos grupos y se les asignó una técnica de lavado de manos quirúrgico: Grupo A: técnica de una fase, y Grupo B: técnica tradicional (tres fases); para ambas técnicas se utilizó escobilla y jabón en barra. Resultados: En el medio de cultivo agar manitol salado, la técnica tradicional presentó una mediana de 52 000 UFC/mL con un mínimo de 10 000 UFC/mL y un máximo de 56 800 UFC/mL, en comparación con la técnica de una fase que presentó 19 600 UFC/mL con un mínimo de 4 400 UFC/mL y un máximo de 38 000 UFC/mL, con un valor de p= 0,117. En el agar MacConkey, la técnica tradicional presentó una mediana de 300 UFC/mL con un mínimo de 0 UFC/mL y un máximo de 18 000 UFC/mL, en comparación con la técnica de una fase que presentó 0 UFC/mL, con un valor de p= 0,054. Conclusiones: No se mostraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en ambos grupos(AU)

ABSTRACT Introduction: Surgical hand scrubbing is indispensable to prevent postoperative infection at the intervention site, a problem both current and in progress. Objective: Determine the most effective surgical hand scrubbing technique against bacterial flora among surgery students. Methods: A controlled randomized study was conducted of non-pharmacological treatments. Twelve surgery students were selected from the School of Dentistry at the University of San Martín de Porres who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The students were divided into two groups and assigned one of two surgical hand scrubbing techniques: Group A: one-step technique and Group B: traditional technique (three steps). Both techniques used bar soap and a brush. Results: In the culture medium mannitol salt agar, the traditional technique obtained a median of 52 000 CFU/mL, with a minimum 10 000 CFU/mL and a maximum 56 800 CFU/mL, whereas the one-step technique obtained a median of 19 600 CFU/mL, with a minimum of 4 400 CFU/mL and a maximum of 38 000 CFU/mL (p= 0.117). In MacConkey agar, the traditional technique obtained a median of 300 UFC/mL, with a minimum of 0 CFU/mL and a maximum of 18 000 CFU/mL, whereas the one-step technique obtained 0 UFC/mL (p= 0.054). Conclusions: No statistically significant differences were found in the groups(AU)

Mesotherapy: Safety profile and management of complications.

BACKGROUND: Mesotherapy is a procedure that involves the injection of active substances into the dermis and subcutaneous tissue in order to treat several local medical and cosmetic conditions. Despite being considered as a relatively safe method, a series of adverse reactions can occur due to its wide application and lack of standardization processes. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this paper is to summarize all the mesotherapy-related complications published so far, and to provide an insight into their management. PATIENT/METHODS: Articles derived from the databases, PubMed, EMBASE, and SCOPUS, and published between 1992 and 2018, were analyzed for this review. The study was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: In this literature, there is a number of case series and isolated case reports describing various side effects of different severities. The therapeutic management of these complications is-in most cases-individualized. CONCLUSIONS: Larger systematic studies are needed in order to adequately evaluate the safety profile of mesotherapy, and in order to determine standardized therapy parameters, so as to minimize the risk of potential adverse reactions.

Augmentative antirotational plating provided a significantly higher union rate than exchanging reamed nailing in treatment for femoral shaft aseptic atrophic nonunion - retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Atrophic nonunion of femoral shaft fracture after intramedullary (IM) nailing is uncommon. The treatment for femoral shaft aseptic atrophic non-union remained controversial. The aim of this study was to compare the surgical results between exchanging reamed nailing (ERN) and augmentative antirotational plating (AAP) for femoral shaft aseptic atrophic nonunion. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the patients with femoral shaft nonunion between the year of 2014 and 2015. The patients with nonunion after plate osteosynthesis, septic nonunion, hypertrophic nonunion, additional surgery during revision surgery were excluded. All the patients were followed up at least 12 months. RESULTS: Overall, the union rate after revision surgery was 70.8%. The union rate was significantly higher in the AAP group than in the ERN group. Operating time was also significantly shorter in the AAP group. Regarding the location of nonunion, the union rate was comparable between groups for isthmic nonunions. However, for non-isthmic nonunions, the union rate was significantly higher and operating time was significantly shorter in the AAP group. CONCLUSION: AAP showed an overall higher union rate for management of femoral shaft aseptic atrophic nonunion compared with ERN. Especially for non-isthmic femoral shaft atrophic nonunions, AAP provided a significantly higher union rate and significantly shorter operating time.

