Final answer:
Elastic bandages, Montgomery straps, and tape are examples of wound dressings, which are used to protect and heal wounds. These items are termed 'non-critical items,' requiring less stringent sterilization. Medical devices that contact sterile body areas must be sterilized. Hence, option (3) is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
Elastic bandages, Montgomery straps, and tape are examples of wound dressings. Wound dressings are materials used to protect and heal wounds. These items are designed to support, protect, or provide a barrier for the wound against infection and further injury.
Reviewing your fill-in-the-blank question, a medical item that comes into contact with intact skin and does not penetrate sterile tissues or come into contact with mucous membranes is referred to as a non-critical item. Non-critical items generally require less stringent levels of sterilization compared to critical items, which need to be sterile because they come into contact with sterile areas of the body.
Regarding the multiple-choice question on which medical items require sterilization, all medical devices that penetrate the skin or come into contact with normally sterile areas of the body need to be sterilized to prevent infection. This includes surgical instruments, catheters, and implantable devices.