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What should be done with a perforating towel clip

that has been applied and removed from a sterile
drape?
• A. Place on sterile backtable
• B. Hand off the field to the circulator
• C. Place back on drape in another area
• D. Discard in sharps container

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

The correct action for a used perforating towel clip is to hand it off to the circulator who will then properly dispose of it in a sharps container, ensuring the maintenance of a sterile environment.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct option : b

When a perforating towel clip is removed from a sterilized drape, it is crucial to maintain a sterile environment to prevent infection. According to proper medical procedures, any item that comes in contact with a sterile field and is then removed should not be placed back onto a sterile surface or backtable to avoid contamination. Specifically, the correct action to take for a used perforating towel clip would be B. Hand off the field to the circulator. After being handed off, the clip should be treated as a potentially sharp biomedical waste and discarded in a sharps container.

The issue of handling a perforating towel clip after use deals with maintaining the integrity of a sterile field during a medical procedure. It is understood that once an item is removed or is no longer sterile, it should not come into contact with the sterile field again. This is instrumental in preventing postoperative infections and ensuring the health and safety of the patient. The circulating nurse, who is not scrubbed in and can move around the operating room, is responsible for taking the clip and disposing of it properly.

User George Grover
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