Microbiological performance of a robotic system for aseptic compounding of cytostatic drugs.

BACKGROUND: Compounding of cytostatic drugs requires strict aseptic procedures, while exposure to toxic drugs and repetitive manual movements should be minimized. Furthermore, reuse of vials is desirable to lower the costs. To assess if all this might be safely achieved with a robot, this study aimed at qualifying the aseptic preparation process with the robotic system APOTECAchemo. METHODS: The aseptic compounding of patient-individual cytostatic solutions was simulated with media fill simulation tests to qualify the performance according to European GMP Annex 1. The contamination in the environment was measured in critical places using settle plates, contact plates, active air sampling and particle counting. Media-fill simulation tests were prepared in 3 production batches. The second part of the study evaluated the microbiological shelf-life of commercial drug vials after repeated puncturing. On six days, fifty syringes of 15 ml media were prepared from the same 50 vials with the robot. After each preparation, vials were covered with an IVA seal upon unloading from the robot to protect them from microbiological contamination. RESULTS: No microbiological contamination was found in any of the 96 media fill preparations, nor in any of the 300 syringes that were prepared with repeated puncturing. The compounding area met class A limits, while class A criteria were not fulfilled by the contact plates and settle plates placed on the right side of the loading area. There, the average colony forming units (cfu) were 3 and 1.17, respectively, meeting class B criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Robotical compounding of cytostatic drugs with APOTECAchemo meets the microbiological requirements of the European GMP. In addition, the robot can reuse vials repeatedly and safely, thereby enabling extended usage.

Basics concepts about asepsis and antiseptics. / Conceptos básicos sobre antisepsia y antisépticos.

During health care, the patient is exposed to a wide variety of microorganisms. Maximum hygiene in all care activities is therefore essential in order to reduce the cross-transmission of preventable infectious diseases. The 3 key mechanisms for the prevention of infection in health centers are cleaning, disinfection and sterilization. The scientific and rational use of disinfectants and antiseptics, and the correct application of aseptic techniques in the care of patients and in the handling and supply of materials are the fundamental considerations for the prevention of healthcare related infections. Adequate knowledge of the concepts and standards of use of antiseptics and disinfectants offers healthcare workers the essential tool needed to avoid the spread of infectious agents, while also establishing the scientific basis for their rational use. This article is part of a supplement entitled "Antisepsis in the critical patient", which is sponsored by Becton Dickinson.

Clinician perspectives of policy implementation: A qualitative study of the implementation of a national infection prevention policy in Australian hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Clinicians play an essential role in the implementation of infection prevention policy. Despite this, little is known about how infection control policy is implemented at an organizational level or what factors influence this process. In this study, we explore these factors and the policy implementation process in the context of the introduction of a national large-scale, government-directed infection prevention policy in Australia. METHODS: Focus groups with infection control professionals were held in 3 states to investigate the perspectives of infection control professionals involved in the implementation of aseptic technique policy requirements in Australian hospitals. Data were analyzed using an interpretive description approach, with themes mapped to the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. RESULTS: Common contextual factors were identified across all levels of the healthcare system that influenced implementation of the infection control policy, including external factors associated with the policy itself and the regulatory nature of government-directed policy. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that there may be particular constructs and contextual factors that are specific to policy implementation in the hospital setting. A better understanding of these factors and their influence on policy implementation would present an opportunity for improved implementation planning, resource allocation, and more effective policy development.

