NBSTSA PRACTICE QUESTIONS 2026 ACTUAL QUESTIONS
AND REVISED ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE
Which emergency situation is most likely to occur in a large city and typically does
not require Federal assistance?
a. Pandemic
b. Natural disaster
c. Mass casualty event
d. Terrorism - ANS... -c. Mass casualty event
The redness associated with inflammation is primarily due to:
a. Vasoconstriction
b. Vasodilation
c. Coagulation
d. Phagocytosis - ANS... -b. Vasodilation
Before performing a cesarean section, what structure must be identified and
protected?
a. Uterine artery
b. Fallopian tube
c. Ovarian ligament
d. Round ligament - ANS... -a. Uterine artery
Which medical suffix refers to a condition related to speech?
a. -logia
b. -phasia
c. -graphy
d. -lalia - ANS... -b. -phasia
What is an important consideration in breast reconstruction immediately after a
mastectomy?
,a. Immediate reconstruction should be avoided
b. Separate surgical setups may be needed
c. The use of hypertonic solutions for irrigation
d. Immediate lymph node transplantation - ANS... -b. Separate surgical setups may
be needed
Where can one find comprehensive information about chemicals used in the
operating room?
a. In the operating room protocol manual
b. On the hospital's internal website
c. In the material safety data sheets (MSDS)
d. In the surgical equipment catalog - ANS... -c. In the material safety data sheets
(MSDS)
Heaney clamps are most commonly utilized in which type of surgery?
a. Gastrectomy
b. Hysterectomy
c. Cystectomy
d. Appendectomy - ANS... -b. Hysterectomy
What is an important consideration when preparing instruments for sterilization?
a. Keeping ratcheted instruments in a closed position
b. Packing instruments tightly in the tray
c. Ensuring clamps and forceps tips meet correctly
d. Assembling all retractors before sterilization - ANS... -c. Ensuring clamps and
forceps tips meet correctly
Which stage of grief involves the person feeling numb and denying the reality of
the loss?
a. Denial
b. Anger
c. Bargaining
d. Depression - ANS... -a. Denial
How long should instruments be allowed to dry following a gravity displacement
steam sterilization cycle?
,a. 10-15 minutes
b. 20-25 minutes
c. 5-10 minutes
d. 30-35 minutes - ANS... -b. 20-25 minutes
What is the purpose of initial counts in the operating room?
a. To ensure all instruments are sterilized
b. To verify the presence and quantity of surgical items
c. To prepare for emergency situations
d. To assist in the layout of the surgical table - ANS... -b. To verify the presence
and quantity of surgical items
What is the correct procedure for introducing a sterile item into a sterile field using
a transfer forceps?
a. Holding the item above the sterile field
b. Allowing the edges of the packages to fall onto the sterile field
c. Transferring the item directly onto the surgeons hand
d. Keeping the item within the boundaries of the sterile field while transferring -
ANS... -d. Keeping the item within the boundaries of the sterile field while
transferring
During a laminectomy, which structure should be carefully preserved and is
considered the primary concern?
a. Vertebral artery
b. Spinal cord
c. Epidural fat
d. Epidural veins - ANS... -b. Spinal cord
What is the procedure for organ donation from a patient who has suffered
irreversible brain injury but whose heart is still beating?
a. Organ donation after brain death
b. Elective organ donation
c. Organ donation after circulatory death
d. Therapeutic organ recovery - ANS... -a. Organ donation after brain death
, What function does the detrusor muscle serve in the urinary bladder?
a. Aids in urine retention
b. Initiates the micturition reflex
c. Supports the bladder neck
d. Contracts to expel urine - ANS... -d. Contracts to expel urine
In a cystoscopy with transurethral resection of a bladder tumor, what is an essential
preparatory step?
a. Utilizing isotonic solutions like saline during the procedure
b. Ensuring the patient does not urinate prior to the procedure
c. Placing the patient in high lithotomy position
d. Properly padding the patient's knees and legs - ANS... -d. Properly padding the
patient's knees and legs
What is the principle behind event-related sterility in surgical instruments?
a. Sterility is maintained until the package is opened
b. Expiry dates determine sterility
c. Sterility depends on the storage conditions
d. Regular checks are required to maintain sterility - ANS... -a. Sterility is
maintained until the package is opened
How many sponge counts are typically performed during a Cesarean section?
a. Two: before incision and before closing the uterus
b. Four: before incision, after removing the baby, before closing the uterus, and
before closing the skin
c. Three: before incision, before closing the uterus, and before closing the skin
d. Five: before incision, after opening the uterus, after removing the baby, before
closing the uterus, and before closing the skin - ANS... -b. Four: before incision,
after removing the baby, before closing the uterus, and before closing the skin
Which method is considered part of thermal hemostasis techniques?
