CST EXAM – CERTIFIED SURGICAL TECHNOLOGIST
CERTIFICATION EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) LATEST UPDATE 2025/2026
Which of the following is a sign of cardiac arrest? A. edema B.convulsion C.
cyanosis D. hypertension - CORRECT ANSWER - c
While being transferred from the stretcher to the operating room bed, the patient
expresses fear of not awakening from anesthesia. The surgical technologist should
A. proceed with the transfer and disregard patient comments.
B. explain the action of the anesthetic agent.
C. reassure the patient that the anesthetic is safe.
D. have the anesthesia care provider address the patient's concerns. - CORRECT
ANSWER - d
Which of the following rongeurs is used to expand the antrostomy in a Caldwell-
Luc procedure?
A. Cushing
B. Bethune
C. Kerrison
D. Stille-Luer - CORRECT ANSWER - c
During a procedure, a surgical technologist notices a hole in his glove. Which of
the following should be done next?
,A. Continue the case.
B. Change the glove using the open-gloving technique.
C. Change the glove using the closed-gloving technique.
D. Break scrub, rescrub, gown and glove. - CORRECT ANSWER - b
Which of the following is an unexpected occurrence that involves physiologic or
psychologic injury or death?
A. unintentional tort
B. sentinel event
C. negligence
D. malpractice - CORRECT ANSWER - b
The tissue that covers bones and provides movement to the skeletal system is
A. nerve.
B. cartilage.
C. muscle.
D. ligament. - CORRECT ANSWER - C. Muscles are tissue that cover bone and
provide movement to the skeletal system.
Which of the following is MOST commonly used for wound closure in the
presence of infection?
A. stainless steel
B. polyglactin-910
C. plain gut
, D. silk - CORRECT ANSWER - A. Stainless steel suture is recommended for use
in infected areas because it is non-absorbable with indefinite tensile strength
A 15-year-old girl with anemia will be undergoing an exploratory procedure and a
blood transfusion will be necessary. The parents are Jehovah's Witnesses and will
not consent to a blood transfusion, but the patient states that she wants the
transfusion. The operating room staff reports this to the nurse manager. Which of
the following is the BEST course of action now? A. The physician or nurse
manager should contact the hospital's clergy to provide an intervention.
B. The operating room staff should inform the patient that her parents must give
consent before she can receive the transfusion.
C. The operating room staff should inform the patient that since she is a minor, she
cannot make health care decisions for herself.
D. The physician or nurse manager should contact the hospital's administration to
request that legal counsel becomes involved. - CORRECT ANSWER - D. Since
the patient is 15 and may understand the consequences of her actions, the physician
or nurse manager should contact the hospital's administration to request that legal
counsel becomes involved. They will be able to advise the operating room staff as
to the best course of action considering all of the legal and ethical implications.
A surgical technologist counts only 9 sponges in a pack on the initial count. After
recounting the sponges, it is confirmed that there are only 9 sponges in the pack.
Which of the following is the appropriate course of action?
A. Change the count sheet to match the initial count and use the sponges from the
current package.
B. Leave the current package on the surgical field; document the problem; open a
new package; recount.
C. Remove the current package from the surgical field, but not the operating room;
document the problem; open a new package; recount.
CERTIFICATION EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) LATEST UPDATE 2025/2026
Which of the following is a sign of cardiac arrest? A. edema B.convulsion C.
cyanosis D. hypertension - CORRECT ANSWER - c
While being transferred from the stretcher to the operating room bed, the patient
expresses fear of not awakening from anesthesia. The surgical technologist should
A. proceed with the transfer and disregard patient comments.
B. explain the action of the anesthetic agent.
C. reassure the patient that the anesthetic is safe.
D. have the anesthesia care provider address the patient's concerns. - CORRECT
ANSWER - d
Which of the following rongeurs is used to expand the antrostomy in a Caldwell-
Luc procedure?
A. Cushing
B. Bethune
C. Kerrison
D. Stille-Luer - CORRECT ANSWER - c
During a procedure, a surgical technologist notices a hole in his glove. Which of
the following should be done next?
,A. Continue the case.
B. Change the glove using the open-gloving technique.
C. Change the glove using the closed-gloving technique.
D. Break scrub, rescrub, gown and glove. - CORRECT ANSWER - b
Which of the following is an unexpected occurrence that involves physiologic or
psychologic injury or death?
A. unintentional tort
B. sentinel event
C. negligence
D. malpractice - CORRECT ANSWER - b
The tissue that covers bones and provides movement to the skeletal system is
A. nerve.
B. cartilage.
C. muscle.
D. ligament. - CORRECT ANSWER - C. Muscles are tissue that cover bone and
provide movement to the skeletal system.
Which of the following is MOST commonly used for wound closure in the
presence of infection?
A. stainless steel
B. polyglactin-910
C. plain gut
, D. silk - CORRECT ANSWER - A. Stainless steel suture is recommended for use
in infected areas because it is non-absorbable with indefinite tensile strength
A 15-year-old girl with anemia will be undergoing an exploratory procedure and a
blood transfusion will be necessary. The parents are Jehovah's Witnesses and will
not consent to a blood transfusion, but the patient states that she wants the
transfusion. The operating room staff reports this to the nurse manager. Which of
the following is the BEST course of action now? A. The physician or nurse
manager should contact the hospital's clergy to provide an intervention.
B. The operating room staff should inform the patient that her parents must give
consent before she can receive the transfusion.
C. The operating room staff should inform the patient that since she is a minor, she
cannot make health care decisions for herself.
D. The physician or nurse manager should contact the hospital's administration to
request that legal counsel becomes involved. - CORRECT ANSWER - D. Since
the patient is 15 and may understand the consequences of her actions, the physician
or nurse manager should contact the hospital's administration to request that legal
counsel becomes involved. They will be able to advise the operating room staff as
to the best course of action considering all of the legal and ethical implications.
A surgical technologist counts only 9 sponges in a pack on the initial count. After
recounting the sponges, it is confirmed that there are only 9 sponges in the pack.
Which of the following is the appropriate course of action?
A. Change the count sheet to match the initial count and use the sponges from the
current package.
B. Leave the current package on the surgical field; document the problem; open a
new package; recount.
C. Remove the current package from the surgical field, but not the operating room;
document the problem; open a new package; recount.
