Before opening a sterile package, what should be remembered?

Understanding the principles of maintaining sterility is crucial in nursing and medical settings to prevent infections. When it comes to handling sterile packages, it's important to recognize that the edges of the package are not sterile. This is a fundamental aspect to remember, as the edges are often where the packaging is handled or opened, making them susceptible to contamination.

To maintain a sterile environment, healthcare professionals should always handle packages from the edges, and once the package is opened, care should be taken to only touch the sterile contents or the inner surface. This helps ensure that the items being used in procedures remain free from microorganisms that could cause infection.

The other options do not align with best practices for maintaining sterility. For instance, handwashing should occur before opening any sterile package, not after, to prevent transferring germs from unwashed hands to the sterile environment. Wearing two pairs of gloves is often unnecessary and may not provide additional protection in many situations compared to standard practices. Finally, while maintaining an appropriate storage temperature is important for some products, it is not directly related to the principles of maintaining sterile technique during package opening.