STERILE PROCESSING / SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY (STR)
EXAMINATION COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND DETAILED
SOLUTIONS LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR JUST RELEASED
Exam Coverage Areas
1. Decontamination and Cleaning — Safe receiving, PPE, point-of-use treatment, manual cleaning,
detergents, and ultrasonic cleaning.
2. Disinfection and Sterilization — Spaulding classification, sterilization methods, parameters, monitoring,
and process failures.
3. Surgical Instrumentation — Identification, inspection, function testing, handling, lubrication, and
instrument care.
4. Assembly, Packaging, and Wrapping — Tray preparation, packaging materials, chemical indicators,
labeling, and load configuration.
5. Microbiology and Infection Prevention — Microorganisms, transmission, aseptic technique, standard
precautions, and surgical-site infection prevention.
6. Operating-Room Surgical Technology — Sterile field maintenance, surgical counts, gowning, gloving,
draping, and case preparation.
7. Anatomy, Physiology, and Medical Terminology — Body systems, anatomical terminology, surgical
procedures, and common medical abbreviations.
8. Surgical Procedures and Supplies — Procedure-specific instruments, sutures, dressings, drains,
specimens, and surgical equipment.
9. Sterile Storage and Distribution — Event-related sterility, inventory rotation, environmental controls,
transport, and sterile storage practices.
10. Safety, Quality Assurance, and Professional Practice — Occupational hazards, documentation, biological
monitoring, recall procedures, ethics, communication, and regulatory compliance.
1. During the initial decontamination process, why should contaminated surgical
instruments remain moist before thorough cleaning begins?
A. Moisture prevents all microorganisms from reproducing
B. Moisture helps prevent organic material from drying onto instruments
C. Moisture automatically sterilizes instruments before cleaning
D. Moisture eliminates the requirement for mechanical cleaning
Answer: B
,Rationale: Keeping instruments moist helps prevent blood, tissue, and other
organic material from drying onto surfaces, making subsequent cleaning more
effective.
2. Which practice is most appropriate when transporting contaminated surgical
instruments from the operating room to decontamination?
A. Carrying instruments uncovered through public corridors
B. Placing instruments inside an appropriate closed, leak-resistant container
C. Wrapping instruments immediately in sterile packaging
D. Storing contaminated instruments in the sterile storage area
Answer: B
Rationale: Contaminated instruments should be safely contained during
transportation to protect personnel, patients, and the environment from
exposure.
3. Why must surgical instruments with hinged components generally remain
open during manual cleaning and automated processing?
A. Opening instruments improves their appearance after processing
B. Opening instruments exposes difficult-to-clean surfaces and joints
C. Opening instruments prevents all corrosion during sterilization
D. Opening instruments guarantees successful biological monitoring
Answer: B
Rationale: Opening hinged instruments allows cleaning agents and sterilants to
reach surfaces that would otherwise remain inaccessible.
4. Which type of personal protective equipment is most important when
manually cleaning contaminated surgical instruments?
,A. Sterile surgical gloves only
B. Appropriate gloves, protective clothing, eye protection, and face protection as
indicated
C. Shoe covers without other protective equipment
D. A surgical mask without gloves or eye protection
Answer: B
Rationale: Decontamination exposes workers to blood, body fluids, chemicals,
and splashes, requiring PPE appropriate to the hazards involved.
5. What is the primary purpose of cleaning reusable medical instruments before
disinfection or sterilization occurs?
A. To make instruments visually attractive
B. To remove organic and inorganic soil that interferes with subsequent
processing
C. To replace sterilization completely
D. To eliminate the need for instrument inspection
Answer: B
Rationale: Cleaning removes soil and contaminants that can shield
microorganisms and interfere with effective disinfection or sterilization.
6. Which characteristic of a cleaning detergent is particularly desirable when
processing reusable surgical instruments?
A. Strong corrosive activity against stainless steel
B. Compatibility with instruments and effective soil removal
C. Permanent residue that protects instruments
D. Ability to replace all sterilization procedures
Answer: B
, Rationale: Cleaning products should effectively remove contamination while
remaining compatible with the instruments and manufacturer instructions.
7. Why should instrument manufacturers' instructions for use be followed when
processing complex reusable medical devices?
A. They provide device-specific processing requirements and limitations
B. They eliminate the need for employee training
C. They guarantee every device can tolerate steam sterilization
D. They allow technicians to ignore facility policies
Answer: A
Rationale: Manufacturer instructions specify approved cleaning, disinfection,
sterilization, maintenance, and handling requirements for specific devices.
8. What is the primary function of an ultrasonic cleaner when processing
appropriately compatible surgical instruments?
A. Sterilizing all instruments through high-pressure steam
B. Using cavitation to assist removal of soil from difficult-to-reach surfaces
C. Replacing every manual cleaning procedure
D. Drying instruments before packaging
Answer: B
Rationale: Ultrasonic cleaners use cavitation to create microscopic bubbles that
help dislodge soil from joints, serrations, and other difficult areas.
9. Which action should be performed before placing instruments into an
ultrasonic cleaner whenever required by processing instructions?
