CNOR Exam Questions and Answers Updated 2026.

Bq



CNOR Exam Questions and Answers
Updated 2026
CriticalBitemsB-BAnswermustBbeBsterileBandBwillBenterBsterileBtissueBorBtheBvascularBsystem



Semi-criticalB-BAnswershouldBbeBsterileBbutBhigh-
levelBdisinfectionBisBacceptableBifBmanufacturer'sBinstructionsBrequire



contactsBbrokenBskinBorBmucousBmembranes



SterilizationB-BAnswerkillsBeverything



High-levelBdisinfectionB-BAnswerkillsBeverythingBbutBspores



Non-criticalB-BAnswerIntermediateBorBlow-
levelBdisinfectionBorBcleaning;BwillBcomeBinBcontactBwithBskin



CriticalBexamplesB-
BAnswerinstruments,BcuttingBendoscopicBaccessoriesBandBscopes,BcardiacBandBurinaryBcatheter
s,Bneedles



Semi-criticalBexamplesB-BAnswerRT/anesthesiaBequipment,Bbronchoscopes/GIBendoscopes



Non-criticalBexamplesB-BAnswerORBbeds,Blinens,Btourniquets



SPDBworkflowB-BAnswerDecon,BprepB+Bpack,BsterileBprocessing,BcleanBdistribution/storage



SPDBlayoutB-
BAnswerMustBhaveBaBphysicalBseparationBbetweenBaBdeconBandBprocessingBarea;BnegativeBpr
essureBinBdeconBandBpositiveBpressureBinBsterileBside



DeconBofBinstrumentsB-BAnswercleaningBisBtheBmostBcriticalBstepBtoBpreventBinfection

pre-treatingBisBrecommendedBwithBnon-
dryingBenzymaticBagentBtoBpreventBbiofilmBonBinstruments

,Bq


disassembleBanythingBthatBcanBbeB

brushBlumens,Bchannels,Bcrevices,BandBjoints

brushBmustBhaveBdiameterBofBlumenBandBgoBthroughBentireBlengthBofBlumen



AutomatedBcleaningB-BAnswerwasherBandBultrasonic,BmoreBeffectiveBthanBmanualBcleaning



Pre-vacB(DynamicBairBremoval)B-BAnswersucksBairBoutBofBchamber

cleanBdrainsBareBessentialB

270-276BdegreesBFB

porous/lumenBitemsBinBforB4Bmins

nonporousBitemsBinBforB3Bmins



GravityBdisplacementBautoclaveB-BAnswersteamBforcesBairBfromBchamberB

thermometerBclosesBdrainB

270-276BdegreesBFB

porous/lumenBitemsBinBforB10BminsB

nonporousBitemsBinBforB3BminsB

alwaysBfollowBIFUs



HowBdoByouBavoidBcondensationBwhenBsterilizingBitems?B-
BAnswerAllowBairflowBbetweenBtraysB

removeBloadsBimmediatelyB(leavingBdoorBajarBtoBcoolBincreasesBlikelihoodBofBcondensation)

Don'tBputBhotBitemsBonBaBcoolBsolidBsurfaceBorBrackB

IfBcondensationBoccursBandBtheBitemsBareBmoist,BtheyBareBconsideredBunsterile



WhatBareBtheB6BchemicalBindicators?B-BAnswer1.BheatB

2.Bpressure

3.BsingleBparameter

4.Bmulti-parameter

5.BintegratedB(allBparametersBlikeBtime,Btemp,BpressureBandBqualityBofBsteam)

6.BemulatingBindicatorB(allBparametersBofBaBparticularBstyleBlikeBmanufacturerBforBspecificBaut
oclaveBforBaBspecificBcycle

,Bq




WhatBindicatorBareBexternalBindicators?B-BAnswer1B-Bheat



WhatBindicatorBareBBowieBdickBtests?B-BAnswer2B-BpressureB(usedBwithBpre-vac)



IUSSB-BAnswernoBpackaging,BwrappedBitemsBorBtextilesBdueBtoBanBabbreviatedBdryBtime

sameBdeconBprocess

rigidBsterilizationBcontainersBwithBlid

mustBuseBaBclassB5BchemicalBindicatorB

neverBanBimplantBunlessBemergentB

sterilizationBlogBmustBbeBkeptBforBpatientBsafety



WhatBhappensBifBtheBIUSSBfails?B-BAnswerIfBaBQCBfails,BrunB3BconsecutiveBaBsporeBtestsB

IfBoneBfailsBagain,BbiomedBchecksBIUSSBandBhasBtoBpassB3BconsecutiveBtestsBtoBuseBitBagain



GluteraldehydeB-BAnswercoldBsterilization

POCBuseBonlyB

TakesB10BhoursBofBimmersionB

BadBforBinstrumentsBdueBtoBpittingB

SuboptimalBformBofBsterilizationBdueBtoBenvironmentalBproblemsBandBpoorBeaseBofBuse



EthyleneBoxideB-BAnswercoldBandBdryBformBofBsterilization

forBheatB+BmoistureBsensitiveBitemsB(99-145BdegreeBFBandB45-75%Bhumidity)

2-5BhoursBexposure

8-12BhourBaerationBtimeB

HumanBcarcinogenB(exposureBlimitedBtoB1PPMBinBanB8BhrBperiod)

LumensBmustBbeBcompletelyBdryB(greatBforBfoleys)

BannedBinBEuropeBinB1980sB

BannedBinB2030BinBUS

EnvironmentallyBhazardousB

WillBmakeBantifreezeBwithBwaterB

, Bq


TypicallyBinBmanufacturingBplants



LowBTempBHydrogenBPeroxideBPlasmaBSterilizationB(akaBSterrad)B-
BAnswerUseBforBheatB+BmoistureBsensitiveBitems

NoBaerationBcycleBneededB-BdryBsterilizationB

CycleBtimeB75Bmins

EnvironmentallyBsoundB

PeroxideBmistBintoBchamberBwithBelectricalBcurrentB

WillBsterilizeBlumensBbyBconnectingBtoBportBsite



PeraceticBacidB-BAnswerAutomatedBEndoscopeBReprocessorB(AER)B-BGI

ForBitemsBthatBcanBbeBimmersedB

CorrosiveBtoBinstrumentsBandBpeopleB

TempB120-130BdegreesBF

20-30Bmins

MicroBfilteredBtapBwaterBrinsesBxB4BtoBturnBitBbackBtoBvinegarB

MustBhaveBlogB

SterilizesBusingBacidityB

VinegarBwithBextraBhydrogenBtoBmakeBitBveryBacidic



OzoneB-BAnswerlowBtempBsterilization

onlyBoneBmanufacturerBinBtheBUSA

FDABhasBclearedBozoneBforBsterilizationBofBmetalBandBplasticB

ExhaustBisBpassedBthroughBaBcatalyticBconverterB

EnvironmentallyBsoundB

NoBaerationB

By-productsBareBoxygenBandBwater



DryBheatB-BAnswerHighBtemp

BestBforBheatBstableBpowderBandBoilsB

DentalBinstruments,Bburrs,BreusableBneedles,Bglassware