NCCT CST Practice Exam | questions and answers
| 2026
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Terms in this set (185)
The circulating nurse notices that the B. Remain in gown and gloves and apply pressure.
patient is actively bleeding from one
of the operative sites and the Rationale: The surgical technologist should remain
surgeon has left the room. Which of sterile until the patient is out of the operating room
the following actions should the and in PACU. If the surgical technologist has not
surgical technologist take? broken scrub she can apply pressure until the
A. Break scrub and inform the surgeon is called back into the room. Since the field
surgeon. remains sterile it is not necessary to open a new
B. Remain in gown and gloves and sterile field.
apply pressure.
C. Break scrub and monitor the
sterile field.
D. Open a new sterile field for the
patient.
,The surgical technologist is helping D. Remove the Mayo stand, back table and top
the surgeon complete a glove, hold the dressing in place, roll away the
laparoscopic cholecystectomy and drape and discard.
the surgeon has placed the dressing
on the patient. Which of the following Rationale: The Mayo stand and back table need to
should the surgical technologist do remain sterile until the patient is out of the room.
next? The top gloves need replaced to prohibit any
A. Remove the top glove, hold the debris from getting the dressing dirty. By holding
dressing in place, roll away the drape the dressing on with the clean gloves the drape
and discard. can be removed so any biohazardous materials are
B. Remove Mayo stand, back table contained within the drapes and discarded.
and top glove, hold the dressing in
place, tear the drape off the patient
and discard.
C. Remove top glove, hold dressing
in place, tear the drape off patient
and discard.
D. Remove the Mayo stand, back
table and top glove, hold the
dressing in place, roll away the drape
and discard.
,A tornado warning is in effect and B. Finish the procedure and evacuate the patient.
power has been switched to the
generator due to downed electrical Rationale: Follow hospital's disaster plan for
lines. The hospital's disaster triage tornado preparedness and response. Under Joint
protocol has been activated. A Commissions standard codes, this would be
surgical procedure is in progress. categorized as a Code Brown, which is a weather
Which of the following is the best related emergency. The best option in this instance
course of action to ensure patient is to complete the case, and then transfer the
safety? patient to a safe location for post-operative care.
A. Immediately evacuate the patient
to the preoperative holding area.
B. Finish the procedure and evacuate
the patient.
C. Place wet towels under door and
finish the procedure.
D. Cover the back table until the
storm passes.
Upon opening a sterilized instrument D. Remove the sterilized instrument tray from the
tray, the surgical technologist finds sterile field.
bioburden inside the lumen of a
metal suction. Which of the following Rationale: The surgical technologist should check
actions should the surgical and inspect instruments. If bioburden is found, the
technologist take? whole tray should be discarded and handed off.
A. Isolate the sterilized suction, then (When in doubt throw it out.) The tray should not be
flush the bioburden with sterile water. left on the sterile field at all, or cleaned on the
B. Remove the sterilized suction from sterile field, because it would make the field
the sterile field. contaminated.
C. Isolate the sterilized suction on
the sterile field with a sterile towel.
D. Remove the sterilized instrument
tray from the sterile field.
, While preparing the room for a B. Post warning signs outside the room.
surgical procedure using the laser, D. Do not use alcohol based preps.
which of the following policies E. Wear safety goggles.
ensure the laser is being used
correctly? (Select the three (3) Rationale: Posting warning signs will prevent
correct answers.) surgery doors from opening and causing
A. Have laparotomy sponges unnecessary harm to co-workers outside the room.
available. Not using alcohol based preps will decrease the
B. Post warning signs outside the risk of surgical fires. Safety goggles approved for
room that specific laser will prevent injury to the eye.
C. Place the foot control next to the Laparotomy sponges should be wet if available.
circulator. The doctor should be in control of the foot control
D. Do not use alcohol based preps. pedal to the laser.
E. Wear safety goggles.
During a vaginal hysterectomy the C. The circulator can reach under the sterile drape
surgical team noticed that the safety and apply the safety strap.
belt was left off the patient before
the drape was applied and Rationale: The underside of the drape is not sterile,
discovered after draping. How can therefore, can be touched by the unsterile
the patient be secured to the OR bed circulating nurse, while she secures the patient with
without interrupting the sterile field the safety strap.
or procedure?
A. The surgical technologist can
watch for movement of the patient
and inform the circulator.
B. The anesthesiologist can secure
the head to prevent shifting.
C. The circulator can reach under the
sterile drape and apply the safety
strap.
