how to open sterile pack

7/30/2019 How To Open Sterile Pack

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Health Services A School Job-Aid

USCG TRACEN Petaluma 1 Sterile Practices

HOW TO OPEN A STERILE PACK

In this job aid, the term sterile packrefers to a double-wrapped package containing a small tray

of sterilized instruments. The photo below shows an opened sterile pack.

OPEN A STERILE PACKAGE

STEP ACTION

1. Wash and dry your hands.

2. Put on non-sterile disposable gloves.

3. Pick up a sterile pack that has not expired and has black lines on the autoclave tape.

4. Place the pack on a clean, flat surface so the top flap of the wrapper will open away

from you.


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5. Loosen the tape and pull the tape towards you, releasing the tab.

6. Handling only the outside of the wrapper, open the top flap away from your body.

7. Working from the center to the outside, open the right flap.

8. Working from the center to the outside, open the left flap.


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9. Open the last flap by pulling it towards you.

Note: You have now created the sterile field. From here on it is important that youavoid crossing over the sterile field.

10. Without crossing over the sterile field, open the top flap of the inner pack.

11. Continue opening the inner pack by pulling back the right flap, then the left flap, and

then the front flap.


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12. Read the sterilization indicator(s).

IF THEN

Glass tube

typeindicator is

in the pack,

Visually determine if contents are melted.

IF THEN

Able to

visuallydetermine

contents

are melted,

Go to step 13.

Unable tovisually

determine

if contentsare melted,

Determine if you can remove the tube withoutcompromising sterile field.

IF THEN

You are able to grasp thestring attached to the

tube WITHOUT

TOUCHING

ANYTHING ELSE inthe sterile field,

Pull the string up andaway from the sterile

field, grasp the tube, and

shake it. No rattle

indicates that contentsare melted. Go to step

13.

You are NOT able to

grasp the string

WITHOUTTOUCHING

ANYTHING ELSE in

the sterile field,

Put on sterile gloves,

remove tube from sterile

field, and shake it. Norattle indicates that

contents are melted. Go

to step 13.

Continued next page


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12.,

contd.

Read the sterilization indicator(s), contd.

IF THEN

Using paper

slip

Without removing the strip from the sterile field, visually read the

results (check forOK on the strip). Go to step 13.

13. Determine if pack is sterilized.

IF THEN

The glass tube contents are melted and/or

thepaper strip reads OK,

The pack is sterile. Go to step 14.

Glass tube contents are NOT meltedand/or paper strip DOES NOT read

OK,

Pack is not sterile. Set it aside, obtainnew pack, and return to step 1.

14. Ensure that sterile wrapper lies on the tray or table with the instrument handles

pointed towards the user.

IF THEN

Instruments not pointed toward user, Handling only the outside corners of thewrapper, adjust it.

Instruments pointed toward user, Tray is ready for user.

End of Procedure

how to open sterile pack

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