EXAMINATION COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND DETAILED
SOLUTIONS LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR JUST RELEASED
Exam Coverage Areas
1. Decontamination and Cleaning — Safe receiving, PPE, point-of-use treatment, manual cleaning,
detergents, and ultrasonic cleaning.
2. Disinfection and Sterilization — Spaulding classification, sterilization methods, parameters, monitoring,
and process failures.
3. Surgical Instrumentation — Identification, inspection, function testing, handling, lubrication, and
instrument care.
4. Assembly, Packaging, and Wrapping — Tray preparation, packaging materials, chemical indicators,
labeling, and load configuration.
5. Microbiology and Infection Prevention — Microorganisms, transmission, aseptic technique, standard
precautions, and surgical-site infection prevention.
6. Operating-Room Surgical Technology — Sterile field maintenance, surgical counts, gowning, gloving,
draping, and case preparation.
7. Anatomy, Physiology, and Medical Terminology — Body systems, anatomical terminology, surgical
procedures, and common medical abbreviations.
8. Surgical Procedures and Supplies — Procedure-specific instruments, sutures, dressings, drains,
specimens, and surgical equipment.
9. Sterile Storage and Distribution — Event-related sterility, inventory rotation, environmental controls,
transport, and sterile storage practices.
10. Safety, Quality Assurance, and Professional Practice — Occupational hazards, documentation, biological
monitoring, recall procedures, ethics, communication, and regulatory compliance.
1. During the initial decontamination process, why should contaminated surgical
instruments remain moist before thorough cleaning begins?
A. Moisture prevents all microorganisms from reproducing
B. Moisture helps prevent organic material from drying onto instruments
C. Moisture automatically sterilizes instruments before cleaning
D. Moisture eliminates the requirement for mechanical cleaning
Answer: B
,Rationale: Keeping instruments moist helps prevent blood, tissue, and other
organic material from drying onto surfaces, making subsequent cleaning more
effective.
2. Which practice is most appropriate when transporting contaminated surgical
instruments from the operating room to decontamination?
A. Carrying instruments uncovered through public corridors
B. Placing instruments inside an appropriate closed, leak-resistant container
C. Wrapping instruments immediately in sterile packaging
D. Storing contaminated instruments in the sterile storage area
Answer: B
Rationale: Contaminated instruments should be safely contained during
transportation to protect personnel, patients, and the environment from
exposure.
3. Why must surgical instruments with hinged components generally remain
open during manual cleaning and automated processing?
A. Opening instruments improves their appearance after processing
B. Opening instruments exposes difficult-to-clean surfaces and joints
C. Opening instruments prevents all corrosion during sterilization
D. Opening instruments guarantees successful biological monitoring
Answer: B
Rationale: Opening hinged instruments allows cleaning agents and sterilants to
reach surfaces that would otherwise remain inaccessible.
4. Which type of personal protective equipment is most important when
manually cleaning contaminated surgical instruments?
,A. Sterile surgical gloves only
B. Appropriate gloves, protective clothing, eye protection, and face protection as
indicated
C. Shoe covers without other protective equipment
D. A surgical mask without gloves or eye protection
Answer: B
Rationale: Decontamination exposes workers to blood, body fluids, chemicals,
and splashes, requiring PPE appropriate to the hazards involved.
5. What is the primary purpose of cleaning reusable medical instruments before
disinfection or sterilization occurs?
A. To make instruments visually attractive
B. To remove organic and inorganic soil that interferes with subsequent
processing
C. To replace sterilization completely
D. To eliminate the need for instrument inspection
Answer: B
Rationale: Cleaning removes soil and contaminants that can shield
microorganisms and interfere with effective disinfection or sterilization.
6. Which characteristic of a cleaning detergent is particularly desirable when
processing reusable surgical instruments?
A. Strong corrosive activity against stainless steel
B. Compatibility with instruments and effective soil removal
C. Permanent residue that protects instruments
D. Ability to replace all sterilization procedures
Answer: B
, Rationale: Cleaning products should effectively remove contamination while
remaining compatible with the instruments and manufacturer instructions.
7. Why should instrument manufacturers' instructions for use be followed when
processing complex reusable medical devices?
A. They provide device-specific processing requirements and limitations
B. They eliminate the need for employee training
C. They guarantee every device can tolerate steam sterilization
D. They allow technicians to ignore facility policies
Answer: A
Rationale: Manufacturer instructions specify approved cleaning, disinfection,
sterilization, maintenance, and handling requirements for specific devices.
8. What is the primary function of an ultrasonic cleaner when processing
appropriately compatible surgical instruments?
A. Sterilizing all instruments through high-pressure steam
B. Using cavitation to assist removal of soil from difficult-to-reach surfaces
C. Replacing every manual cleaning procedure
D. Drying instruments before packaging
Answer: B
Rationale: Ultrasonic cleaners use cavitation to create microscopic bubbles that
help dislodge soil from joints, serrations, and other difficult areas.
9. Which action should be performed before placing instruments into an
ultrasonic cleaner whenever required by processing instructions?
