CNOR Surgical Asepsis and Sterility 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A sterile field has been set up and left unattended for 30 minutes. The appropriate action is to:
- Cover it with a sterile drape and continue using it
- Use it if the room was unoccupied during the 30 minutes
- Consider it contaminated and re-establish the sterile field (Correct answer)
- Inspect it visually and proceed if no contaminants are visible
Correct 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.
Question 2: Which practice correctly maintains the sterility of a gowned and gloved scrub person's hands and arms?
- Hands may be dropped to waist level briefly while waiting
- Hands must remain above the waist and within the line of vision at all times (Correct answer)
- Arms may be folded across the chest between instrument passes
- Hands should be clasped behind the back to avoid accidental contamination
Correct 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.
Question 3: When a sterile package's chemical indicator shows no color change after sterilization, this means:
- The package is safe to use because no change indicates stability
- The sterilization parameters may not have been met and the package should not be used (Correct answer)
- The indicator failed and a new one should be applied before use
- The item requires a second sterilization cycle to activate the indicator
Correct 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.
Question 4: Which type of surgical count is performed to confirm the sterile field at the start of a procedure?
- Final count before skin closure
- Wound closure count
- Opening count before the procedure begins (Correct answer)
- Relief count when a team member is replaced
Correct 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.
Question 5: Which statement about event-related sterility is accurate?
- Sterility is maintained as long as the expiration date has not passed
- Sterility is maintained until the package is opened or compromised, regardless of time (Correct answer)
- Items sterilized more than 12 months ago must be re-sterilized regardless of packaging integrity
- Event-related sterility applies only to items stored in high-traffic areas
Correct 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.
Question 6: During a procedure, the scrub person's sterile glove is perforated by a needle. The correct response is to:
- Continue the procedure and change gloves at the next natural break
- Immediately step away from the sterile field and change gloves with the circulator's assistance (Correct answer)
- Apply a sterile glove over the perforated one and continue
- Inform the surgeon and change gloves only after the critical portion of the case is complete
Correct 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.
Question 7: Flash sterilization (immediate-use steam sterilization) is appropriately used for:
- Implantable devices as a routine sterilization method
- Items that were dropped and are immediately needed, with no biofilm present (Correct answer)
- All instruments when time between cases is less than 30 minutes
- Heat-sensitive items requiring rapid turnaround
Correct 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.
CNOR Surgical Asepsis and Sterility 4
A sterile field has been set up and left unattended for 30 minutes.
The appropriate action is to: