NBSTSA CST Practice Exam A EXAM
QUESTIONS VERIFIED ANSWERS
LATEST UPDATE 2025/2026 RATED A+
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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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. - CORRECT
ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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. - CORRECT ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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. - CORRECT ANSWERS 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. - CORRECT ANSWERS 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
QUESTIONS VERIFIED ANSWERS
LATEST UPDATE 2025/2026 RATED A+
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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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. - CORRECT
ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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. - CORRECT ANSWERS 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 - CORRECT ANSWERS 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. - CORRECT ANSWERS 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. - CORRECT ANSWERS 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
