Keeping it Clean in VA

Recently, our Veterinary Assistant students practiced aseptic techniques, a procedure used by medical staff to prevent the spread of infection.

In this activity, Veterinary Assistants labeled one side of a Petri dish “clean” and the other “dirty”.

In step two, the VA students then took a sterile cotton tip applicator and swabbed it on something potentially dirty or, even better said, something that “lacked” an aseptic application. They then rubbed that swab on the side marked “dirty.”

Step three involved using an aseptic technique with disinfectant on the area that had been swabbed. They rubbed a new cotton tip applicator on the same area, now clean, and transferred whatever may have been lifted on the second cotton tip to the clean side.

This activity is intended to show the importance of maintaining a germ-free working environment. Without proper sanitation, microorganisms that cause disease could grow. The aseptic technique is necessary to prevent contamination, minimize the risk of infection, and keep furry friends as healthy as possible.

Now, as they wait for the germs on the Petri dish to grow, all there is left to do is wait for the “Ewwww sounds” at the end of the experiment; this activity is almost certain to resonate with each student and each time they sanitize after a procedure, they are sure to keep proper aseptic techniques in mind.