Which of the following is NOT considered a part of medical asepsis?

Medical asepsis, also known as clean technique, is focused on reducing the number and spread of pathogens. This includes practices that decrease the likelihood of transmitting infections in healthcare settings.

Washing hands regularly is a fundamental practice of medical asepsis, as it helps to eliminate or reduce pathogens on the skin. Cleaning surfaces with disinfectants is also a key component, as it ensures that the environment remains free from infectious agents that could be transmitted to patients or healthcare workers. Wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) serves to protect both the healthcare provider and the patient from the transfer of pathogens, aligning with the principles of medical asepsis.

Using an autoclave, however, is associated with surgical asepsis rather than medical asepsis. Surgical asepsis involves sterilizing instruments and materials to eliminate all microorganisms, including spores, which is a higher level of cleanliness than that which is required for medical asepsis. Therefore, the use of an autoclave does not fall under the realm of practices aimed at maintaining medical asepsis.