Final answer:
True, placing a gauze sponge around the tips of sharp instruments during autoclaving is a recommended practice to prevent piercing the wrapping material and ensure sterility.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement is true. When autoclaving, to maintain aseptic conditions and protect the integrity of the sterilization process, it is advisable to place a gauze sponge around the tips of sharp instruments. This practice prevents sharp objects from piercing the wrapping material, which could potentially allow contaminants to enter and compromise the sterility of the instruments.
Proper autoclave quality control measures should also be implemented to ensure that the correct sterilization temperature and pressure are achieved. Using heat-sensitive autoclave tape, biological indicator spore tests, and Diack tubes are methods to verify that an autoclave is effectively sterilizing equipment and materials.