The sterility of an opened bottle of sterile saline cannot be guaranteed. Some institutions' policies permit recapped bottles of solution to be reused within 24 hours of opening, and some require disposal of the remaining solution. Therefore, the nurse should intervene when the student uses sterile saline from a bottle that was opened >24 hours ago.

The general steps for preparing the sterile field for a wet-to-damp dressing change include:

1. Perform hand hygiene.
2. Open a sterile gauze package that has a partially sealed edge with ungloved hands by grasping both sides of the edge, one with each hand, and pull them apart while being careful not to contaminate the gauze (Option 2).
3. Hold the inverted opened gauze package 6" (15 cm) above the waterproof sterile field so it does not touch the field, and then drop the gauze dressing onto the sterile field (Option 1).
4. Place the sterile dressings on the sterile field 2" (5 cm) from the edge; the 1" (2.5 cm) margin at each edge is considered unsterile because it is in contact with unsterile surfaces (Option 3).
5. Use sterile NSS from a recapped bottle that was opened <24 hours ago (if policy permits).

Educational objective: The general steps for preparing the sterile field for a wet-to-damp dressing change include:

1. Perform hand hygiene.
2. Open a sterile gauze package with ungloved hands.
3. Hold the inverted opened gauze package 6" (15 cm) above the sterile field.
4. Place the sterile gauze dressing more than 1" (2.5 cm) from the edge of the sterile field.
5. Use sterile NSS from a recapped bottle that was opened <24 hours ago (if policy permits).