Antiseptic measures during the insertion and manipulation of vascular catheters. / Antisepsia en la colocación y mantenimiento de los catéteres endovasculares.

Several measures related to asepsis for preventing catheter-related bloodstream infection have been proposed. The aseptic measures recommended by scientific societies include hand hygiene of the person who is inserting or manipulating the catheter; maximum sterile barrier precautions during catheter insertion; disinfection of catheter hubs; the use of needle-less connectors and injection ports; the avoidance of antibiotic ointments (except in hemodialysis catheters); change the dressing if it is soiled, loose or damp; and aseptic technique during dressing changes. Other measures only recommended by the most recently published guides (possibly due to the publication of recent studies reporting their beneficial effects) are the use of antimicrobial-impregnated dressings, changing transparent dressings every 7 days, and bathing of the patient with chlorhexidine. This article is part of a supplement entitled "Antisepsis in the critical patient", which is sponsored by Becton Dickinson.

The Safe Hands Study: Implementing aseptic techniques in the operating room: Facilitating mechanisms for contextual negotiation and collective action.

BACKGROUND: Even though hand hygiene and aseptic techniques are essential to provide safe care in the operating room, several studies have found a lack of successful implementation. The aim of this study was to describe facilitative mechanisms supporting the implementation of hand hygiene and aseptic techniques. METHODS: This study was set in a large operating room suite in a Swedish university hospital. The theory-driven implementation process was informed by the literature on organizational change and dialogue. Data were collected using interviews and participant observations and analyzed using a thematic approach. The normalization process theory served as a frame of interpretation during the analysis. RESULTS: Three facilitating mechanisms were identified: (1) commitment through a sense of urgency, requiring extensive communication between the managers, operating room professionals, and facilitators in building commitment to change and putting the issues on the agenda; (2) dialogue for co-creation, increasing and sustaining commitment and resource mobilization; and (3) tailored management support, including helping managers to develop their leadership role, progressively involving staff, and retaining focus during the implementation process. CONCLUSIONS: The facilitating mechanisms can be used in organizing implementation processes. Putting the emphasis on help and support to managers seems to be a crucial condition in complex implementation processes, from preparation of the change process to stabilization of the new practice.

Limpeza periuretral na realização do cateterismo urinário de demora: ensaio clínico randomizado / Periurethral cleansing in indwelling urinary catheterization: randomized controlled trial

O cateterismo urinário de demora é um procedimento amplamente utilizado em pacientes internados e está relacionado com altas taxas de bacteriúria assintomática e infecção do trato urinário. Para evitar essas doenças, a limpeza da região periuretral antes da inserção do cateter é uma importante conduta, com fins de reduzir a entrada de microrganismos dessa região através da uretra. Guias de prática clínica recomendam que o cateterismo urinário de demora deva ser realizado com técnica asséptica, porém não há consenso sobre qual solução é mais eficaz para sua realização, com vistas à redução das infecções do trato urinário e da bacteriúria assintomática. O objetivo é de avaliar o efeito da limpeza periuretral nas incidências de bacteriúria assintomática e de infecção do trato urinário com o uso de três soluções (água, sabão e gluconato de clorexidina aquosa 2%; gluconato de clorexidina degermante 2%, água bi-destilada e gluconato de clorexidina aquosa 2%; e povidona-iodo 10% degermante, água bi-destilda e povidona-iodo aquoso 1%) em pacientes adultos internados em hospital terciário submetidos ao cateterismo urinário de demora. Trata-se de uma pesquisa realizada em duas etapas: revisão sistemática da literatura e ensaio clínico randomizado sem mascaramento do pesquisador. Foi realizado em um hospital de grande porte de Belo Horizonte ­ Minas Gerais. A população foi constituída por pacientes internados e que foram elegíveis para serem submetidos ao cateterismo urinário de demora. A amostra foi de 28 pacientes, sendo alocados aleatoriamente nos grupos: sabão (n=11) e grupo antisséptico (n=17). Uroculturas foram coletadas no momento da inserção e 24h após. A incidência global de bacteriúria assintomática foi de 7,14%, no grupo sabão foi de 9,1% e no grupo antissépticos foi de 5,9%. Não houve nenhum caso de infecção do trato urinário. A regressão logística mostrou que não há diferenças estatisticamente significativas nas incidências de bacteriúria assintomática quando realizada a limpeza com sabão ou antisséptico (clorexidina ou povidona-iodo). A redução do risco relativo mostrou uma redução de 36% de adquirir bacteriúria assintomática.(AU)

