NBSTSA CST EXAM A QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
SET A+
✔✔A surgical technologist sees a neighbor being admitted. How should the surgical
technologist respond?
A.Acknowledge the neighbor.
B.Reassure the neighbor that everything will be fine.
C.Do not acknowledge the neighbor unless greeted first.
D.Ignore the neighbor, even if greeted. - ✔✔C. Do not acknowledge the neighbor unless
greeted first
✔✔Instruments that come in contact with the appendiceal stump during an
appendectomy should be
A.placed in a separate basin.
B.wiped with a saline sponge.
C.returned to the Mayo stand.
D. wiped with an alcohol sponge. - ✔✔A.placed in a separate basin.
✔✔Which of the following is the MOST serious complication of a strangulated hernia?
A. shock
B. necrosis
C. infection
D. hemorrhage - ✔✔B. necrosis
✔✔Which of the following techniques is NOT acceptable for draping the patient?
A.Hold the drapes high until directly over the patient.
B.Protect the gloved hands by cuffing the drapes.
C.Readjust the drapes as necessary after placement.
D.Place the drapes on a dry area. - ✔✔C.Readjust the drapes as necessary after
placement.
,✔✔Which of the following structures is separated first when a paramedian incision is
performed?
A. peritoneum
B. transverse abdominis
C. external oblique
D. rectus abdominis - ✔✔D. rectus abdominis
✔✔Which of the following is MOST likely to be used to stabilize a cervical fracture?
A. Kirschner wire
B. Hoffman device
C. Steinmann pins
D. Mayfield clamp - ✔✔D. Mayfield clamp
✔✔During a transurethral resection of the prostate, bleeding is controlled by
A. Gelfoam.
B. irrigation.
C. cauterization.
D. suture ligature. - ✔✔C. cauterization.
✔✔To prevent contamination at the end of a surgical procedure, which of the following
should be removed LAST by the surgical technologist in the scrub role?
A. patient's drapes
B. surgical gloves
C. surgical gown
D. Mayo stand drape - ✔✔B. surgical gloves
✔✔In order to remove a portion of the kidney, the surgeon must enter which of the
following?
A. synovial membrane
B. Gerota's fascia
C. Hesselbach's triangle
D. suprapleural membrane - ✔✔B. Gerota's fascia
✔✔Which of the following is the MOST common straight catheter used prior to
laparoscopic gynecological surgery in the OR?
A. Foley
B. Pezzer
C. Malecot
D. Robinson - ✔✔D. Robinson
✔✔A Stamey needle is used for which of the following types of surgery?
A. hysterectomy
B. prostatectomy
, C. bladder suspension
D. anterior colporrhaphy - ✔✔C. bladder suspension
✔✔Immediately before a hemorrhoidectomy, which of the following procedures might be
performed on the patient in the operating room?
A. cystoscopy
B. culdoscopy
C. sigmoidoscopy
D. laparoscopy - ✔✔C. sigmoidoscopy
✔✔Which of the following is a fenestrated drape?
A. a drape with an opening that allows exposure of the operative site
B. a split drape that has two tails
C. a drape used to cover the operating table, instrument table, and body regions
D. an incise drape that is self-adhering - ✔✔A. a drape with an opening that allows
exposure of the operative site
✔✔An appendectomy incision closed using suture is considered to be which of the
following types of wound closure?
A. primary intention
B. secondary intention
C. tertiary intention
D. third intention - ✔✔A. primary intention
✔✔Which of the following patients is MOST likely to acquire a nosocomial infection?
A. a healthy female patient who is 45 years of age
B. a female patient in labor and delivery
C. a healthy male patient who is 45 years of age
D. a male patient who has diabetes - ✔✔D. a male patient who has diabetes
✔✔31
The appendiceal stump, when inverted, is held in place by which of the following types
of suture?
A. mattress
B. traction
C. interrupted
D. purse-string - ✔✔D. purse-string
✔✔Aerobic organisms are BEST characterized as
A. pathogenic.
B. nonpathogenic.
C. oxygen-requiring.
SET A+
✔✔A surgical technologist sees a neighbor being admitted. How should the surgical
technologist respond?
A.Acknowledge the neighbor.
B.Reassure the neighbor that everything will be fine.
C.Do not acknowledge the neighbor unless greeted first.
D.Ignore the neighbor, even if greeted. - ✔✔C. Do not acknowledge the neighbor unless
greeted first
✔✔Instruments that come in contact with the appendiceal stump during an
appendectomy should be
A.placed in a separate basin.
B.wiped with a saline sponge.
C.returned to the Mayo stand.
D. wiped with an alcohol sponge. - ✔✔A.placed in a separate basin.
✔✔Which of the following is the MOST serious complication of a strangulated hernia?
A. shock
B. necrosis
C. infection
D. hemorrhage - ✔✔B. necrosis
✔✔Which of the following techniques is NOT acceptable for draping the patient?
A.Hold the drapes high until directly over the patient.
B.Protect the gloved hands by cuffing the drapes.
C.Readjust the drapes as necessary after placement.
D.Place the drapes on a dry area. - ✔✔C.Readjust the drapes as necessary after
placement.
,✔✔Which of the following structures is separated first when a paramedian incision is
performed?
A. peritoneum
B. transverse abdominis
C. external oblique
D. rectus abdominis - ✔✔D. rectus abdominis
✔✔Which of the following is MOST likely to be used to stabilize a cervical fracture?
A. Kirschner wire
B. Hoffman device
C. Steinmann pins
D. Mayfield clamp - ✔✔D. Mayfield clamp
✔✔During a transurethral resection of the prostate, bleeding is controlled by
A. Gelfoam.
B. irrigation.
C. cauterization.
D. suture ligature. - ✔✔C. cauterization.
✔✔To prevent contamination at the end of a surgical procedure, which of the following
should be removed LAST by the surgical technologist in the scrub role?
A. patient's drapes
B. surgical gloves
C. surgical gown
D. Mayo stand drape - ✔✔B. surgical gloves
✔✔In order to remove a portion of the kidney, the surgeon must enter which of the
following?
A. synovial membrane
B. Gerota's fascia
C. Hesselbach's triangle
D. suprapleural membrane - ✔✔B. Gerota's fascia
✔✔Which of the following is the MOST common straight catheter used prior to
laparoscopic gynecological surgery in the OR?
A. Foley
B. Pezzer
C. Malecot
D. Robinson - ✔✔D. Robinson
✔✔A Stamey needle is used for which of the following types of surgery?
A. hysterectomy
B. prostatectomy
, C. bladder suspension
D. anterior colporrhaphy - ✔✔C. bladder suspension
✔✔Immediately before a hemorrhoidectomy, which of the following procedures might be
performed on the patient in the operating room?
A. cystoscopy
B. culdoscopy
C. sigmoidoscopy
D. laparoscopy - ✔✔C. sigmoidoscopy
✔✔Which of the following is a fenestrated drape?
A. a drape with an opening that allows exposure of the operative site
B. a split drape that has two tails
C. a drape used to cover the operating table, instrument table, and body regions
D. an incise drape that is self-adhering - ✔✔A. a drape with an opening that allows
exposure of the operative site
✔✔An appendectomy incision closed using suture is considered to be which of the
following types of wound closure?
A. primary intention
B. secondary intention
C. tertiary intention
D. third intention - ✔✔A. primary intention
✔✔Which of the following patients is MOST likely to acquire a nosocomial infection?
A. a healthy female patient who is 45 years of age
B. a female patient in labor and delivery
C. a healthy male patient who is 45 years of age
D. a male patient who has diabetes - ✔✔D. a male patient who has diabetes
✔✔31
The appendiceal stump, when inverted, is held in place by which of the following types
of suture?
A. mattress
B. traction
C. interrupted
D. purse-string - ✔✔D. purse-string
✔✔Aerobic organisms are BEST characterized as
A. pathogenic.
B. nonpathogenic.
C. oxygen-requiring.
