What step should a medical assistant take to prevent contamination of the sterile field during surgical asepsis?

Placing all sterile items in the center of the sterile field is essential for maintaining surgical asepsis. This practice helps ensure that the items are protected from contamination, as the edges of the sterile field are often considered contaminated. By keeping sterile items centralized, it reduces the risk of accidentally touching the edges or other potentially non-sterile areas, thus preserving the sterility of the items.

Other practices, such as using non-sterile gloves or only touching the outer packaging of sterile items, do not effectively uphold the principles of surgical asepsis. Handling tools with non-sterile gloves compromises their sterility, and while touching only the packaging may limit direct contact with the sterile items, it does not address the risk of contamination once the items are unpackaged. Additionally, keeping the sterile field away from patient contact is not feasible in a surgical environment where the field must be accessible, highlighting the importance of proper placement of items within that field to maintain sterility.