Indwelling urinary catheterization is a procedure that is used in inpatients and is related to high rates of asymptomatic bacteriuria and urinary tract infection. To prevent these diseases, cleaning the periurethral region prior to catheter insertion is an important approach, reducing the entry of microorganisms from this region through the urethra. Clinical practice guidelines recommend that indwelling urinary catheterization should be performed with aseptic technique, but there is no consensus on which solution is most effective for reducing urinary tract infections. The objective is to evaluate the effect of periurethral cleansing on the incidence of asymptomatic bacteria and urinary tract infections with the use of three solutions (water, soap and 2% aqueous chlorhexidine gluconate; chlorhexidine gluconate 2%, distilled water and 2% aqueous chlorhexidine; and 10% povidone-iodine, distilled water and 1% aqueous povidone-iodine) in adult patients admitted to a tertiary hospital submitted to the indwelling urinary catheterization. This is a two-step research: systematic literature review and randomized clinical trial without researcher's masking. It was performed in a large hospital in Belo Horizonte - MG. The population was composed by inpatients who were eligible to undergo indwelling urinary catheterization. A sample of 28 patients was randomly allocated into groups: soap (n = 11) and antiseptic group (n = 17). Urine cultures were collected at insertion and 24h after. The overall incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria was 7.14%, on soap group was 9.1% and on antiseptic group was 5.9%. There were no cases of urinary tract infection. Logistic regression showed no statistically significantly differences in the incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria when cleaned with soap or antiseptic (chlorhexidine or povidone-iodine). A relative risk reduction showed a 36% reduction from acquiring asymptomatic bacteriuria.(AU)

Reducing levels of medical device contamination through package redesign and opening technique.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this research was to evaluate how material curl, package structure and handling of pouches containing medical devices affect rates of contact between non-sterile surfaces and sterile devices during aseptic transfer. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-six individuals with practical experience in aseptic technique were recruited. Participants were asked to present the contents of four different pouch designs (a standard, one designed to curl in, another to curl out and one that incorporated a tab) using two transfer techniques. During the first block of trials "standard technique" was used; participants presented using their typical methods to the sterile field. Trials in the second block employed "modified technique"; participants were instructed to grab the package at the top center and present package contents using a single, fluid motion. The outside of the pouch and the backs of the participants' hands were coated using a simulated contaminant before each trial. The simulant was undetectable in the visible spectrum, but fluoresced under a black light. The dependent variable was recorded in a binary fashion and analyzed using a generalized linear mixed model. RESULTS: Participants were between 20-57 and the averaged year 5.1 years of experience in aseptic technique. The data analysis was based on generalized linear mixed effects (GLMM) model, which accommodates the repeated measurements within the same participant. The effect of the pouch design was significant (P<0.001), but the effect of aseptic technique did not suggest significance (P = 0.088). Specifically, pouches designed with the material curled outward resulted in significantly fewer contacts with non-sterile surfaces than the other styles, including the inward, tab, and standard styles; this was true regardless of the used aseptic technique, standard (P = 0.0171, P = 0.0466, P = 0.0061, respectively) or modified (P<0.0001 for all comparisons)). CONCLUSION: Results presented here contribute to a growing body of knowledge that investigates packaging as a potential route of contamination for sterile devices during aseptic presentation. Specifically, we provide insights regarding how both package design and opening technique can be informed in ways that build safety into the healthcare system.