Surgical Education Learners Forum/Perioperative Nursing/Instrument Handling and Maintaining Sterile Field/Sharps Safety Quiz

▼This page is a part of the Perioperative Nursing Curriculum by ECSACONM and SELF

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Use the quiz below to check your understanding of the material.

Instructions

Work through each question carefully to choose the best answer, and submit the quiz to view your results. After completing the quiz, read through the answer explanations to review the reasoning behind both correct and incorrect options.

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During an abdominal procedure, the surgeon finishes using a scalpel and starts to hand it directly back to the scrub nurse while looking away from the field. A neutral zone is available on the Mayo stand. What should the scrub nurse do?

	Receive the scalpel directly because the surgeon has finished using it
	Ask the surgeon to place the scalpel in the neutral zone before it is retrieved
	Leave the scalpel on the drape until the next step of the procedure
	Move the neutral zone away so it does not interfere with the Mayo stand

During skin closure, a loaded needle holder is placed under a piece of gauze on the Mayo stand while the team prepares the next suture. What is the main concern?

	The needle may become hidden and injure a team member
	The gauze may become difficult to count later
	The needle holder may become harder to clean after surgery
	The suture may dry before it is used

Which situation is most likely to increase the risk of a sharps injury?

	Maintaining a designated neutral zone throughout the procedure
	Keeping sharps visible and in designated locations
	Performing instrument transfers while distracted
	Replacing damaged instruments promptly

During an emergency laparotomy, bleeding increases and the surgeon urgently asks for a blade. The scrub nurse feels rushed. What is the safest response?

	Use the fastest available method, even if it requires hand-to-hand passing
	Maintain sharps safety by using the neutral zone or controlled passing method
	Place the blade on any open part of the sterile field so the surgeon can grab it
	Delay passing the blade until the room becomes quiet and fully controlled

Why should suture needles remain mounted in a needle holder whenever practical?

	To reduce direct needle handling and sharps injury risk
	To make the needle easier to sterilize
	To reduce the number of needle holders required during surgery
	To improve the appearance of the sterile field

Which factor is an example of a system factor that may contribute to sharps injuries?

	Fatigue after a long procedure
	Failure to maintain concentration
	Poor communication between team members
	Inadequate availability of sharps disposal containers

During a long case, several interruptions occur while sharps are being passed and returned. Which team response best addresses the human-factor risk?

	Continue working and rely on each person to remember where sharps are
	Pause nonessential conversation and confirm the location of active sharps
	Move all sharps to the back table to reduce clutter on the Mayo stand
	Ask the most experienced team member to handle all sharps alone

A scrub nurse sustains a needlestick while receiving a used suture needle. The wound is small and the procedure is still ongoing. What should happen?

	Continue working and report the injury after the case if symptoms develop
	Ask another nurse to document it only if the patient has a known infection
	Wipe the puncture site with sterile gauze and return to the field
	Stop safely, follow exposure protocol, report immediately, and seek evaluation

During instrument passing, the surgeon requests a loaded needle holder while another team member is asking an unrelated question and the scrub nurse is looking toward the monitor. Which situation is most likely increasing sharps injury risk?

	The team is using a designated neutral zone
	The sharp is kept visible on the Mayo stand
	The scrub nurse is distracted during transfer
	The loaded needle is secured in the needle holder

Why should sharps injuries and near misses be reported?

	To identify the individual responsible for the incident
	To reduce the amount of documentation required after future procedures
	To satisfy legal requirements only
	To support quality improvement and prevent future injuries

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Page data
Part of	Setting Up the Operating Room - ECSACONM
Keywords	surgery, health
SDG	SDG03 Good health and well-being
Authors	Ian-laurel
License	CC-BY-SA-4.0
Organizations	ECSACONM, SELF
Language	English (en)
Related	0 subpages, 0 pages link here
Views	13 page views (analytics)
Created	July 13, 2026 by 2600:387:C:6A1B:0:0:0:4
Last edit	September 30, 2026 by 162.129.250.57
Cite as	"SELF/Perioperative Nursing/Instrument Handling and Maintaining Sterile Field/Sharps Safety Quiz". Appropedia. 2026. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
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