AST Exam B Comprehensive
Questions (Frequently Tested)
with Verified Answers Graded
A+
Which of the following is considered the MOST important skill for a surgical technologist?
A.management of specimens
B.management of sponges
C.maintaining an orderly setup
D.ensuring adequate lighting - Answer: A. Correctly managing specimens removed from patients
during surgery is the most important skill surgical technologists.
The surgical incision that allows for the BEST visualization for a Billroth I procedure is
A. McBurney's.
B. Pfannenstiel.
C. midline.
D. subcostal. - Answer: C. The midline incision runs along the linea alba and is used in most
abdominal procedures, as it provides visualization to most of the abdominal contents.
During the postoperative phase, the personnel primarily responsible for transporting soiled
instrumentation to decontamination is the
,A. housekeeping staff.
B. anesthesia technician.
C. surgical technologist.
D. central processing technician. - Answer: C. The surgical technologist is responsible for
transporting instrumentation to the decontamination room. The central processing tech will
then retrieve the instrumentation and continue the cleaning process.
CSF is formed in the lateral ventricles of a patient and may not properly flow into the third
ventricle through the foramen of
A. Magendie into the fourth ventricle.
B. Monro into the fourth ventricle.
C. Sylvius into the fourth ventricle.
D. Luschka into the fourth ventricle. - Answer: C. The foramen of Sylvius drains CSF from the
third to the fourth and is also referred to as the cerebral aqueduct.
During an excisional biopsy of sentinel nodes, the surgical technologist should prepare
specimens using which of the following methods?
A. Place on a Raytec to be handed off to the circulator.
B. Separate on Telfa and pass to the circulator.
C. Place in separate containers and identify.
D. Place in specimen container held by the circulator using a hemostat. - Answer: C. The surgical
technologist must place each node in a separate sterile container and ensure that they are
identified appropriately.
A thyroidectomy that was done earlier in the day is being brought back for excessive bleeding
from the incision. Which of the following items are needed for this case?
,A. Monocryl suture and harmonic scalpel
B. laps, silk ties, and hemoclips
C. Vicryl ties, pledgets, and Alexis
D. nylon suture, Raytec, and Geralds - Answer: B. Laps, silk ties, and hemoclips are all used for
acute hemostasis.
A surgical technologist received the following medications onto the sterile field: 0.9% sodium
chloride, bacitracin 1 gm, and 0.25% Marcaine with epinephrine. Which of the following is the
MOST appropriate way to label these medications?
A. saline + bacitracin and .25 Marcaine + epinephrine
B. NACL + 1 gm baci and 0.25 marc w/epi
C. saline + baci and 0.
25% marc with epi
D. 0.9% saline + 1 gm bacitracin and 0.25% Marcaine with epinephrine - Answer: D. Labels
should have at least: name of medication, strength of medication and concentration of drug.
Also, abbreviations must not be used according to the Joint Commission ruling on "do not use"
abbreviations.
If there is any question related to handling a specific type of specimen, which of the following
departments should be consulted?
A. histology
B. laboratory
C. pathology
D. radiology - Answer: C. The pathology department receives all tissue samples and other
specimens from surgery.
The required number of air exchanges per hour in an OR is
, A. 5 to 10.
B. 15 to 25.
C. 30 to 35.
D. 40 to 50. - Answer: B. About 15 to 25 air exchanges are needed to minimize bacterial growth.
A special-made instrument without a backup falls to the floor during a procedure. Which of the
following is the BEST reason to hesitate performing immediate-use sterilization?
A. The sterilizer is used for implantable devices, but not instruments.
B. The manufacturer's standards for sterilizing the instrument are unknown.
C. The staff feels uncomfortable transporting the unwrapped instrument to the OR after
sterilization.
D. There are no wrappers or pouches available for sterilizing the instrument. - Answer: B. The
manufacture standards for sterilization are not the same for every instrument. Therefore,
knowing the guidelines is required for immediate-use sterilization.
When transferring a thoracotomy patient to recovery, the chest drainage system should be
A. disconnected.
B. placed at the patient's side.
C. positioned above the patient's head.
D. maintained below the patient's chest level. - Answer: D. Keeping the drainage system below
the patient's chest level prevents re-entry of air and fluid into the chest cavity.
Which of the following procedures requires an incision in the suprasternal notch?
