Question

The nurse sets up a non-barrier sterile field on the patient's table. In which of the following incidences is the field contaminated?

a) A sterile saline solution is spilled on the field
b) The nurse, who has a cold, wears a double mask
c) Sterile objects are kept within a one-inch border of the field.
d) The nurse keeps the top of the table above her waist.

Answer 1

A sterile field is contaminated when a sterile saline solution is spilled on it because the wetness provides a medium for potential bacterial growth, even if the solution itself was sterile.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse setting up a non-barrier sterile field for a medical procedure has performed a critical task in maintaining an aseptic environment to prevent infections. When looking at the scenarios provided:

• A sterile saline solution spilled on the field would contaminate it because the solution, although sterile itself, can act as a medium for bacteria to grow after it spills.
• The nurse wearing a double mask, even when having a cold, is adhering to proper protocol and does not contribute to contamination.
• Maintaining sterile objects within a one-inch border of the field is a standard practice to prevent accidental contact with non-sterile surfaces, thus does not imply contamination.
• The table being kept above the nurse's waist does not necessarily indicate contamination as this is standard practice to prevent the sterile field from coming into contact with non-sterile areas.

The correct answer is that the sterile field is contaminated when a sterile saline solution is spilled on the field.