Board Vitals Surgical Tech Certification
Exam 2025| Complete Questions and
Verified Correct Answers
Question 1
In 1990, the Safe Medical Device Act was passed, granting the FDA authority to regulate
medical devices. As a result, healthcare facilities are required to:
A) Perform annual audits of surgical procedures
B) Implement methods of tracking devices
C) Train all staff on device manufacturing
D) Replace all devices every five years
Correct Answer: B) Implement methods of tracking devices
Explanation: The Safe Medical Device Act of 1990 requires healthcare facilities to track
certain medical devices from manufacturer to patient to ensure safety and compliance with FDA
regulations. This includes maintaining records of device use and reporting adverse events.
Question 2
How long would you expect it to take for an absorbable suture to break down in the body?
A) 1 week
B) 3 weeks
C) 6 months
D) 1 year
Correct Answer: B) 3 weeks
Explanation: Absorbable sutures, such as those made from materials like polyglycolic acid or
catgut, typically begin to break down within 2–4 weeks, with complete absorption occurring over
weeks to months depending on the material. Three weeks is a reasonable average for initial
breakdown.
,Question 3
A member of the surgical team responsible for separating instrumentation at the sterile field after
the procedure would be a:
A) Surgeon
B) Certified Surgical Tech
C) Circulating Nurse
D) Anesthesiologist
Correct Answer: B) Certified Surgical Tech
Explanation: Certified Surgical Technologists (CSTs) are responsible for maintaining the
sterile field and handling instruments, including separating and organizing them post-procedure
for proper decontamination and sterilization.
Question 4
A report that should be completed after an adverse event in the hospital with potential legal
consequences is:
A) A quality assurance report
B) An incident report
C) A patient discharge summary
D) A surgical count sheet
Correct Answer: B) An incident report
Explanation: An incident report is used to document adverse events or near-misses in a
healthcare setting, particularly those with potential legal or safety implications, to ensure proper
follow-up and risk management.
Question 5
Which of the following best describes the area where only personnel with a scrub suit and a hair
cap are permitted, including corridors between surgical rooms?
A) Unrestricted area
B) Restricted area
C) Semi-restricted area
,D) Sterile core
Correct Answer: C) Semi-restricted area
Explanation: The semi-restricted area in the operating suite includes corridors and support
areas where personnel must wear scrub attire and hair coverings, but it is not as strictly
controlled as the restricted (sterile) area where full sterile precautions are required.
Question 6
In an emergency, what should a surgeon do when a minor patient needs life-saving surgery but
no relative can be reached?
A) Delay surgery until consent is obtained
B) Obtain consent from a hospital administrator
C) Proceed with surgery as no outside consent is necessary
D) Request a court order for surgery
Correct Answer: C) Proceed with surgery as no outside consent is necessary
Explanation: In life-threatening emergencies, when a minor requires immediate surgery and
no guardian is available, the surgeon may proceed without consent under the principle of implied
consent to save the patient’s life.
Question 7
Which of the following organizations mandates maintenance of operative records of
perioperative care for surgical patients?
A) FDA
B) JCAHO
C) CDC
D) OSHA
Correct Answer: B) JCAHO
Explanation: The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
sets standards for healthcare facilities, including the requirement to maintain detailed operative
records for surgical patients to ensure quality and continuity of care.
, Question 8
The definition of medical liability is best described as:
A) Each individual is responsible for their actions
B) The hospital assumes all responsibility
C) Only surgeons are liable for complications
D) Patients are responsible for their own outcomes
Correct Answer: A) Each individual is responsible for their actions
Explanation: Medical liability refers to the legal responsibility of healthcare professionals for
their actions or omissions that may cause harm to a patient, holding individuals accountable for
negligence or malpractice.
Question 9
The organization that verifies, clarifies, and amplifies that surgical technology programs adhere
to standards set by the CAAHEP is:
A) AORN
B) ARC-STSA
C) NBSTSA
D) ACS
Correct Answer: B) ARC-STSA
Explanation: The Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and
Surgical Assisting (ARC-STSA) oversees the accreditation of surgical technology programs,
ensuring they meet standards set by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health
Education Programs (CAAHEP).
Question 10
Which retractor is used to retract muscle and tissue through the cervical and lumbar approach to
the spine?
