Question

select all that apply
which of the following statements are true of sterilization?

in a sterile field, sterilization is only required for items that will be used on a patient.
an item is either considered sterile or unsterile.
all instruments and supplies that penetrate a patients skin must be sterilized.
some items can be considered semi-sterile.

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Explanation:

1. For the first statement: In a sterile field, all items in the sterile field (not just those used on the patient) should be sterile to maintain the field's sterility, so this is false.
2. For the second statement: The concept of sterility is binary—an item is either sterile (free from viable microorganisms) or unsterile, so this is true.
3. For the third statement: Instruments and supplies that penetrate the skin (like surgical instruments) must be sterile to prevent infection, so this is true.
4. For the fourth statement: Sterility is a binary state; there's no "semi - sterile" as an item either is free from microbes (sterile) or not (unsterile), so this is false.

Answer:

B. An item is either considered sterile or unsterile.
C. All instruments and supplies that penetrate a patient's skin must be sterilized.