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University Open Polytechnic (OP)
Subject STE404 Foundations of Sterilising Practice

STE404 Foundations of Sterilising Practice Assessment 1: Breaking the Chain of Infection

Course STE404 Foundations of sterilising practice
Institution Open Polytechnic of New Zealand (Te Pūkenga)
Assessment Assessment 1 (Set A)
Weighting 35%
Learning outcomes LO2: apply infection prevention and control principles in sterile services, including the safe use of PPE and hand hygiene. LO3: describe the chain of infection and key blood-borne microorganisms.
Word count guideline Task 1: 400 words; Task 2: 600 words
Submission One file through iQualify

This first STE404 assessment is set in a hospital sterile services department. Learners respond to two workplace scenarios, one during manual cleaning while the washer-disinfector is out of service and one in the decontamination area, explaining hand hygiene, PPE selection and sequence, infection control breaches and a relevant clause of AS/NZS 5369:2023, and writing a structured reflection on their own PPE practice.

Task 1: Breaking the Chain of Infection During Manual Cleaning

The department’s washer-disinfector is temporarily unavailable, so staff are cleaning instruments manually. You notice a co-worker wearing gloves but no eye protection while manually scrubbing contaminated forceps. Another team member removes their gloves to answer a mobile phone call, then puts the same gloves back on to continue cleaning.

  1. Describe correct hand hygiene steps before and after handling contaminated items and explain why timing of hand hygiene is critical. (15 marks)
  2. Explain why correct PPE selection and the sequence of donning and doffing are important when cleaning contaminated devices. (15 marks)
  3. Identify all breaches in infection prevention and control in this scenario. For each breach, describe how it increases the risk of exposure to blood-borne infections and contributes to the potential spread of infection within the sterile services environment. (10 marks)
  4. Identify one relevant section or clause from AS/NZS 5369:2023 and state how this supports your answer in 1.3. (10 marks)

(Word count guideline 400 words; Task 1 total: 50 marks)

Task 2: PPE Use to Break the Chain of Infection

You are rostered to work in the decontamination area. The washer-disinfector has just finished a load, and your colleague asks you to help reload it. You notice:

  • some staff are wearing gloves and gowns but not face shields;
  • one staff member has their mobile phone in their pocket while working;
  • one person is wearing a gown but hasn’t tied it up at the back.

Write a structured reflection that addresses the following.

  1. For each unsafe PPE practice above, describe how each relates to the chain of infection and creates control risks for staff and instruments, including how these practices could contribute to the spread of infection in the sterile services environment. (10 marks)
  2. Explain what you would do in the moment to address each issue, while remaining professional with your colleagues. (20 marks)
  3. Describe a time (in your experience working in sterilising technology) where you felt uncertain about PPE. What did you do, and what did you learn that will guide your practice in the future? (20 marks)

(Word count guideline 600 words; Task 2 total: 50 marks)

Marking Schedule

Each question is marked against five bands. Top-band answers accurately and completely describe hand hygiene before and after handling contaminated instruments and clearly explain why timing matters, explain both PPE selection and the donning and doffing sequence, identify every breach with a clear link to blood-borne exposure and spread, and clearly relate the chosen AS/NZS 5369:2023 clause to the breaches.

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Assessment 1 rewards precise, practical answers. In Task 1, walk through the five moments of hand hygiene as they apply in a decontamination room, give the full PPE set for manual cleaning (fluid-resistant gown, gloves, eye and face protection) and the order for donning and doffing, then map each breach in the scenario to a link in the chain of infection. Name the AS/NZS 5369:2023 clause you use and quote its requirement briefly. Task 2 is a reflection, so use a model such as Gibbs and keep your own example specific. Our health and nursing assignment help in New Zealand can guide your structure and APA referencing, and our report writing help can tidy a short scenario-based answer. See also the STE404 Assessment 2 brief and other Open Polytechnic assessment briefs.

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