NBSTSA CST PRACTICE EXAM II QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
When assisting with the closure of a skin incision and operating the skin stapler,
the surgical tech places the staples through which 2 layers?
a. cuticular and subcuticular
b. subicular and subcutaneous
c. subcuticular and subcutaneous
d. subcutaneous and fascia - ANSWER-a. cuticular and subcuticular
The surgical incision that allows for the BEST visualization for a Billroth I
procedure?
a. McBurney's
b. Pfannenstiel
c. midline
d. subcostal - ANSWER-c. midline
During the postop phase, the personnel primarily responsible for transporting
soiled instrumentation to decontamination is the:
a. housekeeping staff
b. anesthesia tech
c. surgical tech
d. central processing tech - ANSWER-c. surgical tech
,CSF is formed in the lateral ventricles of a pt and may not properly flow into the
third ventricle through a foramen of:
a. Magendie into the fourth ventricle
b. Monro into the fourth ventricle
c. Sylvius into the fourth ventricle
d. Luschka into the fourth ventricle - ANSWER-c. Sylvius into the fourth ventricle
During an excisional biopsy of sentinel nodes, the surgical tech should prepare
specimens using which of the following methods?
a. place on a Raytec to be handed off to the circulator
b. separate on Telfa and pass to the circulator
c. place in separate containers and identify
d. place in specimen container held by the circulator using a hemostat -
ANSWER-c. place in separate containers and identify
A surgical tech received the following medications onto the sterile field: 0.9%
sodium chloride, bacitracin 1 gm, and 0.25% Marcaine with epinephrine. Which
of the following in the MOST appropriate way to label these medications?
a. saline + bacitracin and .25 Marcaine + epinephrine
b. NACL + 1 gm baci and 0.25 marc w/epi
c. saline + baci and 0.25% marc with epi
d. 0.9% saline + 1 gm bacitracin and 0.25% Marcaine with epinephrine -
ANSWER-d. 0.9% saline + 1 gm bacitracin and 0.25% Marcaine with epinephrine
,A thyroidectomy that was done earlier in the day is being brought back for
excessive bleeding from the incision. Which of the following items are needed
for this case?
a. Monocryle suture and harmonic scalpel
b. laps, silk ties, and hemoclips
c. Vicryl ties, pledgets, and Alexis
d. nylon sutures, Raytec, and Geralds - ANSWER-b. laps, silk ties, and hemoclips
If there is any question related to handling a specific type of specimen, which of
the following departments should be consulted?
a. histology
b. laboratory
c. pathology
d. radiology - ANSWER-c. pathology
The required number of air exchanges per hr in an OR is:
a. 5 to 10
b. 15 to 25
c. 30 to 35
d. 40 to 50 - ANSWER-b. 15 to 25
A special-made instrument without a backup falls to the floor during a
procedure. Which of the following is the BEST reason to hesitate performing
immediate-use sterilization?
a. the sterilizer is used for implantable devices, but not instrument
, b. the manufacturer's standards for sterilizing the instrument are unknown.
c. the staff feels uncomfortable transporting the unwrapped instrument to the
OR after sterilization
d. there are no wrappers or pouches available for sterilizing the instrument. -
ANSWER-b. the manufacturer's standards for sterilizing the instrument are
unknown
When transferring a thoracotomy pt to recovery, the chest drainage system
should be:
a. disconnected
b. placed at the pt's side
c. positioned above the pt's head
d. maintained below the pt's chest level - ANSWER-d. maintained below the pt's
chest level
Which of the following procedures requires an incision in the suprasternal
notch?
a. mediastinoscopy
b. bronchoscopy
c. parotidectomy
d. pericardectomy - ANSWER-a. mediastinoscopy
When preparing surgical specimens, in addition to the surgical tech, who else is
responsible for accurately labeling the specimen?
a. surgeon and anesthesiologist
SOLUTIONS
When assisting with the closure of a skin incision and operating the skin stapler,
the surgical tech places the staples through which 2 layers?
a. cuticular and subcuticular
b. subicular and subcutaneous
c. subcuticular and subcutaneous
d. subcutaneous and fascia - ANSWER-a. cuticular and subcuticular
The surgical incision that allows for the BEST visualization for a Billroth I
procedure?
a. McBurney's
b. Pfannenstiel
c. midline
d. subcostal - ANSWER-c. midline
During the postop phase, the personnel primarily responsible for transporting
soiled instrumentation to decontamination is the:
a. housekeeping staff
b. anesthesia tech
c. surgical tech
d. central processing tech - ANSWER-c. surgical tech
,CSF is formed in the lateral ventricles of a pt and may not properly flow into the
third ventricle through a foramen of:
a. Magendie into the fourth ventricle
b. Monro into the fourth ventricle
c. Sylvius into the fourth ventricle
d. Luschka into the fourth ventricle - ANSWER-c. Sylvius into the fourth ventricle
During an excisional biopsy of sentinel nodes, the surgical tech should prepare
specimens using which of the following methods?
a. place on a Raytec to be handed off to the circulator
b. separate on Telfa and pass to the circulator
c. place in separate containers and identify
d. place in specimen container held by the circulator using a hemostat -
ANSWER-c. place in separate containers and identify
A surgical tech received the following medications onto the sterile field: 0.9%
sodium chloride, bacitracin 1 gm, and 0.25% Marcaine with epinephrine. Which
of the following in the MOST appropriate way to label these medications?
a. saline + bacitracin and .25 Marcaine + epinephrine
b. NACL + 1 gm baci and 0.25 marc w/epi
c. saline + baci and 0.25% marc with epi
d. 0.9% saline + 1 gm bacitracin and 0.25% Marcaine with epinephrine -
ANSWER-d. 0.9% saline + 1 gm bacitracin and 0.25% Marcaine with epinephrine
,A thyroidectomy that was done earlier in the day is being brought back for
excessive bleeding from the incision. Which of the following items are needed
for this case?
a. Monocryle suture and harmonic scalpel
b. laps, silk ties, and hemoclips
c. Vicryl ties, pledgets, and Alexis
d. nylon sutures, Raytec, and Geralds - ANSWER-b. laps, silk ties, and hemoclips
If there is any question related to handling a specific type of specimen, which of
the following departments should be consulted?
a. histology
b. laboratory
c. pathology
d. radiology - ANSWER-c. pathology
The required number of air exchanges per hr in an OR is:
a. 5 to 10
b. 15 to 25
c. 30 to 35
d. 40 to 50 - ANSWER-b. 15 to 25
A special-made instrument without a backup falls to the floor during a
procedure. Which of the following is the BEST reason to hesitate performing
immediate-use sterilization?
a. the sterilizer is used for implantable devices, but not instrument
, b. the manufacturer's standards for sterilizing the instrument are unknown.
c. the staff feels uncomfortable transporting the unwrapped instrument to the
OR after sterilization
d. there are no wrappers or pouches available for sterilizing the instrument. -
ANSWER-b. the manufacturer's standards for sterilizing the instrument are
unknown
When transferring a thoracotomy pt to recovery, the chest drainage system
should be:
a. disconnected
b. placed at the pt's side
c. positioned above the pt's head
d. maintained below the pt's chest level - ANSWER-d. maintained below the pt's
chest level
Which of the following procedures requires an incision in the suprasternal
notch?
a. mediastinoscopy
b. bronchoscopy
c. parotidectomy
d. pericardectomy - ANSWER-a. mediastinoscopy
When preparing surgical specimens, in addition to the surgical tech, who else is
responsible for accurately labeling the specimen?
a. surgeon and anesthesiologist