A) Weitlaner
B) Scoville
C) Gelpi
Exam 2025| Complete Questions and
Verified Correct Answers
Question 1
In 1990, the Safe Medical Device Act was passed, granting the FDA authority to regulate
medical devices. As a result, healthcare facilities are required to:
A) Perform annual audits of surgical procedures
B) Implement methods of tracking devices
C) Train all staff on device manufacturing
D) Replace all devices every five years
Correct Answer: B) Implement methods of tracking devices
Explanation: The Safe Medical Device Act of 1990 requires healthcare facilities to track
certain medical devices from manufacturer to patient to ensure safety and compliance with FDA
regulations. This includes maintaining records of device use and reporting adverse events.
Question 2
How long would you expect it to take for an absorbable suture to break down in the body?
A) 1 week
B) 3 weeks
C) 6 months
D) 1 year
Correct Answer: B) 3 weeks
Explanation: Absorbable sutures, such as those made from materials like polyglycolic acid or
catgut, typically begin to break down within 2–4 weeks, with complete absorption occurring over
weeks to months depending on the material. Three weeks is a reasonable average for initial
breakdown.
,Question 3
A member of the surgical team responsible for separating instrumentation at the sterile field after
the procedure would be a:
A) Surgeon
B) Certified Surgical Tech
C) Circulating Nurse
D) Anesthesiologist
Correct Answer: B) Certified Surgical Tech
Explanation: Certified Surgical Technologists (CSTs) are responsible for maintaining the
sterile field and handling instruments, including separating and organizing them post-procedure
for proper decontamination and sterilization.
Question 4
A report that should be completed after an adverse event in the hospital with potential legal
consequences is:
A) A quality assurance report
B) An incident report
C) A patient discharge summary
D) A surgical count sheet
Correct Answer: B) An incident report
Explanation: An incident report is used to document adverse events or near-misses in a
healthcare setting, particularly those with potential legal or safety implications, to ensure proper
follow-up and risk management.
Question 5
Which of the following best describes the area where only personnel with a scrub suit and a hair
cap are permitted, including corridors between surgical rooms?
A) Unrestricted area
B) Restricted area
C) Semi-restricted area
,D) Sterile core
Correct Answer: C) Semi-restricted area
Explanation: The semi-restricted area in the operating suite includes corridors and support
areas where personnel must wear scrub attire and hair coverings, but it is not as strictly
controlled as the restricted (sterile) area where full sterile precautions are required.
Question 6
In an emergency, what should a surgeon do when a minor patient needs life-saving surgery but
no relative can be reached?
A) Delay surgery until consent is obtained
B) Obtain consent from a hospital administrator
C) Proceed with surgery as no outside consent is necessary
D) Request a court order for surgery
Correct Answer: C) Proceed with surgery as no outside consent is necessary
Explanation: In life-threatening emergencies, when a minor requires immediate surgery and
no guardian is available, the surgeon may proceed without consent under the principle of implied
consent to save the patient’s life.
Question 7
Which of the following organizations mandates maintenance of operative records of
perioperative care for surgical patients?
A) FDA
B) JCAHO
C) CDC
D) OSHA
Correct Answer: B) JCAHO
Explanation: The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
sets standards for healthcare facilities, including the requirement to maintain detailed operative
records for surgical patients to ensure quality and continuity of care.
, Question 8
The definition of medical liability is best described as:
A) Each individual is responsible for their actions
B) The hospital assumes all responsibility
C) Only surgeons are liable for complications
D) Patients are responsible for their own outcomes
Correct Answer: A) Each individual is responsible for their actions
Explanation: Medical liability refers to the legal responsibility of healthcare professionals for
their actions or omissions that may cause harm to a patient, holding individuals accountable for
negligence or malpractice.
Question 9
The organization that verifies, clarifies, and amplifies that surgical technology programs adhere
to standards set by the CAAHEP is:
A) AORN
B) ARC-STSA
C) NBSTSA
D) ACS
Correct Answer: B) ARC-STSA
Explanation: The Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and
Surgical Assisting (ARC-STSA) oversees the accreditation of surgical technology programs,
ensuring they meet standards set by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health
Education Programs (CAAHEP).
Question 10
Which retractor is used to retract muscle and tissue through the cervical and lumbar approach to
the spine?
A) Weitlaner
B) Scoville
C) Gelpi
