ABSA SURGICAL FIRST ASSISTANT PRACTICE TEST
Questions with Correct Answers (Grade A+)
Question 1: 1. Which is not considered part of a sterile field?
Answer: Gloves of sterile person who has folded his arms
Question 2: 2. The presence of only one living microorganism means an object is:
Answer: Contaminated
Question 3: 3. Which statement concerning masks is not true?
Answer: Ties may be tied crisscross on top of head
Question 4: 4.In draping a table, the scrub nurse drapes from _____ to _____, protecting her gloves
_____.
Answer: Front, back, by cuffing drape edge
Question 5: 5.The purpose of the hand scrub by the team is to render their skin:
Answer: Surgically Clean
Question 6: 6.After steam sterilization, which items should not be considered sterile?
Answer: Suction tips attached to tubing, Asepto syringes with bulbs attached, Cautery tips bound with
rubber bands
Question 7: 7. Because there is less chance contamination, the preferred method of gloving is _____. For
changing only a glove during a case, this method _______ be used.
Answer: Closed, cannot
Question 8: 8. Which directive for loading a pressure steam sterilizer is incorrect
Answer: Loading liquids first to prevent spillage on packs
Question 9: 10. If the prep site contains a colostomy or draining sinus which cannot be sealed off, it
should be scrubbed:
Answer: Last with sponges used once and discarded
Page 1
,Question 10: 11. Operating room floors should be flooded with _____ and _____ at the end of each
____.
Answer: Detergent germicide, wet-vaccumed, case
Question 11: What are some potential sources for surgical infection:
Answer:
1. Circulating air
2. patient's bronchial tree
3. scrub teams hair
4. patients circulating blood
5. instruments
6. patients and scrub teams skin
Question 12: Which statement regarding the use of masks is false?
Answer: Cross strings behind the head for better aeration
Question 13: Strike-through
Answer: The soaking of moisture through unsterile layers to sterile layers or vice versa
Question 14: Which statement concerning the use of boiling water as a sterilizing agent is false?
Answer: Minimum boiling period is 10 minutes
Question 15: The OR ventilating system ensures controlled air supply: ____ air exchanges per hour are
recommended for infection control and a ___ percent humidity is mandatory to suppress static
electricity
Answer: 25, 50
Question 16: Which draping principle is false?
Answer: Drape far side of unsterile table first
Question 17: Which are not essential considerations in the design of an OR suite:
Answer: Windows, top floor locations, central corridor
Question 18: 8. Which statement regarding sterile items is false?
Answer: Covered sterile set ups may be used later in the day
Page 2
,Question 19: 9. When is the open glove technique preferred over the closed glove technique?
Answer: To change a glove during a procedure
Question 20: The first step in the decontamination process of instruments after a procedure should be:
Answer: Mechanical decontamination washer-sterilizer
Question 21: 11. Which antiseptic solutions are effective against both gram-negative and gram- positive
microorganisms
Answer: Iodophors, Chlorhexidine gluconate
Question 22: Which statement regarding sterile technique is false
Answer: Paper or peel-open packages are torn to expose contents
Question 23: 13. Which is (are) used to check the effectiveness of sterilizers:
Answer: Biological spore strip
Question 24: Which statement concerning ethylene oxide sterilization is false?
Answer: Polyvinyl chloride wrappers are recommended
Question 25: Predisposing factors that substantially increases the risk of infection are:
Answer:
1. Duration of operation
2. invasive monitoring techniques
3. indiscriminate use of antibioties
4. gastrointestinal surgery
5. prosthetic devices.
Question 26: An area of a gown considered sterile is ( are ) the ____ while the ____ is considered
unsterile.
Answer: Sleeves, neck
Question 27: Which is the major source of contamination in the operating room?
Answer: Personnel
Question 28: Which is (are) not effective method (s) of disinfection in an operating room:
Answer: Mercurial compounds, Fogging
Page 3
, Question 29: Which statement concerning pathogenic Streptococci species of microorganism is false?
Answer: They are gram-negative, nonmotile organisms
Question 30: The preferred method of sterilization for heat-sensitive items and anesthesia equipment
when EO sterilization is impractical is soaking in:
Answer: Activated glutaraldehyde
Question 31: Which disadvantage in use of muslin wrapper material for sterile packs and items?
Answer: It must be laundered to rehydrate
Question 32: Which statement regarding hexachlorophene as an antiseptie solution is false?
Answer: It is soluble in water
Question 33: Completely unwrapped items may be sterilized in a flash sterilizer at ___ pounds of
pressure, ___ degrees F, for ___ minutes
Answer: 27, 270, 3
Question 34: The foundation for the practice of strict aseptic and sterile technique is:
Answer: A surgical conscience
Question 35: Factors that have adverse affects on the shelf life of sterile items include:
Answer: Open cabinets, high temperature, extremes in humidity
Question 36: All of the following may cause arterial hypotension surgical patient except:
Answer: Hypervolemia
Question 37: The anesthesiologist evaluates the patient's oxygenation and carbon by measuring
arterial:
Answer: pH, pCO2, H2CO3
Question 38: Which statement is not true about fluids?
