Nationally Registered Certified Medical Assistant (NRCMA) (NAHP) Practice Exam

When autoclaving instruments, when does the timing period begin?

1. When the instruments are placed inside

2. When the temperature reaches the desired setting

3. When the pressure starts to build

4. Both A and C

The correct answer is: Both A and C

When autoclaving instruments, the timing period begins when both the instruments are placed inside and the pressure starts to build. Option A is incorrect because the timing period does not start when the instruments are placed inside alone, and option B is also incorrect because the timing period begins before the temperature reaches the desired setting since it takes time for the autoclave to reach the desired temperature. Option C is close but not fully correct as it only mentions when the pressure starts to build, but not when the instruments are placed inside. Therefore, option D, which includes both A and C, is the correct answer.