NBSTSA CST Practice Exam Questions
and Answer.
Which of the following is the opening in the occipital bone through which the spinal cord
passes?
A. foramen ovale
B. foramen magnum
C. foramen rotundum
D. foramen of Bochdalek -
\B. foramen magnum
Sterile supplies and instruments for a case have been opened in OR 1. A surgical
technologist was just informed that the case has been moved to OR 2 and the next case
in OR 1 is scheduled in two hours. Which of the following is the BEST course of action?
A. Cover the sterile field with a sterile drape and move it from OR 1 to OR 2.
B. New sterile supplies and instruments should be obtained for OR 2 and the setup in
OR 1 should be disposed of.
C. OR 1 should be left so that these supplies and instruments can be used by the next
case.
D. The surgical technologist should argue that the procedure be held in OR 1 as
planned. -
\B. New sterile supplies and instruments should be obtained for OR 2 and the setup in
OR 1 should be disposed of.
Which of the following is the body's local tissue reaction to injury?
A. fever
B. infection
C. inflammation
D. immune reaction -
\C. inflammation
Which of the following instruments is used for a common bile duct exploration?
A. Fogarty clamp
B. Randall forceps
C. Pennington clamp
D. Forester ring forceps -
\B. Randall forceps
Which of the following is the MOST important consideration when cutting suture?
A. avoiding the knot
B. using sharp scissors
C.opening the scissors wide when cutting
, D. tagging the end of suture to be cut with a hemostat -
\A. avoiding the knot
Which of the following structures are ligated and divided during the cholecystectomy?
A.cystic artery and cystic duct
B.hepatic artery and hepatic duct
C. cystic artery and common bile duct
D. hepatic artery and pancreatic duct -
\A.cystic artery and cystic duct
Which of the following may be used when applying a sterile dressing to a skin graft site?
A. pressure dressing
B. ABD pad
C. 4x4s
D. Steri-Strips -
\A. pressure dressing
When performing a dilation and curettage, which of the following instruments is used to
grasp the cervix?
A. Sims
B. Auvard
C. Schroeder
D. Bozeman -
\C. Schroeder
On the way into the operating room, a terminally ill patient tells the nurse, "No matter
what happens, it will be okay." Which of the Five Stages of Grief is the patient MOST
likely in?
A. denial
B. bargaining
C. depression
D. acceptance -
\D. acceptance
Which of the following instruments is used for placement of cottonoid strips during a
craniotomy?
A. bayonet forceps
B. Russian forceps
C. Kelly clamp
D. angled DeBakey clamp -
\A. bayonet forceps
When two individuals in sterile attire pass one another in the sterile field, they should
, A. pass back-to-back.
B. both face the wall.
C. pass side-to-side.
D. both face the sterile field. -
\A. pass back-to-back.
Which of the following is used to oxygenate and circulate blood?
A. Doppler ultrasound
B. defibrillator
C. extracorporeal bypass
D. autotransfuser -
\C. extracorporeal bypass
The PRIMARY consideration in selecting an appropriate anesthetic agent is the
A. physiologic condition of the patient.
B. length of the procedure.
C. type of the procedure.
D. anxiety level of the patient. -
\A. physiologic condition of the patient.
If two basins are wrapped together for sterilizing, they should be packaged with one
basin
A.stacked inside the other and separated by impervious material.
B.on its side and the other upside down.
C.stacked inside the other and wrapped in a towel.
D.stacked inside the other and separated by a towel. -
\D.stacked inside the other and separated by a towel.
Which of the following items may be used in positioning a patient for a total hip
arthroplasty?
A. fracture table
B. Wilson frame
C. Andrews frame
D. bean bag -
\D. bean bag
A surgical technologist sees a neighbor being admitted. How should the surgical
technologist respond?
A.Acknowledge the neighbor.
B.Reassure the neighbor that everything will be fine.
C.Do not acknowledge the neighbor unless greeted first.
D.Ignore the neighbor, even if greeted. -
\C. Do not acknowledge the neighbor unless greeted first
Instruments that come in contact with the appendiceal stump during an appendectomy
should be
, A.placed in a separate basin.
B.wiped with a saline sponge.
C.returned to the Mayo stand.
D. wiped with an alcohol sponge. -
\A.placed in a separate basin.
Which of the following is the MOST serious complication of a strangulated hernia?
A. shock
B. necrosis
C. infection
D. hemorrhage -
\B. necrosis
Which of the following techniques is NOT acceptable for draping the patient?
A.Hold the drapes high until directly over the patient.
B.Protect the gloved hands by cuffing the drapes.
C.Readjust the drapes as necessary after placement.
D.Place the drapes on a dry area. -
\C.Readjust the drapes as necessary after placement.
Which of the following structures is separated first when a paramedian incision is
performed?
A. peritoneum
B. transverse abdominis
C. external oblique
D. rectus abdominis -
\D. rectus abdominis
Which of the following is MOST likely to be used to stabilize a cervical fracture?
A. Kirschner wire
B. Hoffman device
C. Steinmann pins
D. Mayfield clamp -
\D. Mayfield clamp
During a transurethral resection of the prostate, bleeding is controlled by
A. Gelfoam.
B. irrigation.
C. cauterization.
D. suture ligature. -
\C. cauterization.
To prevent contamination at the end of a surgical procedure, which of the following
should be removed LAST by the surgical technologist in the scrub role?
