NBSTSA Certification
Which of the following structures is located in the alveolar processes?
A. Teeth
B. Villi
C. Sinuses
D. Tonsils - *answers *A. Teeth
•The teeth are located in the socket's of the alveolar processes of the mandible and
maxillae.
Which of the following is the wound classification for a bronchoscopy?
A. Clean
B. Contaminated
C. Dirty & Infected
D. Clean-Contaminated - *answers *D. Clean-Contaminated
•Clean-Contaminated procedures include those when the aero-digestive tract is
entered. The bronchoscope is inserted through the mouth and into the bronchial tubes.
The procedure is considered clean, not sterile.
The enzyme used to soften the zonules of the lens before cataract surgery is:
A. Atropine sulfate
B. Alpha-Chymotrypsin
C. Acetylcholine chloride
D. Pilocarpine hydrochloride - *answers *B. Alpha-Chymotrypsin
•Alpha-Chymotrypsin is a solution used to soften the zonules holding the lens before
cataract surgery to ease extraction of the lens.
How should the structure be oriented when necessary to use an elevator to transport a
patient to the OR?
A. Place stretcher sideways in elevator
B. Enter head first, exit feet first
C. Position in elevator is irrelevant
D. Enter feet first, exit head first - *answers *B. Enter head first, exit feet first
•The patient should be placed in the elevator entering head first and exit feet first when
being transported to the OR on the stretcher.
Which of the following is a curved, transverse incision across the lower abdomen
frequently used in gynecological surgery?
A. Midline
B. Paramedian
C. McBurney's
D. Pfannenstiel - *answers *D. Pfannenstiel
•Pfannenstiel's incision is a curved transverse incision across the lower abdomen and
used frequently in gynecologic surgery
When perforated metal trays are placed on the shelves of the steam sterilizing cart, they
should be positioned:
A. Flat
,NBSTSA Certification
B. Upside down
C. Vertical
D. Angled - *answers *A. Flat
•Metal trays that are perforated or have a mesh bottom should be placed on the
sterilizing cart flat.
Hyperkalemia is a high concentration of:
A. Calcium
B. Nitrogen
C. Potassium
D. Albumin - *answers *C. Potassium
•Potassium plays four important roles: influences the electrical excitability of cells; the
amount of potassium in cells affects cell volume; potassium balance is important in
maintaining the acid-base balance; the amount of potassium in cells affects cell
metabolism. Hyperkalemia, an abnormal level of potassium, can be life threatening,
causing cardiac irregularities.
Which of the following tissues are cut using curved mayo scissors?
A. Fascia
B. Periosteum
C. Dura mater
D. Arterial wall - *answers *A. Fascia
•Curved mayo scissors are large scissors, with thick blades used to cut tough tissue,
such as fascia, tendons and muscle.
Which laser beam can travel through clear tissues without heating them?
A. Argon
B. Excimer
C. Carbon dioxide
D. Neodymium: YAG - *answers *A. Argon
•The argon laser beam can travel through clear fluids and tissues.
Permission for treatment given with full knowledge of the risks is a/an:
A. Tort
B. Malpractice
C. Personal liability
D. Informed consent - *answers *D. Informed consent
•informed consent must be obtained from the patient before any invasive procedure can
be performed. It protects the patient because it verifies that he/she understands the
condition to be treated and the intervention to be performed.
Which portion of the stomach surrounds the lower esophageal sphincter?
A. Cardia
B. Fundus
C. Pylorus
D. Antrum - *answers *A. Cardia
,NBSTSA Certification
•The cardia is the portion of the stomach that surrounds the superior opening of the
stomach.
Low-level disinfectants kill most microbes, but do not destroy:
A. Viruses
B. Bacteria
C. Fungi
D. Spores - *answers *D. Spores
•Low-level disinfectants kill most types of bacteria and some fungi and viruses, but do
not kill spores and M. Tuberculosis
Syndactyly refers to:
A. Cleft palate
B. Webbed fingers
C. Fused tarsals
D. Torn ligaments - *answers *B. Webbed fingers
•Webbing of the digits is syndactyly
The surgical pack utilized to create the sterile field should be opened on the:
A. Stretcher
B. OR table
C. Backtable
D. Mayo stand - *answers *C. Backtable
•Surgical packs should be opened on the backtable.
The islets of langerhans secrete:
A. Bile
B. Insulin
C. Intrinsic factor
D. Inhibiting hormones - *answers *B. Insulin
•The islets of langerhans secrete glucagon, insulin, somatostatin, and pancreatic
polypeptide.
