NBSTSA CST EXAM A EVALUATION TEST
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔When entering the abdominal cavity, which of the following BEST describes the
order of contact with the layers of tissue?
A. skin, fascia, subcutaneous, peritoneum, muscle
B. skin, subcutaneous, muscle, fascia, peritoneum
C. skin, fascia, peritoneum, subcutaneous, muscle
D. skin, subcutaneous, fascia, muscle, peritoneum - ✔✔D. skin, subcutaneous, fascia,
muscle, peritoneum
✔✔If a Kelly clamp is left in a patient who underwent a cholecystectomy, which of the
following legal concepts apply?
A. misdemeanor
B. res ipsa loquitur
C. extension doctrine
D. intentional tort - ✔✔B. res ipsa loquitur
✔✔A surgical technologist just opened an instrument set that is wet inside after
undergoing steam sterilization. Which of the following is the MOST likely reason for the
condensate in the package and how can it be corrected?
A. There are not enough instruments in the tray to allow for revaporization of the
condensate. The number of instruments in the tray should be increased and the tray
should be reprocessed.
B. The instrument set contained absorbant towels, which soaked up the moisture and
prevented efficient drying. The tray should be reprocessed without any towels.
C. The absorbent towels were wrapped too tightly around the instrument tray, so they
retained moisture. The tray should be reprocessed with loosely wrapped new towels.
D. Condensate has built up on the steam lines. The surgical technologist should clean
the steam lines and reprocess the instrument tray. - ✔✔C. The absorbent towels were
,wrapped too tightly around the instrument tray, so they retained moisture. The tray
should be reprocessed with loosely wrapped new towels
✔✔A surgeon's preference card indicates the surgeon wears a size L gown and double-
gloves with a size 7 inner glove and size 6-1/2 outer glove, and the first assistant wears
a size XL gown and double-gloves with a size 7-1/2 inner glove and size 7 outer glove.
The first assistant arrives prior to the surgeon. Which of the following is the proper order
to place the sterile attire on the back table?
A. L gown, 7 glove, 6-1/2 glove, XL gown, 7-1/2 glove, 7 glove
B. XL gown, 7-1/2 glove, 7 glove, L gown, 7 glove, 6-1/2 glove
C. XL gown, 7 glove, 7-1/2 glove, towel, L gown, 6-1/2 glove, 7 glove
D. L gown, 6-1/2 glove, 7 glove, towel, XL gown, 7 glove, 6-1/2 glove - ✔✔B. XL gown,
7-1/2 glove, 7 glove, L gown, 7 glove, 6-1/2 glove
✔✔Following a surgical procedure, which of the following is the BEST sequence of
actions for a surgical technologist to take?
A. Remove sterile drapes, remove gown and gloves, and don a pair of unsterile gloves
to aid in the care of the postoperative patient.
B. Remove gown and gloves, don a pair of unsterile gloves to remove drapes from the
patient, and remove instruments and supplies from the back table.
C. Remove gown and gloves, don a pair of sterile gloves to remove drapes from
patient, and remove gloves and don a pain of unsterile gloves to clean the back table.
D. Remove sterile drapes, remove gown and gloves, and don a pair of sterile gloves to
clean back table. - ✔✔A. Remove sterile drapes, remove gown and gloves, and don a
pair of unsterile gloves to aid in the care of the postoperative patient.
✔✔Which of the following drugs neutralizes the action of heparin?
A. calcium chloride
B. protamine sulfate
C. lidocaine (Xylocaine)
D. neostigmine (Prostigmin) - ✔✔B. protamine sulfate
✔✔Which of the following wounds is MOST likely in the inflammatory phase of wound
healing?
A. a Bankart repair, one week post-procedure
B. a laparotomy incision with a cicatrix
C. an open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) of a finger, two weeks post-procedure
D. an abdominal incision, 20 minutes post-closure - ✔✔D. an abdominal incision, 20
minutes post-closure
✔✔To revascularize the heart muscle of a patient with heart disease, a graft may be
anastomosed between which of the following two vessels?
, A. internal mammary artery to affected coronary artery
B. subclavian artery to affected coronary artery
C. internal mammary artery to aorta
D. subclavian artery to aorta - ✔✔A. internal mammary artery to affected coronary
artery
✔✔A laparotomy drape has been placed on a patient, and unprepped skin on the
operative site is exposed. Which of the following is the BEST next step?
A. Apply drapes over unprepped skin.
B. Reposition the drapes closer together.
C. Remove drapes and re-prep.
D. Cover with an adhesive drape. - ✔✔C. Remove drapes and re-prep
✔✔While preparing a sterile field, a surgical technologist secures the Bovie holster to
the Mayo stand. The surgeon insists on keeping the Bovie by him toward the head of
the patient. Which of the following would be the BEST course of action?
A. Move Bovie holster up by head of patient.
B. Do not move the Bovie holster.
C. Tell the circulator to document the surgeon's response.
D. Remove the Bovie from the field. - ✔✔A. Move Bovie holster up by head of patient.
✔✔Ratcheted instruments should be
A. soaked in a saline solution.
B. prepared for decontamination with curved tips up.
C. opened for washing and sterilizing.
D. sterilized in the sonic washer. - ✔✔C. opened for washing and sterilizing.
✔✔An effective packaging material used for a Balfour to be steam sterilized
A. permits penetration by the sterilant.
B. allows for condensation that produces wet packs.
C. allows for exposure to peracetic acid.
D. is dictated by the surgeon's preference. - ✔✔A. permits penetration by the sterilant.
✔✔The parathyroid gland regulates
A. insulin.
B. calcium.
C. sodium.
D. aldosterone. - ✔✔B. calcium.
✔✔Scoliosis is MOST commonly found in which of the following curves of the vertebral
column?
