CLINICAL NURSING SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES
10 HIGH-YIELD NURSING PROCEDURES,
ASEPSIS, AND CLINICAL COMPETENCY
SUMMARY 2026
◉ Health care-associated infections (HAIs).
Answer: An infection that is acquired in a hospital setting, formerly
known as a nosocomial infection
Staff, patients, and environmental factors support a high population
of pathogens that are resistant to antibiotics
◉ Chain of infection.
Answer: Infectious agent (pathogen)
Reservoir
Portal of exit
Means of transmission
Portal of entry
Susceptible host
◉ Medical Asepsis.
Answer: Practices designed to reduce the number and transfer of
pathogens; also known as clean technique
,Hand hygiene, barrier techniques, and routine environmental
cleanings
◉ Breaking the chain of infection: Reducing numbers of infectious
agent.
Answer: Clean contaminated products
Clean, disinfect, sterilize
◉ Breaking the chain of infection: Reservoir (site or source of
microorganism growth).
Answer: 1. Hand hygiene before and after patient contact
2. Control sources of body fluids and drainage
3. Bathe patient with soap and water, chlorhexidine, disposable bath
4. Change soiled dressings
5. Dispose of soiled tissues, dressings, linen in moisture-resistant
bags
6. Syringes, uncapped hypodermic needles, IV needles in designated
pucture-proof containers
7. Clean and dry surfaces
8. Do not leave bottled solutions open
9. Keep solutions tightly capped
10. Keep surgical wound drainage tubes and collection bags patent
, 11. Empty and dispose of drainage suction bottles according to
agency policy
◉ Breaking the Chain of Infection: Portal of Exit (means by which
microorganisms leave a site).
Answer: Respiratory
1. Avoid talking, sneezing, coughing directly over wound or sterile
dressing field
2. Cover nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing
3. Wear mask if suffering respiratory tract infection
Urine, feces, emesis, and blood
1. Wear clean gloves when handling blood and body fluids
2. Wear gowns and eyewear if there is a chance of splashing fluids
3. Handle all lab specimens as if infectious
◉ Breaking the chain of infection: Transmission.
Answer: 1. Hand hygiene
2. Use personal set of care items for each patient
3. Avoid shaking bed linen or clothes
4. Avoid contact of soiled item with uniform
5. Discard any item that touches the floor
10 HIGH-YIELD NURSING PROCEDURES,
ASEPSIS, AND CLINICAL COMPETENCY
SUMMARY 2026
◉ Health care-associated infections (HAIs).
Answer: An infection that is acquired in a hospital setting, formerly
known as a nosocomial infection
Staff, patients, and environmental factors support a high population
of pathogens that are resistant to antibiotics
◉ Chain of infection.
Answer: Infectious agent (pathogen)
Reservoir
Portal of exit
Means of transmission
Portal of entry
Susceptible host
◉ Medical Asepsis.
Answer: Practices designed to reduce the number and transfer of
pathogens; also known as clean technique
,Hand hygiene, barrier techniques, and routine environmental
cleanings
◉ Breaking the chain of infection: Reducing numbers of infectious
agent.
Answer: Clean contaminated products
Clean, disinfect, sterilize
◉ Breaking the chain of infection: Reservoir (site or source of
microorganism growth).
Answer: 1. Hand hygiene before and after patient contact
2. Control sources of body fluids and drainage
3. Bathe patient with soap and water, chlorhexidine, disposable bath
4. Change soiled dressings
5. Dispose of soiled tissues, dressings, linen in moisture-resistant
bags
6. Syringes, uncapped hypodermic needles, IV needles in designated
pucture-proof containers
7. Clean and dry surfaces
8. Do not leave bottled solutions open
9. Keep solutions tightly capped
10. Keep surgical wound drainage tubes and collection bags patent
, 11. Empty and dispose of drainage suction bottles according to
agency policy
◉ Breaking the Chain of Infection: Portal of Exit (means by which
microorganisms leave a site).
Answer: Respiratory
1. Avoid talking, sneezing, coughing directly over wound or sterile
dressing field
2. Cover nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing
3. Wear mask if suffering respiratory tract infection
Urine, feces, emesis, and blood
1. Wear clean gloves when handling blood and body fluids
2. Wear gowns and eyewear if there is a chance of splashing fluids
3. Handle all lab specimens as if infectious
◉ Breaking the chain of infection: Transmission.
Answer: 1. Hand hygiene
2. Use personal set of care items for each patient
3. Avoid shaking bed linen or clothes
4. Avoid contact of soiled item with uniform
5. Discard any item that touches the floor
