Final answer:
It is true that perioperative team members are responsible for placing sterile drapes and adjusting them if necessary to maintain a sterile field during surgery, which is crucial for preventing contamination and ensuring patient safety.
Step-by-step explanation:
Perioperative team members do place sterile drapes on the patient, furniture, and equipment in the sterile field and may adjust them if necessary to maintain the integrity of the sterile field.
In a surgical environment, maintaining a sterile field is paramount to prevent infection and promote patient safety. The perioperative team, which includes surgeons, nurses, and other medical staff, adhere to strict guidelines to keep the area free from contaminants. Before any surgical procedure begins, the perioperative nursing staff is responsible for draping the patient and the surrounding area. These sterile drapes act as a barrier between the surgical area and possible sources of contamination. Sterility must be maintained throughout the procedure, so if any of the drapes are slipping or compromised in any way, they need to be adjusted or replaced to ensure the patient's safety. The process of maintaining sterility extends to the careful control of the entire environment, including the management of equipment and materials received from off-duty staff, as indicated by the confirmation of sterility among the nursing staff's responsibilities.