Final answer:
Instrument trays according to the OSAP are considered critical surfaces, requiring sterilization to prevent infections such as sepsis during procedures that penetrate sterile tissues or bloodstream.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures (OSAP), instrument trays are considered critical surfaces. These surfaces must be kept sterile because they are used for procedures that may penetrate sterile tissues or the bloodstream. To protect patients from infections such as sepsis, a sterile field is established, adopting protocols for sterile materials and strict hand and surface hygiene. Instrument trays should therefore be cleaned and handled following aseptic techniques to ensure they are free from all vegetative microbes, endospores, and viruses.
Healthcare-associated infections can be introduced via contaminated instruments, and so rigorous cleaning, disinfection, or sterilization protocols are fundamental in infection control. Critical items like instrument trays need to meet the highest level of sterility. Even the amount of cleanliness varies with the level of contact an item will have with the patient, such as contact with sterile tissues or intact skin, indicating the essential nature of instrument trays as critical components in medical procedures.