1
NCCT PRACTICE EXAM QUESTIONS, ANSWERS, AND
RATIONALES 2026-27 LATEST UPDATED VERSION
• An alert, oriented, and mobile 300 lb. patient is brought into the OR on a transport cart. Which of the
following is the best method of slowly transferring this patient to the OR bed?
A. Align the beds together, lock the wheels, and use a roller board.
B. Align the beds together, lock the wheels, and ask the patient to move himself.
C. Use a mechanical lift to assist in moving the patient.
D. Call for more lifting help to assist in moving the patient.
/our response:
Align the beds together, lock the wheels, and ask the patient to move
himself. Correct response:
Rationale: The mobile patient should be asked to move herself to the OR table independently. A minimum of two team members
should be available to assist in any way possible. It is important to make sure all wheels are locked on both the gurney and the OR
bed.
Align the beds together, lock the wheels, and ask the patient to move himself.
,2
• Which of the following is the standard recommended temperature range in an operating room for surgery on an
adult patient being operated on for a hernia repair?
A. 60 - 68 degrees
B. 63 - 78 degrees
C. 68 - 73 degrees
D. 71 - 78 degrees
/our
response: 68
- 73 degrees
Rationale: The operating room temperature should be maintained between 68 – 73 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures below 68
degrees increase chances for hypothermia. Recovery time can be longer if the temperature is too high.
Correct
response: 68 -
73 degrees
• Which of the following information is the surgical technologist responsible for reporting to the circulating
R.N. to document in the OR record?
A. Amount of diprivan (Propofol) used
B. Amount of actavis (Fentanyl) used
C. Amount of prep solution used
D. Amount of x-ray contrast used
/our response:
Amount of x-ray contrast used
Correct response:
Rationale: The circulator always documents all medication used during the procedure, including contrast. Propofol and Fentanyl
are both used by anesthesia for general surgery. The amount of prep solution does not need to be documented..
Amount of x-ray contrast used
• When being relieved for lunch during surgery, which of the following tasks is performed by the
outgoing surgical technologist?
A. Removing supplies and equipment from the Mayo stand
B. Counting sharps and sponges
C. Adding gown and gloves to the back table for return to surgery
D. Placing all softs and sharps onto the back table
/our response:
,3
Counting sharps and sponges
Correct response:
Rationale: The surgical technologist should ensure that all sharps and sponges are accounted for prior to being relieved for lunch
or break.
Counting sharps and sponges
• When performing a posterior lateral hip arthroplasty, which nerve is dissected before cutting the femoral neck?
A. Peroneal nerve
B. Sciatic nerve
C. Axillary nerve
, 4
D. Obturator nerve
/our response:
Obturator
nerve Correct
response:
Sciatic nerve
Rationale: The sciatic nerve needs to be dissected away from the femoral neck and protected during a hip
arthroplasty.
• A surgical technologist working the night shift is preparing implants for the next morning. After running the
autoclave, the cycle fails. Which of the following should the surgical technologist do?
A. Rerun the wrapped implants with an external chemical monitor taped to the outside of the sets to
ensure proper sterility has been achieved.
B. Ask the night operating room supervisor to postpone the orthopedic surgical procedure until the
oncoming day shift surgical technologists can run a BI test pack on the first load of the day.
C. Unwrap, decontaminate and re-sterilize implants with a biological test pack and place a hold on the use
of the sets until the BI test results are available.
D. Have the sterilizer scheduled for repair and halt the sterilization of all implants.
/our response:
Rerun the wrapped implants with an external chemical monitor taped to the outside of the sets to ensure proper sterility
has been achieved.
Correct response:
Unwrap, decontaminate and re-sterilize implants with a biological test pack and place a hold on the use of the sets
Rationale: Unwrap, decontaminate and re-sterilize implants with a biological test pack is the first step in the procedure. Then
place a hold on the use of the sets until the BI test results are available.
until the BI test results are available.
• While assisting the surgeon in draping a patient the surgical technologist is told that she has contaminated her
gloves. Which of the following actions should the technologist take?
A. Remove the contaminated drape, place a new drape, and re-glove.
B. Step away from the field and re-glove.
C. Place a new drape over the contaminated drape, and re-glove.
D. Break from field, scrub and re-glove.
/our response:
Step away from the field and re-glove.
