A nurse is preparing a sterile field for a client who requires a dressing change. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take?

Rationale: A. Hold the sterile package in his dominant hand and open the top flap of the package toward his body: The top flap should be opened away from the nurse’s body to avoid reaching over and contaminating the sterile field. Opening toward the body risks touching or dropping contaminants onto the field. B. Drop the sterile gauze from 25.4 cm (10 in) above the sterile field: Sterile items should be dropped from a minimal height, close to the field, to prevent them from bouncing, falling off, or becoming contaminated. A 10-inch drop increases the risk of contamination. C. Place objects 1.27 cm (0.5 in) inside the border of the sterile field: The outer 1 inch (2.5 cm) of a sterile field is considered contaminated, not just 0.5 inches. Placing objects inside only 0.5 in does not guarantee sterility and may result in contamination. D. Position the bottle outside the edge of the sterile field when pouring solution into a sterile container: Keeping the bottle outside the sterile field prevents contamination from the outside of the bottle. Only the sterile contents should enter the sterile container, maintaining the integrity of the sterile field during the dressing change.