Clinical Simulation, Infection Prevention colorfully demonstrate sterile technique

When it comes to infection prevention, sterility is key—and UAB Medicine’s Infection Prevention and Clinical Simulation departments have teamed up to colorfully demonstrate.

Inspired by a video on social media, wherein a nursing student employed brightly colored paint to demonstrate how easily sterile areas can become contaminated, Mary Duncan, senior director of Infection Prevention, and Cindy Self, R.N., infection preventionist, sought to apply the same principles to a UAB Medicine audience.

“We thought it was a great learning tool but felt it obviously needed to be translated into something more professional,” Self said.

As such, Duncan and Self reserved space in the UAB Clinical Simulation lab and began production on their own video.

“Microorganisms are everywhere in the health-care setting, so we’re doing this exercise to demonstrate visually the importance of good aseptic technique and infection prevention practices,” Self said.

The video depicts Self performing a central line dressing change on a health-care simulation manikin—but not before applying bright green paint to all non-sterile or contaminated surfaces, including her hands and the dressing kit package. The goal is to ensure that none of the paint finds its way onto and into sterile areas, she explains.

“We’re always encouraging our staff to think about the big picture, e.g., this is clean and this is dirty, when providing patient care,” Self said. “Obviously, anybody who is changing central line dressing on a regular basis is our core audience, but these same principles of clean vs. contaminated can be applied to all sorts of tasks in a patient care setting.”

As such, Self said the video will be helpful for anybody who works directly with patients.

 “The real idea we’re trying to put forth is more of a comprehensive concept,” she said. “The central thought process we’re demonstrating is for everybody.”

To view the video, visit here. To learn more about UAB Medicine Infection Prevention, visit here.

UAB Medicine’s Clinical Simulation program offers opportunities for individuals and teams across UAB Medicine and beyond to practice before they deliver care. We encourage all who provide and support patient care to “Sim First.” Together, we can put our patients’ safety first.