CFA Patient Safety & Aseptic Practices 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During a surgical procedure, a sterile team member's gown becomes contaminated at the sleeve cuff. What is the correct action?
- Continue the procedure if only slightly contaminated
- Replace the contaminated gown immediately with a new sterile gown (Correct answer)
- Cover the contaminated area with a sterile drape and continue
- Notify the surgeon and wait until the procedure is complete to change
Correct answer: Replace the contaminated gown immediately with a new sterile gown
Any contamination of sterile attire requires immediate replacement to maintain the sterile field and prevent surgical site infection.
Question 2: Which zone of the sterile field is considered safe for placement of sterile instruments on a draped patient?
- Any area covered by sterile drapes (Correct answer)
- Only the area within the surgeon's direct line of sight
- The area from chest to waist level of the sterile team
- Only the areas visible and directly monitored by the scrub technician
Correct answer: Any area covered by sterile drapes
All areas covered by sterile drapes are considered part of the sterile field and are safe for placement of sterile instruments.
Question 3: A circulator needs to open a sterile item onto the sterile field. What is the proper technique?
- Toss the item onto the sterile field from a distance
- Open the wrapper and allow the scrub technician to retrieve the item without contamination (Correct answer)
- Hand the item directly to the surgeon to place on the field
- Place the item on the edge of the sterile field for the scrub to retrieve
Correct answer: Open the wrapper and allow the scrub technician to retrieve the item without contamination
The circulator opens the outer wrapper while the scrub technician uses sterile technique to retrieve the inner contents without contaminating the sterile field.
Question 4: What is the recommended minimum distance a non-sterile person should maintain from a sterile field?
- 6 inches
- 12 inches
- 18 inches (Correct answer)
- 24 inches
Correct answer: 18 inches
Non-sterile personnel should maintain at least 18 inches from the sterile field to prevent inadvertent contamination.
Question 5: During a procedure, a sterile glove is torn. What should the first assistant do?
- Apply a sterile glove over the torn one and continue
- Remove only the torn glove and replace it immediately (Correct answer)
- Complete the current task then change the glove
- Have the circulator apply tape over the tear
Correct answer: Remove only the torn glove and replace it immediately
A torn glove must be immediately removed and replaced with a new sterile glove to maintain aseptic technique.
Question 6: Which surgical count is performed to verify no items are retained in the patient before closure?
- Initial count before incision only
- Counts at closing of each body layer, final skin closure, and specimen handling (Correct answer)
- A single count at the beginning and end of each procedure
- Counts only when the surgeon requests verification
Correct answer: Counts at closing of each body layer, final skin closure, and specimen handling
Surgical counts are performed at each layer of closure and before final skin closure to prevent retained surgical items.
Question 7: A patient is identified as having methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Which additional precaution is required in the OR?
- No additional precautions beyond standard precautions are needed
- Contact precautions including gowns and gloves for all personnel entering the room (Correct answer)
- Airborne precautions with N95 respirators for all personnel
- Droplet precautions with surgical masks only
Correct answer: Contact precautions including gowns and gloves for all personnel entering the room
MRSA requires contact precautions — gowns and gloves — for all personnel in addition to standard precautions to prevent transmission.
CFA Patient Safety & Aseptic Practices 2
During a surgical procedure, a sterile team member's gown becomes contaminated at the sleeve cuff.
What is the correct action?