Surgical Asepsis and Sterility Flashcards
7 cards from real CNOR practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Surgical Asepsis and Sterility flashcards as text
A sterile field has been set up and left unattended for 30 minutes. The appropriate action is to:
Answer: Consider it contaminated and re-establish the sterile field
An unattended sterile field cannot be guaranteed sterile; it must be considered contaminated and re-established.
Which practice correctly maintains the sterility of a gowned and gloved scrub person's hands and arms?
Answer: Hands must remain above the waist and within the line of vision at all times
Sterile hands and arms must remain above waist level and within the visual field to ensure they do not contact unsterile surfaces.
When a sterile package's chemical indicator shows no color change after sterilization, this means:
Answer: The sterilization parameters may not have been met and the package should not be used
A chemical indicator that fails to change color suggests sterilization parameters were not achieved, and the item should be rejected.
Which type of surgical count is performed to confirm the sterile field at the start of a procedure?
Answer: Opening count before the procedure begins
The opening count establishes a baseline inventory of all items in the sterile field before the procedure begins.
Which statement about event-related sterility is accurate?
Answer: Sterility is maintained until the package is opened or compromised, regardless of time
Event-related sterility holds that a properly packaged sterile item remains sterile until an event compromises the packaging, not based solely on time.
During a procedure, the scrub person's sterile glove is perforated by a needle. The correct response is to:
Answer: Immediately step away from the sterile field and change gloves with the circulator's assistance
A perforated glove immediately compromises the sterile barrier; the scrub must step back and change gloves with circulator assistance right away.
Flash sterilization (immediate-use steam sterilization) is appropriately used for:
Answer: Items that were dropped and are immediately needed, with no biofilm present
Flash sterilization is reserved for dropped or contaminated instruments urgently needed when no other sterile item is available and the item is free of biofilm.