Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) Practice Exam

When a sterile package is compromised, discarding it is the appropriate action to maintain the integrity of the sterile field and ensure patient safety. Sterility is crucial in surgical settings, as any breach can lead to contamination and increase the risk of infection for the patient. Using a compromised sterile package, even if the intention is to save resources, could introduce pathogens into the surgical area, which poses a significant risk to the patient.

Reporting the issue to a supervisor is a responsible step to ensure that proper protocols are followed and to mitigate the risk of using contaminated supplies, but ultimately, the compromised package must be discarded. Re-sterilizing the package is generally not a viable option since the integrity of the envelope or containment might be damaged, making it impossible to guarantee sterility, and using it anyway is contrary to best practice in an operating environment. Therefore, discarding the package is the best course of action to maintain the highest standards of surgical safety.