During a sterile dressing change, a contaminated item touches the sterile field. What should the nurse do next?

• A. Continue and finish the dressing
• B. Discard contaminated supplies and start over with new sterile supplies
• C. Wipe the contaminated area with antiseptic and continue
• D. Reuse the same sterile supplies after sterilization

Answer: (B)

When a contaminated item touches the sterile field, sterility is breached and the field can no longer be trusted. In this situation the safest and most effective action is to discard all contaminated supplies and recreate a new sterile field with fresh, sterile materials, then proceed with the dressing change using proper aseptic technique. Don or re-don sterile gloves and re-establish hand hygiene before setting up the new field.

Continuing with the dressing would risk introducing infection, and wiping the affected area does not restore sterility to the field. Reusing supplies after sterilization is not a practical or safe option once sterility has been compromised.