Chapter 10: Sterile Technique

A patient requires a sterile dressing change for a mid-abdominal surgical incision. An appropriate intervention for the nurse to implement in maintaining sterile asepsis is to:

b. discard items that may have been in contact with the area below waist level.

_____________ is one practice designed to make and maintain objects and areas free from pathogenic microorganisms.

Surgical asepsis

Nurses commonly use surgical asepsis in which of the following situations? (Select all that apply.)

a. In labor and delivery areas b. When inserting an intravenous catheter c. When treating patients with surgical incisions or burns d. When inserting a urinary catheter

The patient has just had a tracheostomy tube placed and is expectorating copious amounts of sputum that he coughs forcefully from his tracheostomy tube. The patient also is suspected of having methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in his sputum. The nurse is preparing to suction the patient to clear his airway. Which of the following will the nurse need to wear if following standard precautions? (Select all that apply.)

a. Mask b. Goggles c. Gown d. Sterile gloves

Which patient may the nurse suspect will be at risk for a latex allergy?

a. Patient with food allergies

When removing the mask after an aseptic procedure, what should the nurse do first?

a. Remove gloves.

A sterile field consists of which of the following? (Select all that apply.)

a. Sterile tray b. Work surface draped with a sterile towel c. Table covered by a large sterile drape

Which of the following is an appropriate technique for the nurse to use when performing sterile gloving?

b. Interlock the hands after both gloves are applied.

The nurse is applying for a job at a local hospital. She wants to look her best for the interview and decides to wear artificial nails. She does this knowing that artificial nails:

b. can lead to fungal growth under the nail.

A nurse is preparing a sterile field for a dressing change using surgical aseptic technique. The nurse gathers supplies to prepare the sterile field using a packaged drape. Which option correctly describes how the nurse should set up the field?

c. Avoid dropping sterile supplies close to the 1-inch border around the drape

The nurse is preparing to insert a urinary catheter. The package is dry but shows signs of yellowing inside the plastic wrapper, as if the package was wet at one time. What should the nurse do?

c. Discard the entire package as contaminated.

When the following concepts are compared, which is most important in maintaining a safe environment by following aseptic principles?

c. Recognizing the importance of following aseptic principles

An appropriate principle of surgical asepsis is that:

c. an object held below the waist is considered contaminated.

A type I hypersensitivity to latex is evident if the nurse assesses:

d. tachycardia, hypotension, and wheezing.

Which is the appropriate sequence to use when applying sterile attire?

e. Wash hands b. Secure hair d. Apply hair cover. f. Apply mask. c. Don protective eyewear a. Apply sterile gloves.

The minimum standard for infection control as established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is _______________.

standard precautions

When performing sterile aseptic procedures, the nurse must create a _____________ in which objects can be handled with minimal risk for contamination.

sterile field