NCCT CST PRACTICE EXAM NEWEST 2026
COMPLETE 190 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS
(VERIFIED ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED
A+||BRAND NEW!!
The circulating nurse notices that the patient is actively bleeding from one of the
operative sites and the surgeon has left the room. Which of the following actions
should the surgical technologist take?
A. Break scrub and inform the surgeon.
B. Remain in gown and gloves and apply pressure.
C. Break scrub and monitor the sterile field.
D. Open a new sterile field for the patient. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- B. Remain in
gown and gloves and apply pressure.
Rationale: The surgical technologist should remain sterile until the patient is out
of the operating room and in PACU. If the surgical technologist has not broken
scrub she can apply pressure until the surgeon is called back into the room. Since
the field remains sterile it is not necessary to open a new sterile field.
The surgical technologist is helping the surgeon complete a laparoscopic
cholecystectomy and the surgeon has placed the dressing on the patient. Which
of the following should the surgical technologist do next?
A. Remove the top glove, hold the dressing in place, roll away the drape and
discard.
Pg. 1
,B. Remove Mayo stand, back table and top glove, hold the dressing in place, tear
the drape off the patient and discard.
C. Remove top glove, hold dressing in place, tear the drape off patient and
discard.
D. Remove the Mayo stand, back table and top glove, hold the dressing in place,
roll away the drape and discard. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- D. Remove the Mayo
stand, back table and top glove, hold the dressing in place, roll away the drape
and discard.
Rationale: The Mayo stand and back table need to remain sterile until the patient
is out of the room. The top gloves need replaced to prohibit any debris from
getting the dressing dirty. By holding the dressing on with the clean gloves the
drape can be removed so any biohazardous materials are contained within the
drapes and discarded.
A tornado warning is in effect and power has been switched to the generator due
to downed electrical lines. The hospital's disaster triage protocol has been
activated. A surgical procedure is in progress. Which of the following is the best
course of action to ensure patient safety?
A. Immediately evacuate the patient to the preoperative holding area.
B. Finish the procedure and evacuate the patient.
C. Place wet towels under door and finish the procedure.
D. Cover the back table until the storm passes. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- B. Finish
the procedure and evacuate the patient.
Rationale: Follow hospital's disaster plan for tornado preparedness and response.
Under Joint Commissions standard codes, this would be categorized as a Code
Brown, which is a weather related emergency. The best option in this instance is
Pg. 2
,to complete the case, and then transfer the patient to a safe location for post-
operative care.
Upon opening a sterilized instrument tray, the surgical technologist finds
bioburden inside the lumen of a metal suction. Which of the following actions
should the surgical technologist take?
A. Isolate the sterilized suction, then flush the bioburden with sterile water.
B. Remove the sterilized suction from the sterile field.
C. Isolate the sterilized suction on the sterile field with a sterile towel.
D. Remove the sterilized instrument tray from the sterile field. - CORRECT
ANSWER ✔✔- D. Remove the sterilized instrument tray from the sterile field.
Rationale: The surgical technologist should check and inspect instruments. If
bioburden is found, the whole tray should be discarded and handed off. (When in
doubt throw it out.) The tray should not be left on the sterile field at all, or
cleaned on the sterile field, because it would make the field contaminated.
While preparing the room for a surgical procedure using the laser, which of the
following policies ensure the laser is being used correctly? (Select the three (3)
correct answers.)
A. Have laparotomy sponges available.
B. Post warning signs outside the room
C. Place the foot control next to the circulator.
D. Do not use alcohol based preps.
E. Wear safety goggles. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- B. Post warning signs outside
the room.
D. Do not use alcohol based preps.
Pg. 3
, E. Wear safety goggles.
Rationale: Posting warning signs will prevent surgery doors from opening and
causing unnecessary harm to co-workers outside the room. Not using alcohol
based preps will decrease the risk of surgical fires. Safety goggles approved for
that specific laser will prevent injury to the eye. Laparotomy sponges should be
wet if available. The doctor should be in control of the foot control pedal to the
laser.
During a vaginal hysterectomy the surgical team noticed that the safety belt was
left off the patient before the drape was applied and discovered after draping.
How can the patient be secured to the OR bed without interrupting the sterile
field or procedure?
A. The surgical technologist can watch for movement of the patient and inform
the circulator.
B. The anesthesiologist can secure the head to prevent shifting.
C. The circulator can reach under the sterile drape and apply the safety strap.
D. The surgeon can request sterile coban to secure the patient. - CORRECT
ANSWER ✔✔- C. The circulator can reach under the sterile drape and apply the
safety strap.
Rationale: The underside of the drape is not sterile, therefore, can be touched by
the unsterile circulating nurse, while she secures the patient with the safety strap.
The surgical team is at the surgical field and has just completed the time-out. The
surgeon turns to the surgical technologist and asks for local. Which of the
following actions should the surgical technologist take next before passing the
local?
A. Read aloud the medication label on the syringe.
Pg. 4
COMPLETE 190 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS
(VERIFIED ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED
A+||BRAND NEW!!
The circulating nurse notices that the patient is actively bleeding from one of the
operative sites and the surgeon has left the room. Which of the following actions
should the surgical technologist take?
A. Break scrub and inform the surgeon.
B. Remain in gown and gloves and apply pressure.
C. Break scrub and monitor the sterile field.
D. Open a new sterile field for the patient. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- B. Remain in
gown and gloves and apply pressure.
Rationale: The surgical technologist should remain sterile until the patient is out
of the operating room and in PACU. If the surgical technologist has not broken
scrub she can apply pressure until the surgeon is called back into the room. Since
the field remains sterile it is not necessary to open a new sterile field.
The surgical technologist is helping the surgeon complete a laparoscopic
cholecystectomy and the surgeon has placed the dressing on the patient. Which
of the following should the surgical technologist do next?
A. Remove the top glove, hold the dressing in place, roll away the drape and
discard.
Pg. 1
,B. Remove Mayo stand, back table and top glove, hold the dressing in place, tear
the drape off the patient and discard.
C. Remove top glove, hold dressing in place, tear the drape off patient and
discard.
D. Remove the Mayo stand, back table and top glove, hold the dressing in place,
roll away the drape and discard. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- D. Remove the Mayo
stand, back table and top glove, hold the dressing in place, roll away the drape
and discard.
Rationale: The Mayo stand and back table need to remain sterile until the patient
is out of the room. The top gloves need replaced to prohibit any debris from
getting the dressing dirty. By holding the dressing on with the clean gloves the
drape can be removed so any biohazardous materials are contained within the
drapes and discarded.
A tornado warning is in effect and power has been switched to the generator due
to downed electrical lines. The hospital's disaster triage protocol has been
activated. A surgical procedure is in progress. Which of the following is the best
course of action to ensure patient safety?
A. Immediately evacuate the patient to the preoperative holding area.
B. Finish the procedure and evacuate the patient.
C. Place wet towels under door and finish the procedure.
D. Cover the back table until the storm passes. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- B. Finish
the procedure and evacuate the patient.
Rationale: Follow hospital's disaster plan for tornado preparedness and response.
Under Joint Commissions standard codes, this would be categorized as a Code
Brown, which is a weather related emergency. The best option in this instance is
Pg. 2
,to complete the case, and then transfer the patient to a safe location for post-
operative care.
Upon opening a sterilized instrument tray, the surgical technologist finds
bioburden inside the lumen of a metal suction. Which of the following actions
should the surgical technologist take?
A. Isolate the sterilized suction, then flush the bioburden with sterile water.
B. Remove the sterilized suction from the sterile field.
C. Isolate the sterilized suction on the sterile field with a sterile towel.
D. Remove the sterilized instrument tray from the sterile field. - CORRECT
ANSWER ✔✔- D. Remove the sterilized instrument tray from the sterile field.
Rationale: The surgical technologist should check and inspect instruments. If
bioburden is found, the whole tray should be discarded and handed off. (When in
doubt throw it out.) The tray should not be left on the sterile field at all, or
cleaned on the sterile field, because it would make the field contaminated.
While preparing the room for a surgical procedure using the laser, which of the
following policies ensure the laser is being used correctly? (Select the three (3)
correct answers.)
A. Have laparotomy sponges available.
B. Post warning signs outside the room
C. Place the foot control next to the circulator.
D. Do not use alcohol based preps.
E. Wear safety goggles. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- B. Post warning signs outside
the room.
D. Do not use alcohol based preps.
Pg. 3
, E. Wear safety goggles.
Rationale: Posting warning signs will prevent surgery doors from opening and
causing unnecessary harm to co-workers outside the room. Not using alcohol
based preps will decrease the risk of surgical fires. Safety goggles approved for
that specific laser will prevent injury to the eye. Laparotomy sponges should be
wet if available. The doctor should be in control of the foot control pedal to the
laser.
During a vaginal hysterectomy the surgical team noticed that the safety belt was
left off the patient before the drape was applied and discovered after draping.
How can the patient be secured to the OR bed without interrupting the sterile
field or procedure?
A. The surgical technologist can watch for movement of the patient and inform
the circulator.
B. The anesthesiologist can secure the head to prevent shifting.
C. The circulator can reach under the sterile drape and apply the safety strap.
D. The surgeon can request sterile coban to secure the patient. - CORRECT
ANSWER ✔✔- C. The circulator can reach under the sterile drape and apply the
safety strap.
Rationale: The underside of the drape is not sterile, therefore, can be touched by
the unsterile circulating nurse, while she secures the patient with the safety strap.
The surgical team is at the surgical field and has just completed the time-out. The
surgeon turns to the surgical technologist and asks for local. Which of the
following actions should the surgical technologist take next before passing the
local?
A. Read aloud the medication label on the syringe.
Pg. 4
