Key Term
Air Exchanges
new air replacements
Asepsis
The absence of pathogenic microorganisms
Aseptic technique
The manipulation of sterile products and devices to avoid contamination by disease-causing organisms; includes cleanroom protocols and hand-washing and gowning procedures
Autoclave
A device that generates heat and pressure to sterilize objects, instruments, and measures vessels
Critical Site
The part of the syringe and/or needle that is at risk for contamination by touch or airflow interruption
Aseptic hand washing
A more aggressive soap and water hand washing procedure, followed by use of an antiseptic agent before donning sterile attire
Anteroom
an ISO Class 8 room or area immediately before the buffer room in which hand washing, hygiene, and garbing are done and supplies and ingredients are gathered between the
Buffer room
An ISO Class 7 or cleaner area where the PECs are physically located; also called the IV or cleanroom
Bacterium
A small, single-celled microorganism that can exist in three main forms, depending on type: spherical (i.e., cocci), rod-shaped (i.e., bacilli), and spiral (i.e., spirochetes)
Clean room
An ISO-classified room (or two-room configuration of a cleanroom area) in which the concentration of airborne particles is controlled to meet a specified airborne-particulate cleanliness class to prevent particle and microbial contamination of CSPs; also called the IV room or buffer room
Disinfectant
A chemical agent such as sterile 70% IPA used on inanimate surfaces and objects to destroy fungi, viruses, and bacteria, but not necessarily their spores
Drip chamber
The small, open space just below the spike adaptor where the drops of fluid from the IV bag into the tubing are counted by the nurse to determine the flow rate of the IV solution
ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
An air quality classification from the International Organization for Standardization measures the amount of particulate matter in room air; the lower the ISO number, the less particulate matter is present in the air
Filtration
Funneling of a liquid or gas through filters, or mesh screens with minute holes too small for biological and chemical contaminants to pass through
Drop factor
The number of drops that an IV tubing delivers to provide 1 mL; this number may be used by nurses to calculate the IV flow rate when using certain types of primary IV tubing; also called drop set or drip set
Protozoan
A single-celled organism that inhabits water and soil
Sepsis
When an infection is so threatening to the body that the immune system begins to attack the body's own blood vessels and organs causing inflammation, leaky vessels, organ failure, and septic shock
Sterilization
The process of using chemicals, heat, cold, pressure, or other forces to kill microorganisms on exposed surfaces
Secondary Tubing
IV tubing for another medication that is attached to the primary tubing at a Y-site injection port
IV administration set
A sterile, disposable device of many components (including the tubing and ports) used to deliver IV fluids to patients
Microdrip IV Tubing
IV tubing sets that have a smaller diameter and provide smaller drops and more drops per milliliter, such as 60 gtts/mL, used for pediatric patients and others who need more gradual dosing
Macrodrip IV Tubing
IV tubing sets that have a sufficient diameter to deliver 10, 15, 20 per milliliter (10 gtts/mL, 15 gtts/mL, 20 gtts/mL), used for adult patients
Horizontal Laminar Air Flow Workbench (H-LAFW)
Also known as a laminar hood, a PEC (with an ISO Class 5 air quality in its DCA) used to prepare IV drug admixtures, nutrition solutions, and other parenteral products aseptically
HEPA (High-efficiency particulate airflow)
A device used to filter over 99% of particulate matter from the air to establish an aseptic environment in which to prepare CSPs
Zone of turbulence
Wherever the unidirectional filtered air meets resistance or blockage, particularly between the DCA and compounding technician; also the area at the edges of the compounding counter where the horizontal airflow meets the buffer room air