Which statement is FALSE for maintaining sterility?

Which statement is FALSE for maintaining sterility?

• A. An unsterile area should not be touched by the surgeon.
• B. Arms and hand should remain above the waist and below the shoulders.
• C. If you need to wait for something, clasp your hands together in front of your body above the waist.
• D. Sterile instruments should be placed below the edge of the surgical table.

Answer: (D)

Maintaining sterility means keeping sterile items entirely within the defined sterile area and away from any non-sterile surfaces or zones. Sterile instruments must stay above the edge of the sterile field; placing them below that edge would put them into a non-sterile area and risk contamination. That’s why the statement is false. The other practices align with keeping the sterile field intact: avoiding contact between unsterile areas and sterile items, keeping the arms and hands in a position that prevents reaching into non-sterile zones, and waiting with hands clasped in front above the waist to avoid crossing into the sterile field.

Maintaining sterility means keeping sterile items entirely within the defined sterile area and away from any non-sterile surfaces or zones. Sterile instruments must stay above the edge of the sterile field; placing them below that edge would put them into a non-sterile area and risk contamination. That’s why the statement is false. The other practices align with keeping the sterile field intact: avoiding contact between unsterile areas and sterile items, keeping the arms and hands in a position that prevents reaching into non-sterile zones, and waiting with hands clasped in front above the waist to avoid crossing into the sterile field.