Surgical Technologist Boards Study:
CST Practice Boards Exam Form A & B
2023.
Which of the following is considered the most important skill for a surgical technologist?
- Management of specimen
- Management is sponges
- Maintaining an orderly set up
- Ensuring adequate lighting - answers Management of specimen
The surgical incision that allows for the BEST visualization for a Billroth I procedure is
- McBurney's
- Pfannenstiel
- Midline
- Subcostal - answers Midline
During the postoperative phase, the personnel primarily responsible for transporting
soiled instrumentation to decontamination is the
- Housekeeping staff
- Anesthesia technician
- Surgical Technologist
- Central sterile processing - answers Surgical technologist
CSF is formed in the lateral ventricles of a patient and may not properly flow into the
third ventricle through the foramen of
- Magendie into the fourth ventricle.
- Monro into the fourth ventricle.
- Sylvius into the fourth ventricle.
- Luschka into the fourth ventricle. - answers Sylvius into the fourth ventricle.
During an excisional biopsy of sentinel nodes, the surgical technologist should prepare
specimens using which of the following methods?
- Place on a Raytec to be handed off to the circulator.
- Separate on Telfa and pass to the circulator.
- Place in separate containers and identify.
- Place in specimen container held by the circulator using a hemostat. - answers Place
in separate containers and identify.
A surgical technologist 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 is the MOST appropriate way to label these medications?
- saline + bacitracin and .25 Marcaine + epinephrine
- NACL + 1 gm baci and 0.25 marc w/epi
- saline + baci and 0.25% marc with epi
- 0.9% saline + 1 gm bacitracin and 0.25% Marcaine with epinephrine - answers 0.9%
saline + 1 gm bacitracin and 0.25% Marcaine with epinephrine
,Surgical Technologist Boards Study:
CST Practice Boards Exam Form A & B
2023.
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?
- Monocryl suture and harmonic scalpel
- laps, silk ties, and hemoclips
- Vicryl ties, pledgets, and Alexis
- nylon suture, Raytec, and Geralds - answers 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?
- histology
- laboratory
- pathology
- radiology - answers pathology
The required number of air exchanges per hour in an OR is
- 5 to 10.
- 15 to 25.
- 30 to 35
- 40 to 50. - answers 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?
- The sterilizer is used for implantable devices, but not instruments.
- The manufacturer's standards for sterilizing the instrument are unknown.
- The staff feels uncomfortable transporting the unwrapped instrument to the OR after
sterilization.
- There are no wrappers or pouches available for sterilizing the instrument. - answers
The manufacturer's standards for sterilizing the instrument are unknown.
When transferring a thoracotomy patient to recovery, the chest drainage system should
be
- disconnected.
- placed at the patient's side.
- positioned above the patient's head.
- maintained below the patient's chest level. - answers maintained below the patient's
chest level.
Which of the following procedures requires an incision in the suprasternal notch?
- mediastinoscopy
- bronchoscopy
- parotidectomy
,Surgical Technologist Boards Study:
CST Practice Boards Exam Form A & B
2023.
- pericardectomy - answers mediastinoscopy
When preparing surgical specimens, in addition to the surgical technologist, who else is
responsible for accurately labeling the specimen?
- surgeon and anesthesiologist
- circulating nurse and first assistant
- anesthesiologist and first assistant
- surgeon and circulating nurse - answers surgeon and circulating nurse
A T-tube drain may be used following
- a splenectomy.
- a choledochotomy.
- an appendectomy.
- a herniorrhaphy. - answers a choledochotomy
When assisting with the closure of a skin incision and operating the skin stapler, the
surgical technologist places the staples through which two layers?
- cuticular and subcuticular
- subicular and subcutaneous
- subcuticular and subcutaneous
- subcutaneous and fascia - answers cuticular and subcuticular
A type of regional anesthesia in which a tourniquet is applied and local anesthetic is
administered intravenously is called a
- Bier block.
- peripheral nerve block.
- MAC.
- caudal anesthesia. - answers Bier block.
During a craniotomy, which of the following types of bone is entered?
- flat
- round
- long
- short - answers flat
A physician prescribed 50 milligrams of Demerol. The Demerol is supplied in 100
mg/mL. How many mL of Demerol should be given?
- 0.5 mL
- 1.0 mL
- 1.5 mL
- 2.0 mL - answers 0.5 mL
, Surgical Technologist Boards Study:
CST Practice Boards Exam Form A & B
2023.
Which of the following is MOST likely to be used during a posterior cervical
decompression?
- Kirschner wire
- Hoffman device
- Steinmann pins
- Mayfield clamp - answers Mayfield clamp
Which of the following is the MOST acceptable technique when placing a patient in the
lithotomy position?
- arms placed on arm boards placed at 110 degrees
- legs placed in stirrups one at a time
- both legs placed in stirrups simultaneously
- hips placed above the lower break of the table - answers both legs placed in stirrups
simultaneously
Which of the following supplies should the surgical technologist have available for
placement of a long arm cast?
- Xeroform
- Webril
- Telfa
- Kerlix - answers Webril
How much 0.25% bupivacaine should be mixed with 1 mL of 1.0% lidocaine to make the
solution equal strengths of both medications?
- 2.0 mL
- 4.0 mL
- 5.0 mL
- 10.0 mL - answers 4.0 mL
The appendiceal stump, when inverted, is held in place by which of the following types
of sutures?
- mattress
- traction
- interrupted
- purse-string - answers purse-string
A surgeon asks for warm irrigation after a right hemicolectomy. Which of the following
BEST describes the reason for irrigating at this point in the procedure?
- to clean out the area of any loose tissue
- to maintain the core body temperature
- to eliminate any infection-causing microbes
- to aid visual inspection for leakage - answers to aid visual inspection for leakage
CST Practice Boards Exam Form A & B
2023.
