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PROPHECY RN OPERATING ROOM (OR) EXAMINATION
2026 COMPLETE (110) CURRENT TESTING QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES.
RN
Prepare for the Prophecy RN Operating Room (OR) Examination with this
comprehensive practice resource designed to strengthen your perioperative nursing
knowledge and exam readiness. It features exam-style questions covering sterile
technique, surgical instrumentation, patient safety, infection prevention,
perioperative procedures, anesthesia considerations, and operating room nursing
standards. Use it to reinforce essential concepts, assess your understanding, and
build confidence before test day. An excellent study aid for registered nurses
preparing for the Prophecy RN Operating Room (OR) Examination.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
DOMAIN 1: STERILE TECHNIQUE & SURGICAL ASEPSIS (Questions 1–20)
Question 1: The geometric formula for the area of a triangle is:
A. (1/2)bh
B. πr²
C. 2πr
D. l × w
Correct answer: A. (1/2)bh
Rationale: The area of a triangle is calculated using (1/2) × base × height.
Question 2: The primary principle of sterile technique in the operating room is
to:
A. Prevent all microbial growth
B. Create a sterile field and maintain it to prevent contamination
C. Use only disposable supplies
D. Sterilize all equipment after each use
Correct answer: B. Create a sterile field and maintain it to prevent
contamination
Rationale: The core principle of sterile technique is to create a defined sterile
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field and maintain its sterility throughout the surgical procedure to protect the
patient from surgical site infections.
Question 3: An OR nurse notices that the sterile field has been contaminated.
The nurse should:
A. Ignore it if the contamination is small
B. Report the break in technique immediately and correct it
C. Wait until the procedure is finished to address it
D. Continue working but document it later
Correct answer: B. Report the break in technique immediately and correct
it
Rationale: Any break in sterile technique must be immediately reported and
corrected to maintain patient safety and prevent surgical site infections.
Question 4: Which of the following is NOT a principle of sterile technique?
A. Sterile surfaces can touch only sterile surfaces
B. Sterile items must be stored in a clean, dry area
C. Sterile packages should be opened away from the body
D. Movement around the sterile field should be unrestricted
Correct answer: D. Movement around the sterile field should be
unrestricted
Rationale: Movement around the sterile field should be minimized and
controlled to prevent contamination. Unrestricted movement can create air
currents that carry microorganisms.
Question 5: When opening a sterile package, the nurse should:
A. Open the package toward the body first
B. Open the package away from the body first
C. Open the package with the flap furthest from the body first
D. Open all flaps simultaneously
Correct answer: C. Open the package with the flap furthest from the body
first
Rationale: The sterile package should be opened with the flap furthest from
the body first, followed by the side flaps, and then the flap closest to the body
to prevent the arms from crossing over the sterile field.
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Question 6: The margin of safety around the sterile field that is considered
contaminated is:
A. 1 inch
B. 2 inches
C. 3 inches
D. 4 inches
Correct answer: A. 1 inch
Rationale: A 1-inch border around the sterile field is considered non-sterile.
Anything within 1 inch of the edge of the sterile field is considered
contaminated.
Question 7: How long can a sterile field be left uncovered before it is
considered contaminated?
A. 15 minutes
B. 30 minutes
C. 60 minutes
D. It must be covered at all times
Correct answer: D. It must be covered at all times
Rationale: A sterile field must be covered at all times when not in active use
to prevent airborne contamination. Uncovered sterile fields are considered
contaminated after an unspecified period due to settling of airborne
microorganisms.
Question 8: Which of the following is a correct statement about sterile
gowning and gloving?
A. The gown should be put on before the gloves
B. The gloves should be put on before the gown
C. The gown and gloves can be put on in any order
D. Gloves are not required if the gown is sterile
Correct answer: A. The gown should be put on before the gloves
Rationale: In open gloving (for a sterile gown), the gown is donned first,
followed by the gloves. This ensures that the gloved hands do not contaminate
the sterile gown during donning.
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Question 9: When performing a surgical hand scrub, the nurse should:
A. Wash hands up to the wrists only
B. Wash hands and forearms, keeping hands higher than elbows
C. Wash hands and forearms, keeping elbows higher than hands
D. Scrub for a maximum of 2 minutes
Correct answer: B. Wash hands and forearms, keeping hands higher than
elbows
Rationale: Hands should be held higher than the elbows during the surgical
hand scrub to allow water and contaminants to flow away from the clean
hands toward the elbows, which are considered less clean.
Question 10: The minimum recommended time for a traditional surgical hand
scrub is:
A. 2–3 minutes
B. 3–5 minutes
C. 5–7 minutes
D. 10 minutes
Correct answer: B. 3–5 minutes
Rationale: A traditional surgical hand scrub should be performed for 3–5
minutes, depending on the product used, to reduce the number of
microorganisms on the skin.
Question 11: Which of the following items is NOT considered sterile when
placed on the sterile field?
A. Sterile drapes
B. Sterile instruments
C. The inside of the sterile glove package
D. The outside wrapper of a sterile instrument
Correct answer: D. The outside wrapper of a sterile instrument
Rationale: The outside wrapper of a sterile instrument is considered
contaminated. Only the inside contents of a sterile package are sterile. The
wrapper is discarded before the item is placed on the field.