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔When entering the abdominal cavity, which of the following BEST describes the
order of contact with the layers of tissue?
A. skin, fascia, subcutaneous, peritoneum, muscle
B. skin, subcutaneous, muscle, fascia, peritoneum
C. skin, fascia, peritoneum, subcutaneous, muscle
D. skin, subcutaneous, fascia, muscle, peritoneum - ✔✔D. skin, subcutaneous, fascia,
muscle, peritoneum
✔✔If a Kelly clamp is left in a patient who underwent a cholecystectomy, which of the
following legal concepts apply?
A. misdemeanor
B. res ipsa loquitur
C. extension doctrine
D. intentional tort - ✔✔B. res ipsa loquitur
✔✔A surgical technologist just opened an instrument set that is wet inside after
undergoing steam sterilization. Which of the following is the MOST likely reason for the
condensate in the package and how can it be corrected?
A. There are not enough instruments in the tray to allow for revaporization of the
condensate. The number of instruments in the tray should be increased and the tray
should be reprocessed.
B. The instrument set contained absorbant towels, which soaked up the moisture and
prevented efficient drying. The tray should be reprocessed without any towels.
C. The absorbent towels were wrapped too tightly around the instrument tray, so they
retained moisture. The tray should be reprocessed with loosely wrapped new towels.
D. Condensate has built up on the steam lines. The surgical technologist should clean
the steam lines and reprocess the instrument tray. - ✔✔C. The absorbent towels were
,wrapped too tightly around the instrument tray, so they retained moisture. The tray
should be reprocessed with loosely wrapped new towels
✔✔A surgeon's preference card indicates the surgeon wears a size L gown and double-
gloves with a size 7 inner glove and size 6-1/2 outer glove, and the first assistant wears
a size XL gown and double-gloves with a size 7-1/2 inner glove and size 7 outer glove.
The first assistant arrives prior to the surgeon. Which of the following is the proper order
to place the sterile attire on the back table?
A. L gown, 7 glove, 6-1/2 glove, XL gown, 7-1/2 glove, 7 glove
B. XL gown, 7-1/2 glove, 7 glove, L gown, 7 glove, 6-1/2 glove
C. XL gown, 7 glove, 7-1/2 glove, towel, L gown, 6-1/2 glove, 7 glove
D. L gown, 6-1/2 glove, 7 glove, towel, XL gown, 7 glove, 6-1/2 glove - ✔✔B. XL gown,
7-1/2 glove, 7 glove, L gown, 7 glove, 6-1/2 glove
✔✔Following a surgical procedure, which of the following is the BEST sequence of
actions for a surgical technologist to take?
A. Remove sterile drapes, remove gown and gloves, and don a pair of unsterile gloves
to aid in the care of the postoperative patient.
B. Remove gown and gloves, don a pair of unsterile gloves to remove drapes from the
patient, and remove instruments and supplies from the back table.
C. Remove gown and gloves, don a pair of sterile gloves to remove drapes from
patient, and remove gloves and don a pain of unsterile gloves to clean the back table.
D. Remove sterile drapes, remove gown and gloves, and don a pair of sterile gloves to
clean back table. - ✔✔A. Remove sterile drapes, remove gown and gloves, and don a
pair of unsterile gloves to aid in the care of the postoperative patient.
✔✔Which of the following drugs neutralizes the action of heparin?
A. calcium chloride
B. protamine sulfate
C. lidocaine (Xylocaine)
D. neostigmine (Prostigmin) - ✔✔B. protamine sulfate
✔✔Which of the following wounds is MOST likely in the inflammatory phase of wound
healing?
A. a Bankart repair, one week post-procedure
B. a laparotomy incision with a cicatrix
C. an open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) of a finger, two weeks post-procedure
D. an abdominal incision, 20 minutes post-closure - ✔✔D. an abdominal incision, 20
minutes post-closure
✔✔To revascularize the heart muscle of a patient with heart disease, a graft may be
anastomosed between which of the following two vessels?
, A. internal mammary artery to affected coronary artery
B. subclavian artery to affected coronary artery
C. internal mammary artery to aorta
D. subclavian artery to aorta - ✔✔A. internal mammary artery to affected coronary
artery
✔✔A laparotomy drape has been placed on a patient, and unprepped skin on the
operative site is exposed. Which of the following is the BEST next step?
A. Apply drapes over unprepped skin.
B. Reposition the drapes closer together.
C. Remove drapes and re-prep.
D. Cover with an adhesive drape. - ✔✔C. Remove drapes and re-prep
✔✔While preparing a sterile field, a surgical technologist secures the Bovie holster to
the Mayo stand. The surgeon insists on keeping the Bovie by him toward the head of
the patient. Which of the following would be the BEST course of action?
A. Move Bovie holster up by head of patient.
B. Do not move the Bovie holster.
C. Tell the circulator to document the surgeon's response.
D. Remove the Bovie from the field. - ✔✔A. Move Bovie holster up by head of patient.
✔✔Ratcheted instruments should be
A. soaked in a saline solution.
B. prepared for decontamination with curved tips up.
C. opened for washing and sterilizing.
D. sterilized in the sonic washer. - ✔✔C. opened for washing and sterilizing.
✔✔An effective packaging material used for a Balfour to be steam sterilized
A. permits penetration by the sterilant.
B. allows for condensation that produces wet packs.
C. allows for exposure to peracetic acid.
D. is dictated by the surgeon's preference. - ✔✔A. permits penetration by the sterilant.
✔✔The parathyroid gland regulates
A. insulin.
B. calcium.
C. sodium.
D. aldosterone. - ✔✔B. calcium.
✔✔Scoliosis is MOST commonly found in which of the following curves of the vertebral
column?