Which of the following is considered the most important skill for a surgical technologist?
- Management of specimen
- Management is sponges
- Maintaining an orderly set up
- Ensuring adequate lighting - answers Management of specimen
The surgical incision that allows for the BEST visualization for a Billroth I procedure is
- McBurney's
- Pfannenstiel
- Midline
- Subcostal - answers Midline
During the postoperative phase, the personnel primarily responsible for transporting
soiled instrumentation to decontamination is the
- Housekeeping staff
- Anesthesia technician
- Surgical Technologist
- Central sterile processing - answers Surgical technologist
CSF is formed in the lateral ventricles of a patient and may not properly flow into the
third ventricle through the foramen of
- Magendie into the fourth ventricle.
- Monro into the fourth ventricle.
- Sylvius into the fourth ventricle.
- Luschka into the fourth ventricle. - answers Sylvius into the fourth ventricle.
During an excisional biopsy of sentinel nodes, the surgical technologist should prepare
specimens using which of the following methods?
- Place on a Raytec to be handed off to the circulator.
- Separate on Telfa and pass to the circulator.
- Place in separate containers and identify.
- Place in specimen container held by the circulator using a hemostat. - answers Place
in separate containers and identify.
A surgical technologist 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 is the MOST appropriate way to label these medications?
- saline + bacitracin and .25 Marcaine + epinephrine
- NACL + 1 gm baci and 0.25 marc w/epi
- saline + baci and 0.25% marc with epi
- 0.9% saline + 1 gm bacitracin and 0.25% Marcaine with epinephrine - answers 0.9%
saline + 1 gm bacitracin and 0.25% Marcaine with epinephrine
,Surgical Technologist Boards Study:
CST Practice Boards Exam Form A & B
2023.
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?
- Monocryl suture and harmonic scalpel
- laps, silk ties, and hemoclips
- Vicryl ties, pledgets, and Alexis
- nylon suture, Raytec, and Geralds - answers 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?
- histology
- laboratory
- pathology
- radiology - answers pathology
The required number of air exchanges per hour in an OR is
- 5 to 10.
- 15 to 25.
- 30 to 35
- 40 to 50. - answers 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?
- The sterilizer is used for implantable devices, but not instruments.
- The manufacturer's standards for sterilizing the instrument are unknown.
- The staff feels uncomfortable transporting the unwrapped instrument to the OR after
sterilization.
- There are no wrappers or pouches available for sterilizing the instrument. - answers
The manufacturer's standards for sterilizing the instrument are unknown.
When transferring a thoracotomy patient to recovery, the chest drainage system should
be
- disconnected.
- placed at the patient's side.
- positioned above the patient's head.
- maintained below the patient's chest level. - answers maintained below the patient's
chest level.
Which of the following procedures requires an incision in the suprasternal notch?
- mediastinoscopy
- bronchoscopy
- parotidectomy
,Surgical Technologist Boards Study:
CST Practice Boards Exam Form A & B
2023.
- pericardectomy - answers mediastinoscopy
When preparing surgical specimens, in addition to the surgical technologist, who else is
responsible for accurately labeling the specimen?
- surgeon and anesthesiologist
- circulating nurse and first assistant
- anesthesiologist and first assistant
- surgeon and circulating nurse - answers surgeon and circulating nurse
A T-tube drain may be used following
- a splenectomy.
- a choledochotomy.
- an appendectomy.
- a herniorrhaphy. - answers a choledochotomy
When assisting with the closure of a skin incision and operating the skin stapler, the
surgical technologist places the staples through which two layers?
- cuticular and subcuticular
- subicular and subcutaneous
- subcuticular and subcutaneous
- subcutaneous and fascia - answers cuticular and subcuticular
A type of regional anesthesia in which a tourniquet is applied and local anesthetic is
administered intravenously is called a
- Bier block.
- peripheral nerve block.
- MAC.
- caudal anesthesia. - answers Bier block.
During a craniotomy, which of the following types of bone is entered?
- flat
- round
- long
- short - answers flat
A physician prescribed 50 milligrams of Demerol. The Demerol is supplied in 100
mg/mL. How many mL of Demerol should be given?
- 0.5 mL
- 1.0 mL
- 1.5 mL
- 2.0 mL - answers 0.5 mL
, Surgical Technologist Boards Study:
CST Practice Boards Exam Form A & B
2023.
Which of the following is MOST likely to be used during a posterior cervical
decompression?
- Kirschner wire
- Hoffman device
- Steinmann pins
- Mayfield clamp - answers Mayfield clamp
Which of the following is the MOST acceptable technique when placing a patient in the
lithotomy position?
- arms placed on arm boards placed at 110 degrees
- legs placed in stirrups one at a time
- both legs placed in stirrups simultaneously
- hips placed above the lower break of the table - answers both legs placed in stirrups
simultaneously
Which of the following supplies should the surgical technologist have available for
placement of a long arm cast?
- Xeroform
- Webril
- Telfa
- Kerlix - answers Webril
How much 0.25% bupivacaine should be mixed with 1 mL of 1.0% lidocaine to make the
solution equal strengths of both medications?
- 2.0 mL
- 4.0 mL
- 5.0 mL
- 10.0 mL - answers 4.0 mL
The appendiceal stump, when inverted, is held in place by which of the following types
of sutures?
- mattress
- traction
- interrupted
- purse-string - answers purse-string
A surgeon asks for warm irrigation after a right hemicolectomy. Which of the following
BEST describes the reason for irrigating at this point in the procedure?
- to clean out the area of any loose tissue
- to maintain the core body temperature
- to eliminate any infection-causing microbes
- to aid visual inspection for leakage - answers to aid visual inspection for leakage
