Health Services A School

Job-Aid

HOW TO OPEN A STERILE PACK

In this job aid, the term sterile pack refers 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. 2. 3. 4.

Wash and dry your hands. Put on non-sterile disposable gloves. Pick up a sterile pack that has not expired and has black lines on the autoclave tape. Place the pack on a clean, flat surface so the top flap of the wrapper will open away from you.

USCG TRACEN Petaluma

Sterile Practices

Health Services A School

Job-Aid

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.

USCG TRACEN Petaluma

Sterile Practices

Health Services A School

Job-Aid

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 you avoid 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.

USCG TRACEN Petaluma

Sterile Practices

Health Services A School

Job-Aid

12.

Read the sterilization indicator(s).

IF THEN

Glass tube type indicator is in the pack,

Visually determine if contents are melted.

IF THEN

Able to visually determine contents are melted, Unable to visually determine if contents are melted,

Go to step 13.

Determine if you can remove the tube without compromising sterile field.
IF THEN

You are able to grasp the string attached to the tube WITHOUT TOUCHING ANYTHING ELSE in the sterile field,

Pull the string up and away from the sterile field, grasp the tube, and shake it. No rattle indicates that contents are melted. Go to step 13.

You are NOT able to grasp the string WITHOUT TOUCHING ANYTHING ELSE in the sterile field,

Put on sterile gloves, remove tube from sterile field, and shake it. No rattle indicates that contents are melted. Go to step 13.

Continued next page

USCG TRACEN Petaluma

Sterile Practices

Health Services A School

Job-Aid

12., Read the sterilization indicator(s), contd. contd.

IF THEN

Using paper Without removing the strip from the sterile field, visually read the slip results (check for OK on the strip). Go to step 13.

13.

Determine if pack is sterilized.

IF THEN

The glass tube contents are melted and/or the paper strip reads OK, Glass tube contents are NOT melted and/or paper strip DOES NOT read OK, 14.

The pack is sterile. Go to step 14. Pack is not sterile. Set it aside, obtain new pack, and return to step 1.

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, Instruments pointed toward user,

Handling only the outside corners of the wrapper, adjust it. Tray is ready for user.

End of Procedure

USCG TRACEN Petaluma

Sterile Practices