Question 12: The nurse is preparing a sterile field. A solution is poured into a
sterile basin. The nurse should:
PROPHECY RN OPERATING ROOM (OR) EXAMINATION
2026 COMPLETE (110) CURRENT TESTING QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES.
RN
Prepare for the Prophecy RN Operating Room (OR) Examination with this
comprehensive practice resource designed to strengthen your perioperative nursing
knowledge and exam readiness. It features exam-style questions covering sterile
technique, surgical instrumentation, patient safety, infection prevention,
perioperative procedures, anesthesia considerations, and operating room nursing
standards. Use it to reinforce essential concepts, assess your understanding, and
build confidence before test day. An excellent study aid for registered nurses
preparing for the Prophecy RN Operating Room (OR) Examination.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
DOMAIN 1: STERILE TECHNIQUE & SURGICAL ASEPSIS (Questions 1–20)
Question 1: The geometric formula for the area of a triangle is:
A. (1/2)bh
B. πr²
C. 2πr
D. l × w
Correct answer: A. (1/2)bh
Rationale: The area of a triangle is calculated using (1/2) × base × height.
Question 2: The primary principle of sterile technique in the operating room is
to:
A. Prevent all microbial growth
B. Create a sterile field and maintain it to prevent contamination
C. Use only disposable supplies
D. Sterilize all equipment after each use
Correct answer: B. Create a sterile field and maintain it to prevent
contamination
Rationale: The core principle of sterile technique is to create a defined sterile
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field and maintain its sterility throughout the surgical procedure to protect the
patient from surgical site infections.
Question 3: An OR nurse notices that the sterile field has been contaminated.
The nurse should:
A. Ignore it if the contamination is small
B. Report the break in technique immediately and correct it
C. Wait until the procedure is finished to address it
D. Continue working but document it later
Correct answer: B. Report the break in technique immediately and correct
it
Rationale: Any break in sterile technique must be immediately reported and
corrected to maintain patient safety and prevent surgical site infections.
Question 4: Which of the following is NOT a principle of sterile technique?
A. Sterile surfaces can touch only sterile surfaces
B. Sterile items must be stored in a clean, dry area
C. Sterile packages should be opened away from the body
D. Movement around the sterile field should be unrestricted
Correct answer: D. Movement around the sterile field should be
unrestricted
Rationale: Movement around the sterile field should be minimized and
controlled to prevent contamination. Unrestricted movement can create air
currents that carry microorganisms.
Question 5: When opening a sterile package, the nurse should:
A. Open the package toward the body first
B. Open the package away from the body first
C. Open the package with the flap furthest from the body first
D. Open all flaps simultaneously
Correct answer: C. Open the package with the flap furthest from the body
first
Rationale: The sterile package should be opened with the flap furthest from
the body first, followed by the side flaps, and then the flap closest to the body
to prevent the arms from crossing over the sterile field.
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Question 6: The margin of safety around the sterile field that is considered
contaminated is:
A. 1 inch
B. 2 inches
C. 3 inches
D. 4 inches
Correct answer: A. 1 inch
Rationale: A 1-inch border around the sterile field is considered non-sterile.
Anything within 1 inch of the edge of the sterile field is considered
contaminated.
Question 7: How long can a sterile field be left uncovered before it is
considered contaminated?
A. 15 minutes
B. 30 minutes
C. 60 minutes
D. It must be covered at all times
Correct answer: D. It must be covered at all times
Rationale: A sterile field must be covered at all times when not in active use
to prevent airborne contamination. Uncovered sterile fields are considered
contaminated after an unspecified period due to settling of airborne
microorganisms.
Question 8: Which of the following is a correct statement about sterile
gowning and gloving?
A. The gown should be put on before the gloves
B. The gloves should be put on before the gown
C. The gown and gloves can be put on in any order
D. Gloves are not required if the gown is sterile
Correct answer: A. The gown should be put on before the gloves
Rationale: In open gloving (for a sterile gown), the gown is donned first,
followed by the gloves. This ensures that the gloved hands do not contaminate
the sterile gown during donning.
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Question 9: When performing a surgical hand scrub, the nurse should:
A. Wash hands up to the wrists only
B. Wash hands and forearms, keeping hands higher than elbows
C. Wash hands and forearms, keeping elbows higher than hands
D. Scrub for a maximum of 2 minutes
Correct answer: B. Wash hands and forearms, keeping hands higher than
elbows
Rationale: Hands should be held higher than the elbows during the surgical
hand scrub to allow water and contaminants to flow away from the clean
hands toward the elbows, which are considered less clean.
Question 10: The minimum recommended time for a traditional surgical hand
scrub is:
A. 2–3 minutes
B. 3–5 minutes
C. 5–7 minutes
D. 10 minutes
Correct answer: B. 3–5 minutes
Rationale: A traditional surgical hand scrub should be performed for 3–5
minutes, depending on the product used, to reduce the number of
microorganisms on the skin.
Question 11: Which of the following items is NOT considered sterile when
placed on the sterile field?
A. Sterile drapes
B. Sterile instruments
C. The inside of the sterile glove package
D. The outside wrapper of a sterile instrument
Correct answer: D. The outside wrapper of a sterile instrument
Rationale: The outside wrapper of a sterile instrument is considered
contaminated. Only the inside contents of a sterile package are sterile. The
wrapper is discarded before the item is placed on the field.
Question 12: The nurse is preparing a sterile field. A solution is poured into a
sterile basin. The nurse should:
