Aseptic Technique

This 3 hour course is intended for all faculty, staff, and students (employees or volunteers) who work with rodents, in order to prevent infection and contamination. This is an instructor-led training course that includes hands-on practice on non-animal models. It is highly recommended that participants take one of the Laboratory Animal Skills classes prior to taking this course and be familiar their IACUC protocol. Enrollment is limited to 4 participants. Topic covered in this course include:

• How to set up a surgery area for rodent survival surgery
• How to clean and sterilize instruments
• Anesthetic methods (injectable vs inhalation)
• Preparation of the patient for surgery
• How to maintain sterility/asepsis during rodent survival surgery
• Patient monitoring
• Hands on instruction and practice in donning sterile gloves
• Hands on instruction and practice in suturing and wound closure methods
• Peri- and post- surgical care and documentation requirements