Contamination during a clinic dressing
RN OSCE practice station

The task

You are the RN in a general practice clinic. Zoe Martin, aged 22, returns for a prescribed dressing change to a sutured forearm laceration. During the procedure a sterile forceps tip touches the workbench. Assess the wound and demonstrate how to restore asepsis and complete the dressing. Complete the supplied practice record. You and the patient are in the room; assistance can be called. You have eight minutes; describe and select physical actions in this online exercise.

What this station tests

• A forceps tip touching Zoe’s bench needs replacement before wound contact.
• New gloves alone do not restore a contaminated instrument’s sterility.
• Explain the correction honestly without asking Zoe to identify the aseptic error.
• Record the near miss and the care delivered; leave sutures until review.

Sources for the clinical content

• NHMRC: Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare
• ACSQHC: National Hand Hygiene Initiative
• ACSQHC: Communicating for Safety Standard

An original practice scenario with invented patients. Not an exam question.

Practise next

• Aseptic dressing of an uncomplicated incision
• A leg wound that has changed at home
• Pressure wound care with consent concerns
• Responding to a needlestick during clinic care
• Protecting the connection during an IV line change