Surgical Asepsis and Sterile Technique Flashcards

Which of the following is an example of a break in sterile technique during a minor surgical procedure?

Answer: The medical assistant hands the physician a sterile syringe touching the barrel and plunger with bare hands

Touching the barrel and plunger of a syringe with bare (non-sterile) hands contaminates the syringe. For sterile procedures, syringes must be handled by sterile-gloved personnel or transferred to the sterile field using the peel-apart method without contaminating any part that contacts the patient.

What is the purpose of 'counting' instruments, sponges, and sharps before and after a surgical procedure?

Answer: To ensure no items are inadvertently left in the patient's wound (retained surgical item), preventing potentially life-threatening complications

Surgical counts (instruments, sponges/gauze, and sharps) are performed before and after every procedure to prevent retained surgical items (RSIs). RSIs — items left inside patients — are serious preventable never events that can cause infection, perforation, and death.

What does OSHA require if a medical assistant sustains a needlestick injury with a potentially contaminated needle?

Answer: Immediately wash the site, report to the supervisor, complete an incident report, seek medical evaluation, and document exposure per the facility's Exposure Control Plan

OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard requires immediate post-exposure actions: wash the site with soap and water, notify the supervisor, complete an incident report, and seek confidential medical evaluation including testing, counseling, and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) if indicated — all per the Exposure Control Plan.

When preparing a sterile field for wound irrigation, which of the following would be acceptable to add to the sterile field?

Answer: A sterile, factory-sealed bag of normal saline with intact packaging and current expiration date, poured without touching the sterile field

A factory-sealed sterile normal saline bag/bottle with intact packaging and current expiration date is safe to add to a sterile field. Opened bottles, even if recapped, are no longer considered sterile. The solution must be poured carefully without the bottle touching the sterile field.

A physician performs a laceration repair on a patient in the office. After the procedure, what is the most important action regarding documentation of the sterile technique used?

Answer: Document the procedure performed, instruments used, lot numbers of supplies, any breaks in technique, and the patient's tolerance

Complete procedure documentation includes: procedure name, date/time, physician and MA personnel, instruments/supplies used (with lot numbers for traceability in case of product recall), patient preparation, patient tolerance, and any issues including breaks in sterile technique and corrective actions taken.

Which type of wound closure material requires the medical assistant to ensure sterile technique during both application and removal?

Answer: Sutures (stitches) placed into the wound tissue

Sutures are placed directly into tissue during a sterile surgical procedure and are removed by making contact with the wound during healing. Both placement (sterile technique required) and removal (clean or sterile technique depending on wound healing stage) require aseptic precautions.