What is a key reason for ensuring the sterility of medical instruments?

Ensuring the sterility of medical instruments is primarily about protecting patient safety by preventing infections. When medical instruments are not sterile, they can introduce harmful microorganisms into a patient's body during procedures, which can lead to serious complications, including surgical site infections and other healthcare-associated infections.

Sterile techniques and practices are crucial in healthcare settings to maintain a safe environment, particularly in surgical and invasive procedure contexts, where a breach in sterility can directly impact patient outcomes. The focus on infection prevention underscores the importance of maintaining strict sterilization protocols to safeguard the health of patients.

While other considerations, such as meeting manufacturer requirements or operational efficiency, are relevant in the context of healthcare practices, they do not directly relate to the fundamental reason for sterilizing instruments: protecting patient health and safety.