TYPES OF
STERILIZATION
STERILIZATION
What’s another name for the method described as "sterilization using steam under pressure"?
What is Autoclaving (or sterile technique)
Sterile items are considered contaminated and must be discarded if they fall below this part of the nurse's body.
What is the waist level?
A nurse notes that a patient scheduled for surgery has dentures in place.
What is the priority nursing action?
A. Leave them in place until anesthesia begins.
B. Remove and safely store the dentures.
C. Document their presence only.
B. Remove and safely store the dentures.
Rationale: Dentures increase the risk of airway obstruction and aspiration during anesthesia.
The nurse notices that the sponge count is incorrect before wound closure.
What is the priority action?
A. Notify the surgeon immediately and recount.
B. Document the discrepancy after surgery.
C. Ask housekeeping to search the room.
A. Notify the surgeon immediately and recount.
Rationale: Incorrect counts must be resolved before closure to prevent retained surgical items.
This process is used to kill bloodborne pathogens and organisms that cause infection, but it does not kill spores.
What is disinfection?
A nurse must never do this to a sterile field because it takes the field out of their line of sight.
What is turn their back?
Enumerate restricted settings in the hospital where aseptic surroundings are maintained. Give at least 2 areas.
Surgical suites, heart catheterization laboratories, delivery rooms, NICU, transplantation intensive care unites, and oncology units.
What type of registered nurse assists the HCP throughout the surgery by handing instruments, holding retractors, and performing other tasks that require sterile garb.
Scrub nurse ^_^
This is the specific term for the evidence that a sterile wrapper has been wet, appearing as a discolored line or area.
What is strike-through?
This specific portion of a sterile drape is considered contaminated because it is the area you must touch to set the field up.
What is the outer 1-inch border?
What is surgical conscience?
Always being aware of potential or certain contamination of the sterile field or sterile objects. Taking appropriate steps to correct the situation, such as replacing contaminated object or reassembling the sterile field with new supplies.
What type of registered nurse assists in the OR by obtaining needed equipment and supplies?
Circulating nurse 0_0
An area that is completely free from all microorganisms where additional sterile items can be placed.
What is a sterile field?
When setting up a sterile dressing change tray, you must open the sterile saline. What TWO things must you check on the bottle if it has been previously opened?
What is the expiration date, and the date and time it was previously opened?
Demonstrate sterile gloves technique
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Who leads the operation, executes the procedure, and directs clinical decisions?
Surgeon (ᵔᴥᵔ)
This specific type of sterilization is used for killing pathogens on sutures, some plastics, and biological materials that cannot be boiled or autoclaved.
What is ionizing radiation?
LABEL THIS SYRINGE
Plunger
Barrel
Tip
Hub
Shaft
Bevel
Demonstrate donning & doffing
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Which task is performed by the scrub nurse rather than the circulating nurse?
A.Verifying patient identification
B. Obtaining additional supplies
C. Passing sterile instruments to the surgeon
C. Passing sterile instruments to the surgeon
Rationale: The scrub nurse works within the sterile field and directly assists the surgeon.