DecontaminationQuestion 1 of 100
A surgical case has just ended and the scrub person is preparing instruments for transport to the decontamination area. What is the correct point-of-use treatment?
a.Remove gross soil and keep the instruments moist until they reach decontamination
b.Allow the instruments to air dry so blood flakes off during transport
c.Spray the instruments with saline and wrap them in a dry towel
d.Perform a full manual wash at the sterile field before transport
Explanation
Point-of-use treatment means wiping away gross soil and applying a moisture-retention product or damp towel so bioburden does not dry onto surfaces. Dried blood and protein are far harder to remove and can block sterilant contact. Saline is corrosive to instrument alloys, and full cleaning is never performed in the operating room because it creates contaminated aerosols in a sterile environment.
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