Hostname: page-component-54dcc4c588-2ptsp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-09-23T08:25:16.872Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The effectiveness of aseptic non-touch technique audit cycle implementation on reducing the surgical site infection at EMC Group Hospital

Part of: APSIC 2024

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 September 2025

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Background: The surgical site infection (SSI) event is still the main cause of morbidity and increases the length of stay (LOS) in a hospital, costs, and deaths. One of the causes of SSI is nurses’ non-compliance with aseptic techniques. Exposure can be increased and variability in aseptic techniques can be minimized by implementing the aseptic non-touch technique (ANTT) strategy. This research investigated the effectiveness of implementing the ANTT method on reducing the number of SSI events in postoperative patients. Methods: This research used a pragmatic evaluation method with a mixed methods approach. The ANTT method was implemented through five stages i.e., planning, launching, educating, assessing, and monitoring. Data were collected using pre/post-questionnaires, structured interviews, and audit observations via the electronic audit. This research was conducted for 24 months and involved 138 nurses from three hospitals. Results: The mean compliance rate of aseptic techniques after implementing the ANTT method was 93%, with the glove use at 92%, contaminated gloves at 0%, aseptic area at 84%, contaminated aseptic area at 0%, disinfected procedure trays at 75%, protected keypart at 84%, contaminated keyparts by hands/ equipment at 2.6%, and hand hygiene after gloves at 98%. The rate of SSI events dropped from 0.3% to 0.1% in 12 months. There was a significant difference between the pre and post-implementation of the ANTT (P-value < 0.001). Moreover, implementing the ANTT method effectively reduced the SSI events in postoperative patients (P-value < 0.001). Conclusions: The implementation of ANTT improved compliance with safe and effective aseptic techniques. The ANTT compliance audit results reflect a reduction in the incidence of SSIs, thereby reducing costs and LOS in postoperative patients. The program will be expanded to five other group hospitals.

Information

Type
Abstract
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America