SURG TECH EXAM 1 PRACTICE QUESTIONS
WITH DETAILED EXPLANATIONS 2026
◉ what happens when there is a hole in your glove during a case?
Answer: Inform the circulator, get another set of gloves
◉ what is the weakest part of a suture?
Answer: Knot
◉ Why is it important to remove jewelry before a case?
Answer: Avoid burns at the site
◉ What is the main concern in the OR when there is a fire?
Answer: Patient
◉ When you are drawing up medications, what syringes are not
used?
Answer: insulin syringe
◉ Why are insulin syringes not used in drawing up medication?
Answer: They are labeled in units and not mL
,◉ What is a common source of fuel in the OR?
Answer: preps
◉ What is an advantage of a stapler during surgery?
Answer: faster, decreases trauma, and gets tissue back together
◉ What are chromic sutures packaged in?
Answer: alcohol
◉ what are the purposes of drains?
Answer: *eliminate dead space
*allow apposition of tissues
*prevent formation of hematomas
*prevent wound margin necrosis by eliminating wound pressure on
the uppermost part of the wound
*enable gentle retraction of tissue during operative procedures
*prevent abscess formation in trauma patients
◉ What are two methods of drains?
Answer: active and passive
,◉ what is a passive drain method?
Answer: Capillary action movement of liquid through a narrow
space, as in a penrose drain or via gravity, as in a urinary catheter
◉ what is active drain method?
Answer: Suction via manual, as in Hemovac drain, or Jackson-Pratt,
or external suction, as in Salem sump - a nasogastric tube
◉ What is a T-tube drain used for?
Answer: used in gallbladder surgery. placed in CBD to drain bile
◉ What is a pleur-evac drain used for?
Answer: removes air and fluid from the pleural space via one way
valve. suction to maintain negative pressure in the chest cavity,
which helps the lungs re-expand - water sealed drainage system
◉ what is intro to wound care?
Answer: Sterile wound dressings are placed over the incision at the
close of surgery.
All dressings protect the wound from environmental contamination
◉ What is skin closure?
, Answer: Small superficial wounds may be closed with steri-strips,
which are thin adhesive strips that hold the edges of a wound
together
(others include transparent adhesive patches and biological films)
◉ What is a pressure dressing?
Answer: apply gentle, firm pressure over a wound, and are used
most often over a skin graft
A stent dressing uses gauze or other material that is molded into a
thick pad that covers a graft site
◉ What is a nonadherent barrier?
Answer: Barrier protection dressings keep the wound moist and
protected
◉ What are examples of nonadherent barriers?
Answer: adaptic, xeroform, nu guaze
◉ What are the different layers of dressing known as?
Answer: -inner
-intermediate
-outer
WITH DETAILED EXPLANATIONS 2026
◉ what happens when there is a hole in your glove during a case?
Answer: Inform the circulator, get another set of gloves
◉ what is the weakest part of a suture?
Answer: Knot
◉ Why is it important to remove jewelry before a case?
Answer: Avoid burns at the site
◉ What is the main concern in the OR when there is a fire?
Answer: Patient
◉ When you are drawing up medications, what syringes are not
used?
Answer: insulin syringe
◉ Why are insulin syringes not used in drawing up medication?
Answer: They are labeled in units and not mL
,◉ What is a common source of fuel in the OR?
Answer: preps
◉ What is an advantage of a stapler during surgery?
Answer: faster, decreases trauma, and gets tissue back together
◉ What are chromic sutures packaged in?
Answer: alcohol
◉ what are the purposes of drains?
Answer: *eliminate dead space
*allow apposition of tissues
*prevent formation of hematomas
*prevent wound margin necrosis by eliminating wound pressure on
the uppermost part of the wound
*enable gentle retraction of tissue during operative procedures
*prevent abscess formation in trauma patients
◉ What are two methods of drains?
Answer: active and passive
,◉ what is a passive drain method?
Answer: Capillary action movement of liquid through a narrow
space, as in a penrose drain or via gravity, as in a urinary catheter
◉ what is active drain method?
Answer: Suction via manual, as in Hemovac drain, or Jackson-Pratt,
or external suction, as in Salem sump - a nasogastric tube
◉ What is a T-tube drain used for?
Answer: used in gallbladder surgery. placed in CBD to drain bile
◉ What is a pleur-evac drain used for?
Answer: removes air and fluid from the pleural space via one way
valve. suction to maintain negative pressure in the chest cavity,
which helps the lungs re-expand - water sealed drainage system
◉ what is intro to wound care?
Answer: Sterile wound dressings are placed over the incision at the
close of surgery.
All dressings protect the wound from environmental contamination
◉ What is skin closure?
, Answer: Small superficial wounds may be closed with steri-strips,
which are thin adhesive strips that hold the edges of a wound
together
(others include transparent adhesive patches and biological films)
◉ What is a pressure dressing?
Answer: apply gentle, firm pressure over a wound, and are used
most often over a skin graft
A stent dressing uses gauze or other material that is molded into a
thick pad that covers a graft site
◉ What is a nonadherent barrier?
Answer: Barrier protection dressings keep the wound moist and
protected
◉ What are examples of nonadherent barriers?
Answer: adaptic, xeroform, nu guaze
◉ What are the different layers of dressing known as?
Answer: -inner
-intermediate
-outer