Correct response:
NCCT PRACTICE EXAM QUESTIONS, ANSWERS, AND
RATIONALES 2026-27 LATEST UPDATED VERSION
• An alert, oriented, and mobile 300 lb. patient is brought into the OR on a transport cart. Which of the
following is the best method of slowly transferring this patient to the OR bed?
A. Align the beds together, lock the wheels, and use a roller board.
B. Align the beds together, lock the wheels, and ask the patient to move himself.
C. Use a mechanical lift to assist in moving the patient.
D. Call for more lifting help to assist in moving the patient.
/our response:
Align the beds together, lock the wheels, and ask the patient to move
himself. Correct response:
Rationale: The mobile patient should be asked to move herself to the OR table independently. A minimum of two team members
should be available to assist in any way possible. It is important to make sure all wheels are locked on both the gurney and the OR
bed.
Align the beds together, lock the wheels, and ask the patient to move himself.
,2
• Which of the following is the standard recommended temperature range in an operating room for surgery on an
adult patient being operated on for a hernia repair?
A. 60 - 68 degrees
B. 63 - 78 degrees
C. 68 - 73 degrees
D. 71 - 78 degrees
/our
response: 68
- 73 degrees
Rationale: The operating room temperature should be maintained between 68 – 73 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures below 68
degrees increase chances for hypothermia. Recovery time can be longer if the temperature is too high.
Correct
response: 68 -
73 degrees
• Which of the following information is the surgical technologist responsible for reporting to the circulating
R.N. to document in the OR record?
A. Amount of diprivan (Propofol) used
B. Amount of actavis (Fentanyl) used
C. Amount of prep solution used
D. Amount of x-ray contrast used
/our response:
Amount of x-ray contrast used
Correct response:
Rationale: The circulator always documents all medication used during the procedure, including contrast. Propofol and Fentanyl
are both used by anesthesia for general surgery. The amount of prep solution does not need to be documented..
Amount of x-ray contrast used
• When being relieved for lunch during surgery, which of the following tasks is performed by the
outgoing surgical technologist?
A. Removing supplies and equipment from the Mayo stand
B. Counting sharps and sponges
C. Adding gown and gloves to the back table for return to surgery
D. Placing all softs and sharps onto the back table
/our response:
,3
Counting sharps and sponges
Correct response:
Rationale: The surgical technologist should ensure that all sharps and sponges are accounted for prior to being relieved for lunch
or break.
Counting sharps and sponges
• When performing a posterior lateral hip arthroplasty, which nerve is dissected before cutting the femoral neck?
A. Peroneal nerve
B. Sciatic nerve
C. Axillary nerve
, 4
D. Obturator nerve
/our response:
Obturator
nerve Correct
response:
Sciatic nerve
Rationale: The sciatic nerve needs to be dissected away from the femoral neck and protected during a hip
arthroplasty.
• A surgical technologist working the night shift is preparing implants for the next morning. After running the
autoclave, the cycle fails. Which of the following should the surgical technologist do?
A. Rerun the wrapped implants with an external chemical monitor taped to the outside of the sets to
ensure proper sterility has been achieved.
B. Ask the night operating room supervisor to postpone the orthopedic surgical procedure until the
oncoming day shift surgical technologists can run a BI test pack on the first load of the day.
C. Unwrap, decontaminate and re-sterilize implants with a biological test pack and place a hold on the use
of the sets until the BI test results are available.
D. Have the sterilizer scheduled for repair and halt the sterilization of all implants.
/our response:
Rerun the wrapped implants with an external chemical monitor taped to the outside of the sets to ensure proper sterility
has been achieved.
Correct response:
Unwrap, decontaminate and re-sterilize implants with a biological test pack and place a hold on the use of the sets
Rationale: Unwrap, decontaminate and re-sterilize implants with a biological test pack is the first step in the procedure. Then
place a hold on the use of the sets until the BI test results are available.
until the BI test results are available.
• While assisting the surgeon in draping a patient the surgical technologist is told that she has contaminated her
gloves. Which of the following actions should the technologist take?
A. Remove the contaminated drape, place a new drape, and re-glove.
B. Step away from the field and re-glove.
C. Place a new drape over the contaminated drape, and re-glove.
D. Break from field, scrub and re-glove.
/our response:
Step away from the field and re-glove.
Correct response:
