After completing the sterilization process of surgical instruments, the medical assistant notices that the sterilization indicator strip has not changed color. What is the most appropriate action for the medical assistant to take?
Document the incident in the quality control log without taking further action.
Use the instruments as planned, since they have been through the sterilization cycle.
Discard the instruments, as they might have been compromised during the sterilization cycle.
Reprocess the instruments again using a new sterilization cycle and use a new indicator strip.
If the sterilization indicator strip has not changed color, it suggests that the sterilization process may have been ineffective, and the instruments may not be sterile. The best course of action is to reprocess the instruments to ensure they are safe for use on patients. Using the instruments without reprocessing them poses a risk of infection, and documenting the incident without taking further action does not resolve the possibility of contaminated instruments.
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