A. mediastinoscopy
Questions (Frequently Tested)
with Verified Answers Graded
A+
Which of the following is considered the MOST important skill for a surgical technologist?
A.management of specimens
B.management of sponges
C.maintaining an orderly setup
D.ensuring adequate lighting - Answer: A. Correctly managing specimens removed from patients
during surgery is the most important skill surgical technologists.
The surgical incision that allows for the BEST visualization for a Billroth I procedure is
A. McBurney's.
B. Pfannenstiel.
C. midline.
D. subcostal. - Answer: C. The midline incision runs along the linea alba and is used in most
abdominal procedures, as it provides visualization to most of the abdominal contents.
During the postoperative phase, the personnel primarily responsible for transporting soiled
instrumentation to decontamination is the
,A. housekeeping staff.
B. anesthesia technician.
C. surgical technologist.
D. central processing technician. - Answer: C. The surgical technologist is responsible for
transporting instrumentation to the decontamination room. The central processing tech will
then retrieve the instrumentation and continue the cleaning process.
CSF is formed in the lateral ventricles of a patient and may not properly flow into the third
ventricle through the foramen of
A. Magendie into the fourth ventricle.
B. Monro into the fourth ventricle.
C. Sylvius into the fourth ventricle.
D. Luschka into the fourth ventricle. - Answer: C. The foramen of Sylvius drains CSF from the
third to the fourth and is also referred to as the cerebral aqueduct.
During an excisional biopsy of sentinel nodes, the surgical technologist should prepare
specimens using which of the following methods?
A. Place on a Raytec to be handed off to the circulator.
B. Separate on Telfa and pass to the circulator.
C. Place in separate containers and identify.
D. Place in specimen container held by the circulator using a hemostat. - Answer: C. The surgical
technologist must place each node in a separate sterile container and ensure that they are
identified appropriately.
A thyroidectomy that was done earlier in the day is being brought back for excessive bleeding
from the incision. Which of the following items are needed for this case?
,A. Monocryl suture and harmonic scalpel
B. laps, silk ties, and hemoclips
C. Vicryl ties, pledgets, and Alexis
D. nylon suture, Raytec, and Geralds - Answer: B. Laps, silk ties, and hemoclips are all used for
acute hemostasis.
A surgical technologist received the following medications onto the sterile field: 0.9% sodium
chloride, bacitracin 1 gm, and 0.25% Marcaine with epinephrine. Which of the following is the
MOST appropriate way to label these medications?
A. saline + bacitracin and .25 Marcaine + epinephrine
B. NACL + 1 gm baci and 0.25 marc w/epi
C. saline + baci and 0.
25% marc with epi
D. 0.9% saline + 1 gm bacitracin and 0.25% Marcaine with epinephrine - Answer: D. Labels
should have at least: name of medication, strength of medication and concentration of drug.
Also, abbreviations must not be used according to the Joint Commission ruling on "do not use"
abbreviations.
If there is any question related to handling a specific type of specimen, which of the following
departments should be consulted?
A. histology
B. laboratory
C. pathology
D. radiology - Answer: C. The pathology department receives all tissue samples and other
specimens from surgery.
The required number of air exchanges per hour in an OR is
, A. 5 to 10.
B. 15 to 25.
C. 30 to 35.
D. 40 to 50. - Answer: B. About 15 to 25 air exchanges are needed to minimize bacterial growth.
A special-made instrument without a backup falls to the floor during a procedure. Which of the
following is the BEST reason to hesitate performing immediate-use sterilization?
A. The sterilizer is used for implantable devices, but not instruments.
B. The manufacturer's standards for sterilizing the instrument are unknown.
C. The staff feels uncomfortable transporting the unwrapped instrument to the OR after
sterilization.
D. There are no wrappers or pouches available for sterilizing the instrument. - Answer: B. The
manufacture standards for sterilization are not the same for every instrument. Therefore,
knowing the guidelines is required for immediate-use sterilization.
When transferring a thoracotomy patient to recovery, the chest drainage system should be
A. disconnected.
B. placed at the patient's side.
C. positioned above the patient's head.
D. maintained below the patient's chest level. - Answer: D. Keeping the drainage system below
the patient's chest level prevents re-entry of air and fluid into the chest cavity.
Which of the following procedures requires an incision in the suprasternal notch?
A. mediastinoscopy
