Postoperative Duties Flashcards
7 cards from real CST practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Postoperative Duties flashcards as text
After surgery, contaminated instruments should be transported to the decontamination area in containers that are:
Answer: Closeable, leak-proof, and labeled with a biohazard symbol
Contaminated instruments must be transported in closeable, leak-proof, biohazard-labeled containers to comply with OSHA bloodborne pathogen standards.
The postoperative instrument count reveals one extra instrument compared to the opening count. The most appropriate action is to:
Answer: Search the field and drapes, then report the discrepancy immediately
Any count discrepancy — whether over or under — requires immediate search and reporting because it may indicate a misidentified instrument or error that could affect patient safety.
Which postoperative documentation is the scrub ST typically responsible for completing?
Answer: Recording instrument, sponge, and sharps count results on the count record
The scrub ST documents the count results on the standardized count record, which becomes part of the official operative record.
During postoperative room cleanup, the scrub ST should break down the sterile field:
Answer: After the patient has been transferred out of the OR
The sterile field should not be broken down until the patient is safely transferred out of the OR to allow for re-entry if needed.
Which item requires special handling during postoperative cleanup due to prion contamination risk?
Answer: Instruments used on a patient with suspected Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)
Instruments used on patients with suspected or confirmed CJD require special prion decontamination protocols because standard sterilization methods do not inactivate prions.
When a surgical drain is placed by the surgeon at the end of a case, the scrub ST's responsibility includes:
Answer: Passing the drain and securing sutures while keeping the drain sterile until secured
The scrub ST passes the drain device and any sutures needed to secure it, maintaining sterility throughout the process.
After a procedure involving an implant, the scrub ST should ensure the implant sticker/label is:
Answer: Affixed to the patient's chart or implant log as required by facility policy
Implant stickers must be placed in the patient chart and implant log to create a permanent traceability record per AORN and accreditation standards.