The nurse from the general surgical unit is asked to bring the patient’s hearing aid to the surgical suite. The nurse will take the hearing aid to the

• A. Clean core
• B. Scrub sink areas
• C. Nursing station or information desk
• D. Corridors of the operating room area

Answer: (C)

Handling personal patient belongings in the perioperative setting must keep non-sterile items out of the sterile field. The hearing aid is a non-sterile personal item and should be secured outside the sterile environment to prevent contamination and loss. Taking it to the nursing station or information desk provides a safe, designated place where staff can label, hold, or return it to the patient after surgery.

Scrub sink areas and the clean core are part of the sterile workflow and are not appropriate for personal items, as they could contaminate sterile zones. The corridors aren’t secure or suitable for storage, increasing the risk of misplacement or damage.