Which term describes the need to restart sterile procedures after lapse?

• A. Sterile Field Contamination
• B. Reverse Isolation
• C. Break in Sterility
• D. Nosocomial Infection

Answer: (C)

Maintaining a sterile field requires continuous asepsis; when a lapse occurs, a break in sterility has happened—the sterile barrier has been breached. In that moment, the safest approach is to discard the contaminated setup and reestablish a new sterile field, which may involve re-prepping and donning sterile gloves. This term specifically describes the event that necessitates restarting sterile procedures. The other concepts describe outcomes or different isolation practices, not the act of restarting after a lapse: contamination is the result of a breach, reverse isolation protects the patient from the environment, and nosocomial infection refers to hospital-acquired infections.