In a theatre, which passing technique is used to maintain asepsis when passing a non-scrubbed colleague?

• A. Back to back
• B. Front to front
• C. Shoulder-to-Shoulder
• D. Face-to-face

Answer: (A)

Back-to-back passing is used to maintain asepsis because it keeps the scrubbed person’s sterile surfaces oriented away from the non-scrubbed colleague. When two people move past each other in this arrangement, the scrubbed wearer can keep their sterile front protected and out of reach of any unsterile contact, while the non-scrubbed person’s clothing and hands stay out of the sterile field. This minimizes the chance of contamination from unsterile surfaces and reduces the risk of respiratory droplets or accidental contact near the sterile area.

Other orientations tend to bring non-sterile surfaces or the face into proximity with the sterile field, increasing contamination risk. Front-to-front would place the sterile fronts near the non-scrubbed colleague; shoulder-to-shoulder allows potential contact with arms or sleeves near the sterile zone; face-to-face brings the two closer and heightens exposure to breath or droplets.