NCCT Surgical Tech Practice
Exam Questions and Answers
When opening a sterile envelope wrapped package, which of the following is the first
step?
A. Pull the top flap up and away from you.
B. Pull the nearest flap to you toward you.
C. Pull the right flap to the right.
D. Pull the left flap to the left. - Answer- Pull the top flap up and away from you.
Rationale
Which of the following techniques is recommended for entering the operating room after
preforming the surgical hand scrub?
A. Pushing the door open with your feet.
B. Turning your back and pushing the door open.
C. Using your side to enter.
D. Waiting for the circulator to open the door. - Answer- Turning your back and pushing
the door open.
Place the options below in the correct order for performing a surgical hand scrub. (Click
and drag the options in the left column to their correct position in the right column.)
Clean under each nail.
Scrub all planes of the fingers.
Inspect hands and arms.
Rinse thoroughly.
Open the brush packet. - Answer- Inspect hands and arms., Open the brush packet.,
Clean under each nail., Scrub all planes of the fingers., Rinse thoroughly.
Place the following actions in the correct order for hand scrubbing. (Click and drag the
options in the left column to their correct position in the right column.)Scrub the third of
the arm above the hand.
Scrub the third of the arm above the elbow.
Scrub the surfaces of the hand.
Clean under the nails with a pick.
Rinse with the fingers pointing up. - Answer- Clean under the nails with a pick., Scrub
the surfaces of the hand., Scrub the third of the arm above the hand., Scrub the third of
the arm above the elbow., Rinse with the fingers pointing up.
Gowns are considered sterile only from
A. neck level to waist in front and back, and full sleeves.
B. shoulder to sterile field level in front and back and full sleeves.
C. neck to thighs in front, and sleeves from elbow to cuffs.
,D. chest to sterile field level in front, and sleeves from elbow to cuffs. - Answer- chest to
sterile field level in front, and sleeves from elbow to cuffs.
Which of the following is the best place to don gloves for minor procedures?
A. back table
B. ring stand
C. prep table
D. Mayo stand - Answer- Mayo stand
Which of the following describes the area on the surgical technologist that should be
sterile?
A. hips to the neckline of the gown, and from the shoulder to the hands
B. waist to the axillary line, and from the hands to the elbows
C. thigh to the axillary line, and from the hands to the elbows
D. waist to the axillary line, and from the shoulder to the hands - Answer- waist to the
axillary line, and from the hands to the elbows
When gowning and gloving, which of the following is always considered unsterile?
A. chest
B. elbow to hand
C. cuffs
D. gloves - Answer- cuffs
Place the options below in the order they should be handed to the surgeon when
assisting with gowning and gloving. (Click and drag the options in the left column to their
correct position in the right column.)
sterile towel
gown
surgical drape
gloves
square off towels - Answer- sterile towel, gown, gloves, square off towels, surgical
drape
The surgical technologist notices that her gown is saturated with blood and requests a
change of gown. Which of the following is the correct procedure?
A. Remove gloves, then remove the gown by turning it inside out.
B. Remove the gown by turning it inside out, then remove gloves.
C. Place a second gown on the surgical technologist to prevent blood contamination.
D. Remove the gown by turning it inside out, without changing gloves. - Answer-
Remove the gown by turning it inside out, then remove gloves.
Which of the following instrument loads should have a biological indicator during the
sterilization process?
A. neuro dissecting instrument tray
B. implantable instrumentation tray
C. vascular instrument tray
, D. retractor instrument tray - Answer- implantable instrumentation tray
The surgical technologist notices there is water in the bottom of a pan after lifting the
instrument basket out. Which of the following actions should the surgical technologist
take?
A. Change gloves and notify the circulating nurse and Sterile Processing.
B. Break down the entire setup, change gown and gloves, and notify the circulating
nurse.
C. Notify the surgeon, break down the entire setup, and notify the charge nurse.
D. Change gown and gloves, file an incident report, and notify the charge nurse. -
Answer- Change gloves and notify the circulating nurse and Sterile Processing
Which of the following must the surgical technologist check before opening a sterile
wrapped package? (Select the two (2) correct answers.)
A. integrity of the package
B. external chemical indicator
C. sterilization date
D. internal chemical indicator
E. load number - Answer- integrity of the package, external chemical indicator
When removing the instrument tray from the casket the surgical technologist finds no
indicator. Which of the following should the technologist do next?
A. Put it back in the casket.
B. Put it on the back table.
C. Hand off and change gloves.
D. Hand off and resterilize the tray. - Answer- Hand off and change gloves.
The surgical technologist is opening for an inguinal hernia repair and notices one of the
caskets containing instruments was partially opened. Which of the following actions
should the technologist take?
A. Continue to open since the caskets have been sterilized.
B. Consider the casket contaminated and ask for a new casket.
C. Remove all of the caskets because they have been contaminated by the open
casket.
D. Take only the instruments needed from the casket and discard the rest. - Answer-
Consider the casket contaminated and ask for a new casket.
Which of the following is the minimum number of times a surgical instrument count
should be performed for an open appendectomy case?
A. two
B. three
C. four
D. five - Answer- three
During a preoperative count the number of sponges in a package is incorrect. Which of
the following actions should the surgical technologist and circulating nurse take?
Exam Questions and Answers
When opening a sterile envelope wrapped package, which of the following is the first
step?
A. Pull the top flap up and away from you.
B. Pull the nearest flap to you toward you.
C. Pull the right flap to the right.
D. Pull the left flap to the left. - Answer- Pull the top flap up and away from you.
Rationale
Which of the following techniques is recommended for entering the operating room after
preforming the surgical hand scrub?
A. Pushing the door open with your feet.
B. Turning your back and pushing the door open.
C. Using your side to enter.
D. Waiting for the circulator to open the door. - Answer- Turning your back and pushing
the door open.
Place the options below in the correct order for performing a surgical hand scrub. (Click
and drag the options in the left column to their correct position in the right column.)
Clean under each nail.
Scrub all planes of the fingers.
Inspect hands and arms.
Rinse thoroughly.
Open the brush packet. - Answer- Inspect hands and arms., Open the brush packet.,
Clean under each nail., Scrub all planes of the fingers., Rinse thoroughly.
Place the following actions in the correct order for hand scrubbing. (Click and drag the
options in the left column to their correct position in the right column.)Scrub the third of
the arm above the hand.
Scrub the third of the arm above the elbow.
Scrub the surfaces of the hand.
Clean under the nails with a pick.
Rinse with the fingers pointing up. - Answer- Clean under the nails with a pick., Scrub
the surfaces of the hand., Scrub the third of the arm above the hand., Scrub the third of
the arm above the elbow., Rinse with the fingers pointing up.
Gowns are considered sterile only from
A. neck level to waist in front and back, and full sleeves.
B. shoulder to sterile field level in front and back and full sleeves.
C. neck to thighs in front, and sleeves from elbow to cuffs.
,D. chest to sterile field level in front, and sleeves from elbow to cuffs. - Answer- chest to
sterile field level in front, and sleeves from elbow to cuffs.
Which of the following is the best place to don gloves for minor procedures?
A. back table
B. ring stand
C. prep table
D. Mayo stand - Answer- Mayo stand
Which of the following describes the area on the surgical technologist that should be
sterile?
A. hips to the neckline of the gown, and from the shoulder to the hands
B. waist to the axillary line, and from the hands to the elbows
C. thigh to the axillary line, and from the hands to the elbows
D. waist to the axillary line, and from the shoulder to the hands - Answer- waist to the
axillary line, and from the hands to the elbows
When gowning and gloving, which of the following is always considered unsterile?
A. chest
B. elbow to hand
C. cuffs
D. gloves - Answer- cuffs
Place the options below in the order they should be handed to the surgeon when
assisting with gowning and gloving. (Click and drag the options in the left column to their
correct position in the right column.)
sterile towel
gown
surgical drape
gloves
square off towels - Answer- sterile towel, gown, gloves, square off towels, surgical
drape
The surgical technologist notices that her gown is saturated with blood and requests a
change of gown. Which of the following is the correct procedure?
A. Remove gloves, then remove the gown by turning it inside out.
B. Remove the gown by turning it inside out, then remove gloves.
C. Place a second gown on the surgical technologist to prevent blood contamination.
D. Remove the gown by turning it inside out, without changing gloves. - Answer-
Remove the gown by turning it inside out, then remove gloves.
Which of the following instrument loads should have a biological indicator during the
sterilization process?
A. neuro dissecting instrument tray
B. implantable instrumentation tray
C. vascular instrument tray
, D. retractor instrument tray - Answer- implantable instrumentation tray
The surgical technologist notices there is water in the bottom of a pan after lifting the
instrument basket out. Which of the following actions should the surgical technologist
take?
A. Change gloves and notify the circulating nurse and Sterile Processing.
B. Break down the entire setup, change gown and gloves, and notify the circulating
nurse.
C. Notify the surgeon, break down the entire setup, and notify the charge nurse.
D. Change gown and gloves, file an incident report, and notify the charge nurse. -
Answer- Change gloves and notify the circulating nurse and Sterile Processing
Which of the following must the surgical technologist check before opening a sterile
wrapped package? (Select the two (2) correct answers.)
A. integrity of the package
B. external chemical indicator
C. sterilization date
D. internal chemical indicator
E. load number - Answer- integrity of the package, external chemical indicator
When removing the instrument tray from the casket the surgical technologist finds no
indicator. Which of the following should the technologist do next?
A. Put it back in the casket.
B. Put it on the back table.
C. Hand off and change gloves.
D. Hand off and resterilize the tray. - Answer- Hand off and change gloves.
The surgical technologist is opening for an inguinal hernia repair and notices one of the
caskets containing instruments was partially opened. Which of the following actions
should the technologist take?
A. Continue to open since the caskets have been sterilized.
B. Consider the casket contaminated and ask for a new casket.
C. Remove all of the caskets because they have been contaminated by the open
casket.
D. Take only the instruments needed from the casket and discard the rest. - Answer-
Consider the casket contaminated and ask for a new casket.
Which of the following is the minimum number of times a surgical instrument count
should be performed for an open appendectomy case?
A. two
B. three
C. four
D. five - Answer- three
During a preoperative count the number of sponges in a package is incorrect. Which of
the following actions should the surgical technologist and circulating nurse take?
