CST Sterilization & Infection Control 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Immediate-use steam sterilization (IUSS), formerly called 'flash sterilization,' should be performed:
- Routinely to save time between cases
- Only as a last resort when no other option exists for an urgently needed item (Correct answer)
- For any instrument that contacts mucous membranes
- Whenever a wrapped set fails the Bowie-Dick test
Correct answer: Only as a last resort when no other option exists for an urgently needed item
IUSS should be reserved for emergency situations when no other sterile option is available, not as a routine time-saving shortcut.
Question 2: What is the minimum exposure time for a gravity displacement steam sterilizer operating at 250°F (121°C) for a wrapped instrument set?
- 10 minutes
- 15 minutes
- 30 minutes (Correct answer)
- 45 minutes
Correct answer: 30 minutes
Wrapped instrument sets in a gravity displacement cycle at 121°C require a minimum of 30 minutes exposure time.
Question 3: The Spaulding classification system categorizes medical devices based on:
- Their material composition and cost
- The risk of infection associated with their intended use (Correct answer)
- The manufacturer's recommended reprocessing method
- The body cavity or tissue they contact
Correct answer: The risk of infection associated with their intended use
The Spaulding classification (critical, semi-critical, non-critical) categorizes devices by infection risk related to their intended use site.
Question 4: Which action by the surgical technologist maintains sterility when opening a sterile peel-pack onto the sterile field?
- Reaching over the sterile field to place the item directly
- Dropping the item onto the field after peeling the package open away from the body (Correct answer)
- Handing the item directly to the scrub tech without touching the interior
- Placing the opened package on the sterile back table and stepping away
Correct answer: Dropping the item onto the field after peeling the package open away from the body
The circulator peels the package apart and flips or drops the sterile item onto the sterile field without reaching over it.
Question 5: Chemical class indicators (Class 2 indicators) such as the Bowie-Dick test are used to:
- Confirm sterility of the load
- Verify steam penetration in dynamic-air-removal sterilizers (Correct answer)
- Monitor the temperature inside the chamber
- Test the efficacy of biological spore strips
Correct answer: Verify steam penetration in dynamic-air-removal sterilizers
The Bowie-Dick test (a Class 2 indicator) specifically verifies adequate air removal and steam penetration in prevacuum sterilizers.
Question 6: An event-related sterility maintenance policy means that a sterilized item remains sterile until:
- A fixed expiration date printed on the package
- The package is compromised by an event such as wetting, tearing, or puncture (Correct answer)
- 30 days after the sterilization date regardless of storage conditions
- The item is removed from a closed storage cabinet
Correct answer: The package is compromised by an event such as wetting, tearing, or puncture
Event-related sterility holds that sterility is maintained indefinitely as long as the packaging integrity is not compromised.
Question 7: During decontamination, instruments with box locks and hinges should be processed:
- Closed to prevent damage to the ratchet mechanism
- In the open position to allow cleaning of all surfaces (Correct answer)
- Disassembled and cleaned separately
- Soaked in enzymatic solution for at least 4 hours
Correct answer: In the open position to allow cleaning of all surfaces
Hinged instruments must be opened during decontamination so all surfaces, especially in the box lock area, are accessible to cleaning agents.
CST Sterilization & Infection Control 3
Immediate-use steam sterilization (IUSS), formerly called 'flash sterilization,' should be performed: