If a break in sterile technique occurs, what is the recommended action?

• A. Continue the procedure.
• B. Ignore.
• C. Pause, re-sterilize or replace contaminated items/field.
• D. Finish quickly.

Answer: (C)

When sterile technique is breached, the priority is to immediately restore a sterile field. This means pausing the procedure and re-establishing sterility by re-sterilizing or replacing any contaminated instruments, materials, or portions of the field, and then re-draping and re-gloving as needed. The goal is to prevent any contaminant from entering the surgical site, which could lead to infection or other complications.

Continuing the procedure or finishing quickly would not address the breach and could allow pathogens to be introduced, increasing the risk of surgical site infection. Ignoring the event is unsafe and unacceptable in a sterile environment.