D. The surgeon can request sterile
coban to secure the patient.
| 2026
Save
Terms in this set (185)
The circulating nurse notices that the B. Remain in gown and gloves and apply pressure.
patient is actively bleeding from one
of the operative sites and the Rationale: The surgical technologist should remain
surgeon has left the room. Which of sterile until the patient is out of the operating room
the following actions should the and in PACU. If the surgical technologist has not
surgical technologist take? broken scrub she can apply pressure until the
A. Break scrub and inform the surgeon is called back into the room. Since the field
surgeon. remains sterile it is not necessary to open a new
B. Remain in gown and gloves and sterile field.
apply pressure.
C. Break scrub and monitor the
sterile field.
D. Open a new sterile field for the
patient.
,The surgical technologist is helping D. Remove the Mayo stand, back table and top
the surgeon complete a glove, hold the dressing in place, roll away the
laparoscopic cholecystectomy and drape and discard.
the surgeon has placed the dressing
on the patient. Which of the following Rationale: The Mayo stand and back table need to
should the surgical technologist do remain sterile until the patient is out of the room.
next? The top gloves need replaced to prohibit any
A. Remove the top glove, hold the debris from getting the dressing dirty. By holding
dressing in place, roll away the drape the dressing on with the clean gloves the drape
and discard. can be removed so any biohazardous materials are
B. Remove Mayo stand, back table contained within the drapes and discarded.
and top glove, hold the dressing in
place, tear the drape off the patient
and discard.
C. Remove top glove, hold dressing
in place, tear the drape off patient
and discard.
D. Remove the Mayo stand, back
table and top glove, hold the
dressing in place, roll away the drape
and discard.
,A tornado warning is in effect and B. Finish the procedure and evacuate the patient.
power has been switched to the
generator due to downed electrical Rationale: Follow hospital's disaster plan for
lines. The hospital's disaster triage tornado preparedness and response. Under Joint
protocol has been activated. A Commissions standard codes, this would be
surgical procedure is in progress. categorized as a Code Brown, which is a weather
Which of the following is the best related emergency. The best option in this instance
course of action to ensure patient is to complete the case, and then transfer the
safety? patient to a safe location for post-operative care.
A. Immediately evacuate the patient
to the preoperative holding area.
B. Finish the procedure and evacuate
the patient.
C. Place wet towels under door and
finish the procedure.
D. Cover the back table until the
storm passes.
Upon opening a sterilized instrument D. Remove the sterilized instrument tray from the
tray, the surgical technologist finds sterile field.
bioburden inside the lumen of a
metal suction. Which of the following Rationale: The surgical technologist should check
actions should the surgical and inspect instruments. If bioburden is found, the
technologist take? whole tray should be discarded and handed off.
A. Isolate the sterilized suction, then (When in doubt throw it out.) The tray should not be
flush the bioburden with sterile water. left on the sterile field at all, or cleaned on the
B. Remove the sterilized suction from sterile field, because it would make the field
the sterile field. contaminated.
C. Isolate the sterilized suction on
the sterile field with a sterile towel.
D. Remove the sterilized instrument
tray from the sterile field.
, While preparing the room for a B. Post warning signs outside the room.
surgical procedure using the laser, D. Do not use alcohol based preps.
which of the following policies E. Wear safety goggles.
ensure the laser is being used
correctly? (Select the three (3) Rationale: Posting warning signs will prevent
correct answers.) surgery doors from opening and causing
A. Have laparotomy sponges unnecessary harm to co-workers outside the room.
available. Not using alcohol based preps will decrease the
B. Post warning signs outside the risk of surgical fires. Safety goggles approved for
room that specific laser will prevent injury to the eye.
C. Place the foot control next to the Laparotomy sponges should be wet if available.
circulator. The doctor should be in control of the foot control
D. Do not use alcohol based preps. pedal to the laser.
E. Wear safety goggles.
During a vaginal hysterectomy the C. The circulator can reach under the sterile drape
surgical team noticed that the safety and apply the safety strap.
belt was left off the patient before
the drape was applied and Rationale: The underside of the drape is not sterile,
discovered after draping. How can therefore, can be touched by the unsterile
the patient be secured to the OR bed circulating nurse, while she secures the patient with
without interrupting the sterile field the safety strap.
or procedure?
A. The surgical technologist can
watch for movement of the patient
and inform the circulator.
B. The anesthesiologist can secure
the head to prevent shifting.
C. The circulator can reach under the
sterile drape and apply the safety
strap.
D. The surgeon can request sterile
coban to secure the patient.
