NBSTSA CST EXAM AND PRACTICE EXAM LATEST 2025/2026 TEST BANK QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A | INSTANT
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Core Domains
Perioperative Care: Preoperative Preparation
Perioperative Care: Intraoperative Procedures
Perioperative Care: Postoperative Procedures
Ancillary Duties: Administrative and Personnel
Ancillary Duties: Equipment Sterilization and Maintenance
Basic Science: Anatomy and Physiology
Basic Science: Microbiology
Basic Science: Surgical Pharmacology
Professional Standards and Patient Safety
Introduction
This comprehensive examination assesses the candidate's mastery of surgical technology practice
across the NBSTSA Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) content domains. It evaluates
competency in preoperative preparation, intraoperative procedures, postoperative care,
administrative duties, equipment sterilization and maintenance, anatomy and physiology,
microbiology, and surgical pharmacology. Questions emphasize aseptic technique, surgical
instrumentation, patient safety, and critical decision-making in the operating room. Multiple-
choice and scenario-based items require application of foundational theory to real-world surgical
practice. Successful performance demonstrates readiness for certification and autonomous
practice as a surgical technologist.
Version A: Questions 1–200
Domain A: Perioperative Care – Preoperative Preparation (Questions 1–
35)
1. 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
🟢 B. Foramen magnum
🔴 RATIONALE: The foramen magnum is the large opening at the base of the occipital bone
through which the spinal cord passes to connect with the brainstem.
2. 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.
🟢 B. New sterile supplies and instruments should be obtained for OR 2 and the setup in OR 1
should be disposed of.
🔴 RATIONALE: Sterile fields cannot be moved without compromising sterility. The setup in OR
1 must be discarded, and a new sterile setup must be prepared for OR 2.
3. Which of the following is the body's local tissue reaction to injury?
A. Fever
B. Infection
C. Inflammation
D. Immune reaction
🟢 C. Inflammation
🔴 RATIONALE: Inflammation is the body's local response to tissue injury, characterized by
redness, heat, swelling, and pain.
4. Which of the following is used to oxygenate and circulate blood?
,A. Doppler ultrasound
B. Defibrillator
C. Extracorporeal bypass
D. Autotransfuser
🟢 C. Extracorporeal bypass
🔴 RATIONALE: Extracorporeal bypass (cardiopulmonary bypass) oxygenates and circulates
blood outside the body during cardiac surgery.
5. 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. Surgeon's preference
🟢 A. Physiologic condition of the patient
🔴 RATIONALE: The patient's physiologic condition, including comorbidities, allergies, and
organ function, is the primary consideration in anesthetic selection.
6. Which of the following is the correct sequence for the surgical hand scrub?
A. Wash hands and forearms, clean under nails, scrub hands and arms, rinse, dry
B. Clean under nails, wash hands and forearms, scrub hands and arms, rinse, dry
C. Scrub hands and arms, clean under nails, wash hands and forearms, rinse, dry
D. Rinse, wash hands, clean under nails, scrub hands and arms, dry
🟢 B. Clean under nails, wash hands and forearms, scrub hands and arms, rinse, dry
🔴 RATIONALE: The correct surgical scrub sequence begins with cleaning under the nails, then
washing hands and forearms, followed by the scrub, rinse, and dry.
7. Which of the following types of lasers is typically used for stone fragmentation in the
ureter?
A. Argon
B. Krypton
, C. Carbon dioxide
D. Holmium: YAG
🟢 D. Holmium: YAG
🔴 RATIONALE: Holmium:YAG laser is commonly used for lithotripsy because it effectively
fragments urinary stones with minimal tissue damage.
8. If a patient is undergoing a mastectomy immediately followed by reconstruction, how
many surgical setups should be obtained?
A. One; the reconstruction will immediately follow the mastectomy, so the same instruments
can be used without additional interventions.
B. One; the reconstruction will immediately follow the mastectomy, so the same instruments
can be used after they are cleaned with sterile water.
C. Two; the reconstruction will immediately follow the mastectomy, but a second set of
instruments should be used to prevent seeding.
D. Two; the reconstruction will immediately follow the mastectomy, but it will be done in a
different OR so two sets are needed.
🟢 C. Two; the reconstruction will immediately follow the mastectomy, but a second set of
instruments should be used to prevent seeding.
🔴 RATIONALE: A second set of instruments is required for the reconstructive portion to
prevent seeding of malignant cells from the mastectomy site to the reconstruction site.
9. Which of the following instruments is used to thread a vascular graft from one incision to
another?
A. Hemostat
B. Tunneler
C. DeBakey vascular forceps
D. Randall Stone forceps
🟢 B. Tunneler
🔴 RATIONALE: A tunneler is a specialized instrument used to create a subcutaneous tunnel
and thread a vascular graft from one incision to another.
CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A | INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF.
Core Domains
Perioperative Care: Preoperative Preparation
Perioperative Care: Intraoperative Procedures
Perioperative Care: Postoperative Procedures
Ancillary Duties: Administrative and Personnel
Ancillary Duties: Equipment Sterilization and Maintenance
Basic Science: Anatomy and Physiology
Basic Science: Microbiology
Basic Science: Surgical Pharmacology
Professional Standards and Patient Safety
Introduction
This comprehensive examination assesses the candidate's mastery of surgical technology practice
across the NBSTSA Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) content domains. It evaluates
competency in preoperative preparation, intraoperative procedures, postoperative care,
administrative duties, equipment sterilization and maintenance, anatomy and physiology,
microbiology, and surgical pharmacology. Questions emphasize aseptic technique, surgical
instrumentation, patient safety, and critical decision-making in the operating room. Multiple-
choice and scenario-based items require application of foundational theory to real-world surgical
practice. Successful performance demonstrates readiness for certification and autonomous
practice as a surgical technologist.
Version A: Questions 1–200
Domain A: Perioperative Care – Preoperative Preparation (Questions 1–
35)
1. 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
🟢 B. Foramen magnum
🔴 RATIONALE: The foramen magnum is the large opening at the base of the occipital bone
through which the spinal cord passes to connect with the brainstem.
2. 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.
🟢 B. New sterile supplies and instruments should be obtained for OR 2 and the setup in OR 1
should be disposed of.
🔴 RATIONALE: Sterile fields cannot be moved without compromising sterility. The setup in OR
1 must be discarded, and a new sterile setup must be prepared for OR 2.
3. Which of the following is the body's local tissue reaction to injury?
A. Fever
B. Infection
C. Inflammation
D. Immune reaction
🟢 C. Inflammation
🔴 RATIONALE: Inflammation is the body's local response to tissue injury, characterized by
redness, heat, swelling, and pain.
4. Which of the following is used to oxygenate and circulate blood?
,A. Doppler ultrasound
B. Defibrillator
C. Extracorporeal bypass
D. Autotransfuser
🟢 C. Extracorporeal bypass
🔴 RATIONALE: Extracorporeal bypass (cardiopulmonary bypass) oxygenates and circulates
blood outside the body during cardiac surgery.
5. 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. Surgeon's preference
🟢 A. Physiologic condition of the patient
🔴 RATIONALE: The patient's physiologic condition, including comorbidities, allergies, and
organ function, is the primary consideration in anesthetic selection.
6. Which of the following is the correct sequence for the surgical hand scrub?
A. Wash hands and forearms, clean under nails, scrub hands and arms, rinse, dry
B. Clean under nails, wash hands and forearms, scrub hands and arms, rinse, dry
C. Scrub hands and arms, clean under nails, wash hands and forearms, rinse, dry
D. Rinse, wash hands, clean under nails, scrub hands and arms, dry
🟢 B. Clean under nails, wash hands and forearms, scrub hands and arms, rinse, dry
🔴 RATIONALE: The correct surgical scrub sequence begins with cleaning under the nails, then
washing hands and forearms, followed by the scrub, rinse, and dry.
7. Which of the following types of lasers is typically used for stone fragmentation in the
ureter?
A. Argon
B. Krypton
, C. Carbon dioxide
D. Holmium: YAG
🟢 D. Holmium: YAG
🔴 RATIONALE: Holmium:YAG laser is commonly used for lithotripsy because it effectively
fragments urinary stones with minimal tissue damage.
8. If a patient is undergoing a mastectomy immediately followed by reconstruction, how
many surgical setups should be obtained?
A. One; the reconstruction will immediately follow the mastectomy, so the same instruments
can be used without additional interventions.
B. One; the reconstruction will immediately follow the mastectomy, so the same instruments
can be used after they are cleaned with sterile water.
C. Two; the reconstruction will immediately follow the mastectomy, but a second set of
instruments should be used to prevent seeding.
D. Two; the reconstruction will immediately follow the mastectomy, but it will be done in a
different OR so two sets are needed.
🟢 C. Two; the reconstruction will immediately follow the mastectomy, but a second set of
instruments should be used to prevent seeding.
🔴 RATIONALE: A second set of instruments is required for the reconstructive portion to
prevent seeding of malignant cells from the mastectomy site to the reconstruction site.
9. Which of the following instruments is used to thread a vascular graft from one incision to
another?
A. Hemostat
B. Tunneler
C. DeBakey vascular forceps
D. Randall Stone forceps
🟢 B. Tunneler
🔴 RATIONALE: A tunneler is a specialized instrument used to create a subcutaneous tunnel
and thread a vascular graft from one incision to another.