What type of procedure would involve the removal of teeth?
A. Cleft palate repair
B. Arch bar application
C. Extractions
D. Implants - *answers *C. The removal of a tooth or teeth is an extraction procedure.
The resection of the soft tissue and excision of the bone surrounding the tooth prior to
the removal is called odontectomy.
Which organism is a normal resident flora of the intestinal tract?
A. Escherichia coli
B. Staphylococcus aureus
C. Pseudomonas aeruginosa
D. Clostridium tetani - *answers *A. Escherichia coli
, NBSTSA Certification
•Escherichia coli is a gram-negative rod that is part of the normal flora of the intestinal
tract of humans and is also an opportunistic bacteria.
Where should the first scrub surgical technologist stand when handing towels to the
surgeon to square off an incision site?
A. Opposite side from surgeon
B. Same side as surgeon
C. Foot of OR bed
D. Head of OR table - *answers *B. Same side as the surgeon
•When using four towels for squaring off the incision site, the first towel will be passed
when standing on the same side as the surgeon.
A properly performed surgical scrub renders the skin:
A. Sterile
B. Disinfected
C. Surgically clean
D. Moistened and dehydrated - *answers *C. Surgically clean
•The skin is rendered surgically clean when properly performed surgical scrub is done.
Through which of the following do the common bile duct and the pancreatic duct empty?
A. Ampulla of Vater
B. Duct of Santorini
C. Wirsung's duct
D. Sphincter of Oddi - *answers *A. Ampulla of Vater
•The pancreatic ducts join at the ampulla and vater
Which of the following identifiers must be verified by the patient or their ID bracelet prior
to transporting a patient to the OR?
A. Name, social security number, physician
B. Name, medical record number, allergies
C. Name, date of birth, diagnosis
D. Name, date of birth, physician - *answers *D. Name, date of birth, physician
•The patient should be identified by name, date of birth, and physician on their ID
bracelet prior to transporting the patient to the OR.
What are spiral-shaped bacteria called?
A. Cocci
B. Bacilli
C. Spirilli
D. Diplococci - *answers *C. Spirilli
•Spirilli are spiral-shaped bacteria.
The primary function of the gallbladder is to:
A. Store bile
B. Produce bile
C. Emulsify Fats
Which of the following structures is located in the alveolar processes?
A. Teeth
B. Villi
C. Sinuses
D. Tonsils - *answers *A. Teeth
•The teeth are located in the socket's of the alveolar processes of the mandible and
maxillae.
Which of the following is the wound classification for a bronchoscopy?
A. Clean
B. Contaminated
C. Dirty & Infected
D. Clean-Contaminated - *answers *D. Clean-Contaminated
•Clean-Contaminated procedures include those when the aero-digestive tract is
entered. The bronchoscope is inserted through the mouth and into the bronchial tubes.
The procedure is considered clean, not sterile.
The enzyme used to soften the zonules of the lens before cataract surgery is:
A. Atropine sulfate
B. Alpha-Chymotrypsin
C. Acetylcholine chloride
D. Pilocarpine hydrochloride - *answers *B. Alpha-Chymotrypsin
•Alpha-Chymotrypsin is a solution used to soften the zonules holding the lens before
cataract surgery to ease extraction of the lens.
How should the structure be oriented when necessary to use an elevator to transport a
patient to the OR?
A. Place stretcher sideways in elevator
B. Enter head first, exit feet first
C. Position in elevator is irrelevant
D. Enter feet first, exit head first - *answers *B. Enter head first, exit feet first
•The patient should be placed in the elevator entering head first and exit feet first when
being transported to the OR on the stretcher.
Which of the following is a curved, transverse incision across the lower abdomen
frequently used in gynecological surgery?
A. Midline
B. Paramedian
C. McBurney's
D. Pfannenstiel - *answers *D. Pfannenstiel
•Pfannenstiel's incision is a curved transverse incision across the lower abdomen and
used frequently in gynecologic surgery
When perforated metal trays are placed on the shelves of the steam sterilizing cart, they
should be positioned:
A. Flat
,NBSTSA Certification
B. Upside down
C. Vertical
D. Angled - *answers *A. Flat
•Metal trays that are perforated or have a mesh bottom should be placed on the
sterilizing cart flat.
Hyperkalemia is a high concentration of:
A. Calcium
B. Nitrogen
C. Potassium
D. Albumin - *answers *C. Potassium
•Potassium plays four important roles: influences the electrical excitability of cells; the
amount of potassium in cells affects cell volume; potassium balance is important in
maintaining the acid-base balance; the amount of potassium in cells affects cell
metabolism. Hyperkalemia, an abnormal level of potassium, can be life threatening,
causing cardiac irregularities.
Which of the following tissues are cut using curved mayo scissors?
A. Fascia
B. Periosteum
C. Dura mater
D. Arterial wall - *answers *A. Fascia
•Curved mayo scissors are large scissors, with thick blades used to cut tough tissue,
such as fascia, tendons and muscle.
Which laser beam can travel through clear tissues without heating them?
A. Argon
B. Excimer
C. Carbon dioxide
D. Neodymium: YAG - *answers *A. Argon
•The argon laser beam can travel through clear fluids and tissues.
Permission for treatment given with full knowledge of the risks is a/an:
A. Tort
B. Malpractice
C. Personal liability
D. Informed consent - *answers *D. Informed consent
•informed consent must be obtained from the patient before any invasive procedure can
be performed. It protects the patient because it verifies that he/she understands the
condition to be treated and the intervention to be performed.
Which portion of the stomach surrounds the lower esophageal sphincter?
A. Cardia
B. Fundus
C. Pylorus
D. Antrum - *answers *A. Cardia
,NBSTSA Certification
•The cardia is the portion of the stomach that surrounds the superior opening of the
stomach.
Low-level disinfectants kill most microbes, but do not destroy:
A. Viruses
B. Bacteria
C. Fungi
D. Spores - *answers *D. Spores
•Low-level disinfectants kill most types of bacteria and some fungi and viruses, but do
not kill spores and M. Tuberculosis
Syndactyly refers to:
A. Cleft palate
B. Webbed fingers
C. Fused tarsals
D. Torn ligaments - *answers *B. Webbed fingers
•Webbing of the digits is syndactyly
The surgical pack utilized to create the sterile field should be opened on the:
A. Stretcher
B. OR table
C. Backtable
D. Mayo stand - *answers *C. Backtable
•Surgical packs should be opened on the backtable.
The islets of langerhans secrete:
A. Bile
B. Insulin
C. Intrinsic factor
D. Inhibiting hormones - *answers *B. Insulin
•The islets of langerhans secrete glucagon, insulin, somatostatin, and pancreatic
polypeptide.
What type of procedure would involve the removal of teeth?
A. Cleft palate repair
B. Arch bar application
C. Extractions
D. Implants - *answers *C. The removal of a tooth or teeth is an extraction procedure.
The resection of the soft tissue and excision of the bone surrounding the tooth prior to
the removal is called odontectomy.
Which organism is a normal resident flora of the intestinal tract?
A. Escherichia coli
B. Staphylococcus aureus
C. Pseudomonas aeruginosa
D. Clostridium tetani - *answers *A. Escherichia coli
, NBSTSA Certification
•Escherichia coli is a gram-negative rod that is part of the normal flora of the intestinal
tract of humans and is also an opportunistic bacteria.
Where should the first scrub surgical technologist stand when handing towels to the
surgeon to square off an incision site?
A. Opposite side from surgeon
B. Same side as surgeon
C. Foot of OR bed
D. Head of OR table - *answers *B. Same side as the surgeon
•When using four towels for squaring off the incision site, the first towel will be passed
when standing on the same side as the surgeon.
A properly performed surgical scrub renders the skin:
A. Sterile
B. Disinfected
C. Surgically clean
D. Moistened and dehydrated - *answers *C. Surgically clean
•The skin is rendered surgically clean when properly performed surgical scrub is done.
Through which of the following do the common bile duct and the pancreatic duct empty?
A. Ampulla of Vater
B. Duct of Santorini
C. Wirsung's duct
D. Sphincter of Oddi - *answers *A. Ampulla of Vater
•The pancreatic ducts join at the ampulla and vater
Which of the following identifiers must be verified by the patient or their ID bracelet prior
to transporting a patient to the OR?
A. Name, social security number, physician
B. Name, medical record number, allergies
C. Name, date of birth, diagnosis
D. Name, date of birth, physician - *answers *D. Name, date of birth, physician
•The patient should be identified by name, date of birth, and physician on their ID
bracelet prior to transporting the patient to the OR.
What are spiral-shaped bacteria called?
A. Cocci
B. Bacilli
C. Spirilli
D. Diplococci - *answers *C. Spirilli
•Spirilli are spiral-shaped bacteria.
The primary function of the gallbladder is to:
A. Store bile
B. Produce bile
C. Emulsify Fats
