Surgical Asepsis and Sterile Technique Flashcards

What is the fundamental difference between medical asepsis and surgical asepsis?

Answer: Medical asepsis reduces the number of microorganisms; surgical asepsis eliminates ALL microorganisms from objects and areas to prevent infection

Medical asepsis (clean technique) reduces the number of microorganisms to prevent their spread. Surgical asepsis (sterile technique) eliminates all microorganisms and spores from instruments and fields to prevent any introduction of organisms into the body.

When opening a sterile package to add its contents to a sterile field, what is the correct technique?

Answer: Open the outer wrap away from you first, then sides, then toward you, without reaching over the sterile field; allow item to fall or flip onto field

To open a sterile package without contaminating the field: open the top flap away from you, then the two side flaps, then the front flap toward you — never reaching over the sterile field. Allow the item to drop or flip onto the field; do not let the wrapper touch the field.

During a minor surgical procedure, the medical assistant accidentally drops a sterile instrument below the level of the sterile drape. What should be done?

Answer: Consider the instrument contaminated; do not use it; replace with a sterile instrument

Items that fall below the level of the sterile field — especially to the floor — must be considered contaminated regardless of contact duration. Sterile fields maintain a height standard: items below waist level are considered non-sterile.

Which sterilization method is most commonly used for surgical instruments in the medical office, and what are its key parameters?

Answer: Steam autoclave (moist heat under pressure) typically at 250°F (121°C) at 15 psi for 15–30 minutes depending on load

Steam sterilization by autoclave is the most common, effective, and economical sterilization method for heat-stable instruments. Standard parameters: 250°F (121°C) at 15 psi for 15–30 minutes (longer for wrapped/heavier loads).

When donning sterile gloves using the open (closed glove) method, which hand is gloved first and why?

Answer: The non-dominant hand first, using the contaminated ungloved hand to pick up the cuffed end; then the dominant hand using the sterile-gloved hand

In the open glove method: using only the inner sterile surface (cuff), slip the dominant hand in first using the non-dominant hand. Then use the sterile-gloved dominant hand to pick up the second glove by sliding fingers under the outer cuff (sterile-to-sterile contact) for the non-dominant hand.

Which of the following actions would NOT contaminate a sterile field during a minor surgical procedure?

Answer: Placing a sterile instrument using sterile transfer forceps without touching the field border

Using sterile transfer forceps to place an item onto the sterile field without crossing over the field or touching the border maintains sterility. This is the correct technique for adding instruments without contaminating the sterile field.