A. patient's drapes
and Answer.
Which of the following is the opening in the occipital bone through which the spinal cord
passes?
A. foramen ovale
B. foramen magnum
C. foramen rotundum
D. foramen of Bochdalek -
\B. foramen magnum
Sterile supplies and instruments for a case have been opened in OR 1. A surgical
technologist was just informed that the case has been moved to OR 2 and the next case
in OR 1 is scheduled in two hours. Which of the following is the BEST course of action?
A. Cover the sterile field with a sterile drape and move it from OR 1 to OR 2.
B. New sterile supplies and instruments should be obtained for OR 2 and the setup in
OR 1 should be disposed of.
C. OR 1 should be left so that these supplies and instruments can be used by the next
case.
D. The surgical technologist should argue that the procedure be held in OR 1 as
planned. -
\B. New sterile supplies and instruments should be obtained for OR 2 and the setup in
OR 1 should be disposed of.
Which of the following is the body's local tissue reaction to injury?
A. fever
B. infection
C. inflammation
D. immune reaction -
\C. inflammation
Which of the following instruments is used for a common bile duct exploration?
A. Fogarty clamp
B. Randall forceps
C. Pennington clamp
D. Forester ring forceps -
\B. Randall forceps
Which of the following is the MOST important consideration when cutting suture?
A. avoiding the knot
B. using sharp scissors
C.opening the scissors wide when cutting
, D. tagging the end of suture to be cut with a hemostat -
\A. avoiding the knot
Which of the following structures are ligated and divided during the cholecystectomy?
A.cystic artery and cystic duct
B.hepatic artery and hepatic duct
C. cystic artery and common bile duct
D. hepatic artery and pancreatic duct -
\A.cystic artery and cystic duct
Which of the following may be used when applying a sterile dressing to a skin graft site?
A. pressure dressing
B. ABD pad
C. 4x4s
D. Steri-Strips -
\A. pressure dressing
When performing a dilation and curettage, which of the following instruments is used to
grasp the cervix?
A. Sims
B. Auvard
C. Schroeder
D. Bozeman -
\C. Schroeder
On the way into the operating room, a terminally ill patient tells the nurse, "No matter
what happens, it will be okay." Which of the Five Stages of Grief is the patient MOST
likely in?
A. denial
B. bargaining
C. depression
D. acceptance -
\D. acceptance
Which of the following instruments is used for placement of cottonoid strips during a
craniotomy?
A. bayonet forceps
B. Russian forceps
C. Kelly clamp
D. angled DeBakey clamp -
\A. bayonet forceps
When two individuals in sterile attire pass one another in the sterile field, they should
, A. pass back-to-back.
B. both face the wall.
C. pass side-to-side.
D. both face the sterile field. -
\A. pass back-to-back.
Which of the following is used to oxygenate and circulate blood?
A. Doppler ultrasound
B. defibrillator
C. extracorporeal bypass
D. autotransfuser -
\C. extracorporeal bypass
The PRIMARY consideration in selecting an appropriate anesthetic agent is the
A. physiologic condition of the patient.
B. length of the procedure.
C. type of the procedure.
D. anxiety level of the patient. -
\A. physiologic condition of the patient.
If two basins are wrapped together for sterilizing, they should be packaged with one
basin
A.stacked inside the other and separated by impervious material.
B.on its side and the other upside down.
C.stacked inside the other and wrapped in a towel.
D.stacked inside the other and separated by a towel. -
\D.stacked inside the other and separated by a towel.
Which of the following items may be used in positioning a patient for a total hip
arthroplasty?
A. fracture table
B. Wilson frame
C. Andrews frame
D. bean bag -
\D. bean bag
A surgical technologist sees a neighbor being admitted. How should the surgical
technologist respond?
A.Acknowledge the neighbor.
B.Reassure the neighbor that everything will be fine.
C.Do not acknowledge the neighbor unless greeted first.
D.Ignore the neighbor, even if greeted. -
\C. Do not acknowledge the neighbor unless greeted first
Instruments that come in contact with the appendiceal stump during an appendectomy
should be
, A.placed in a separate basin.
B.wiped with a saline sponge.
C.returned to the Mayo stand.
D. wiped with an alcohol sponge. -
\A.placed in a separate basin.
Which of the following is the MOST serious complication of a strangulated hernia?
A. shock
B. necrosis
C. infection
D. hemorrhage -
\B. necrosis
Which of the following techniques is NOT acceptable for draping the patient?
A.Hold the drapes high until directly over the patient.
B.Protect the gloved hands by cuffing the drapes.
C.Readjust the drapes as necessary after placement.
D.Place the drapes on a dry area. -
\C.Readjust the drapes as necessary after placement.
Which of the following structures is separated first when a paramedian incision is
performed?
A. peritoneum
B. transverse abdominis
C. external oblique
D. rectus abdominis -
\D. rectus abdominis
Which of the following is MOST likely to be used to stabilize a cervical fracture?
A. Kirschner wire
B. Hoffman device
C. Steinmann pins
D. Mayfield clamp -
\D. Mayfield clamp
During a transurethral resection of the prostate, bleeding is controlled by
A. Gelfoam.
B. irrigation.
C. cauterization.
D. suture ligature. -
\C. cauterization.
To prevent contamination at the end of a surgical procedure, which of the following
should be removed LAST by the surgical technologist in the scrub role?
A. patient's drapes