AND REVISED ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE
Which emergency situation is most likely to occur in a large city and typically does
not require Federal assistance?
a. Pandemic
b. Natural disaster
c. Mass casualty event
d. Terrorism - ANS... -c. Mass casualty event
The redness associated with inflammation is primarily due to:
a. Vasoconstriction
b. Vasodilation
c. Coagulation
d. Phagocytosis - ANS... -b. Vasodilation
Before performing a cesarean section, what structure must be identified and
protected?
a. Uterine artery
b. Fallopian tube
c. Ovarian ligament
d. Round ligament - ANS... -a. Uterine artery
Which medical suffix refers to a condition related to speech?
a. -logia
b. -phasia
c. -graphy
d. -lalia - ANS... -b. -phasia
What is an important consideration in breast reconstruction immediately after a
mastectomy?
,a. Immediate reconstruction should be avoided
b. Separate surgical setups may be needed
c. The use of hypertonic solutions for irrigation
d. Immediate lymph node transplantation - ANS... -b. Separate surgical setups may
be needed
Where can one find comprehensive information about chemicals used in the
operating room?
a. In the operating room protocol manual
b. On the hospital's internal website
c. In the material safety data sheets (MSDS)
d. In the surgical equipment catalog - ANS... -c. In the material safety data sheets
(MSDS)
Heaney clamps are most commonly utilized in which type of surgery?
a. Gastrectomy
b. Hysterectomy
c. Cystectomy
d. Appendectomy - ANS... -b. Hysterectomy
What is an important consideration when preparing instruments for sterilization?
a. Keeping ratcheted instruments in a closed position
b. Packing instruments tightly in the tray
c. Ensuring clamps and forceps tips meet correctly
d. Assembling all retractors before sterilization - ANS... -c. Ensuring clamps and
forceps tips meet correctly
Which stage of grief involves the person feeling numb and denying the reality of
the loss?
a. Denial
b. Anger
c. Bargaining
d. Depression - ANS... -a. Denial
How long should instruments be allowed to dry following a gravity displacement
steam sterilization cycle?
,a. 10-15 minutes
b. 20-25 minutes
c. 5-10 minutes
d. 30-35 minutes - ANS... -b. 20-25 minutes
What is the purpose of initial counts in the operating room?
a. To ensure all instruments are sterilized
b. To verify the presence and quantity of surgical items
c. To prepare for emergency situations
d. To assist in the layout of the surgical table - ANS... -b. To verify the presence
and quantity of surgical items
What is the correct procedure for introducing a sterile item into a sterile field using
a transfer forceps?
a. Holding the item above the sterile field
b. Allowing the edges of the packages to fall onto the sterile field
c. Transferring the item directly onto the surgeons hand
d. Keeping the item within the boundaries of the sterile field while transferring -
ANS... -d. Keeping the item within the boundaries of the sterile field while
transferring
During a laminectomy, which structure should be carefully preserved and is
considered the primary concern?
a. Vertebral artery
b. Spinal cord
c. Epidural fat
d. Epidural veins - ANS... -b. Spinal cord
What is the procedure for organ donation from a patient who has suffered
irreversible brain injury but whose heart is still beating?
a. Organ donation after brain death
b. Elective organ donation
c. Organ donation after circulatory death
d. Therapeutic organ recovery - ANS... -a. Organ donation after brain death
, What function does the detrusor muscle serve in the urinary bladder?
a. Aids in urine retention
b. Initiates the micturition reflex
c. Supports the bladder neck
d. Contracts to expel urine - ANS... -d. Contracts to expel urine
In a cystoscopy with transurethral resection of a bladder tumor, what is an essential
preparatory step?
a. Utilizing isotonic solutions like saline during the procedure
b. Ensuring the patient does not urinate prior to the procedure
c. Placing the patient in high lithotomy position
d. Properly padding the patient's knees and legs - ANS... -d. Properly padding the
patient's knees and legs
What is the principle behind event-related sterility in surgical instruments?
a. Sterility is maintained until the package is opened
b. Expiry dates determine sterility
c. Sterility depends on the storage conditions
d. Regular checks are required to maintain sterility - ANS... -a. Sterility is
maintained until the package is opened
How many sponge counts are typically performed during a Cesarean section?
a. Two: before incision and before closing the uterus
b. Four: before incision, after removing the baby, before closing the uterus, and
before closing the skin
c. Three: before incision, before closing the uterus, and before closing the skin
d. Five: before incision, after opening the uterus, after removing the baby, before
closing the uterus, and before closing the skin - ANS... -b. Four: before incision,
after removing the baby, before closing the uterus, and before closing the skin
Which method is considered part of thermal hemostasis techniques?