Answer: Lab report of a dehyrdated patient shows a decrease in packed cell volume and hemoglobin
Question 39: The center which regulates the rhythm of respirations is located in the:
Answer: Pons
Page 4
Questions with Correct Answers (Grade A+)
Question 1: 1. Which is not considered part of a sterile field?
Answer: Gloves of sterile person who has folded his arms
Question 2: 2. The presence of only one living microorganism means an object is:
Answer: Contaminated
Question 3: 3. Which statement concerning masks is not true?
Answer: Ties may be tied crisscross on top of head
Question 4: 4.In draping a table, the scrub nurse drapes from _____ to _____, protecting her gloves
_____.
Answer: Front, back, by cuffing drape edge
Question 5: 5.The purpose of the hand scrub by the team is to render their skin:
Answer: Surgically Clean
Question 6: 6.After steam sterilization, which items should not be considered sterile?
Answer: Suction tips attached to tubing, Asepto syringes with bulbs attached, Cautery tips bound with
rubber bands
Question 7: 7. Because there is less chance contamination, the preferred method of gloving is _____. For
changing only a glove during a case, this method _______ be used.
Answer: Closed, cannot
Question 8: 8. Which directive for loading a pressure steam sterilizer is incorrect
Answer: Loading liquids first to prevent spillage on packs
Question 9: 10. If the prep site contains a colostomy or draining sinus which cannot be sealed off, it
should be scrubbed:
Answer: Last with sponges used once and discarded
Page 1
,Question 10: 11. Operating room floors should be flooded with _____ and _____ at the end of each
____.
Answer: Detergent germicide, wet-vaccumed, case
Question 11: What are some potential sources for surgical infection:
Answer:
1. Circulating air
2. patient's bronchial tree
3. scrub teams hair
4. patients circulating blood
5. instruments
6. patients and scrub teams skin
Question 12: Which statement regarding the use of masks is false?
Answer: Cross strings behind the head for better aeration
Question 13: Strike-through
Answer: The soaking of moisture through unsterile layers to sterile layers or vice versa
Question 14: Which statement concerning the use of boiling water as a sterilizing agent is false?
Answer: Minimum boiling period is 10 minutes
Question 15: The OR ventilating system ensures controlled air supply: ____ air exchanges per hour are
recommended for infection control and a ___ percent humidity is mandatory to suppress static
electricity
Answer: 25, 50
Question 16: Which draping principle is false?
Answer: Drape far side of unsterile table first
Question 17: Which are not essential considerations in the design of an OR suite:
Answer: Windows, top floor locations, central corridor
Question 18: 8. Which statement regarding sterile items is false?
Answer: Covered sterile set ups may be used later in the day
Page 2
,Question 19: 9. When is the open glove technique preferred over the closed glove technique?
Answer: To change a glove during a procedure
Question 20: The first step in the decontamination process of instruments after a procedure should be:
Answer: Mechanical decontamination washer-sterilizer
Question 21: 11. Which antiseptic solutions are effective against both gram-negative and gram- positive
microorganisms
Answer: Iodophors, Chlorhexidine gluconate
Question 22: Which statement regarding sterile technique is false
Answer: Paper or peel-open packages are torn to expose contents
Question 23: 13. Which is (are) used to check the effectiveness of sterilizers:
Answer: Biological spore strip
Question 24: Which statement concerning ethylene oxide sterilization is false?
Answer: Polyvinyl chloride wrappers are recommended
Question 25: Predisposing factors that substantially increases the risk of infection are:
Answer:
1. Duration of operation
2. invasive monitoring techniques
3. indiscriminate use of antibioties
4. gastrointestinal surgery
5. prosthetic devices.
Question 26: An area of a gown considered sterile is ( are ) the ____ while the ____ is considered
unsterile.
Answer: Sleeves, neck
Question 27: Which is the major source of contamination in the operating room?
Answer: Personnel
Question 28: Which is (are) not effective method (s) of disinfection in an operating room:
Answer: Mercurial compounds, Fogging
Page 3
, Question 29: Which statement concerning pathogenic Streptococci species of microorganism is false?
Answer: They are gram-negative, nonmotile organisms
Question 30: The preferred method of sterilization for heat-sensitive items and anesthesia equipment
when EO sterilization is impractical is soaking in:
Answer: Activated glutaraldehyde
Question 31: Which disadvantage in use of muslin wrapper material for sterile packs and items?
Answer: It must be laundered to rehydrate
Question 32: Which statement regarding hexachlorophene as an antiseptie solution is false?
Answer: It is soluble in water
Question 33: Completely unwrapped items may be sterilized in a flash sterilizer at ___ pounds of
pressure, ___ degrees F, for ___ minutes
Answer: 27, 270, 3
Question 34: The foundation for the practice of strict aseptic and sterile technique is:
Answer: A surgical conscience
Question 35: Factors that have adverse affects on the shelf life of sterile items include:
Answer: Open cabinets, high temperature, extremes in humidity
Question 36: All of the following may cause arterial hypotension surgical patient except:
Answer: Hypervolemia
Question 37: The anesthesiologist evaluates the patient's oxygenation and carbon by measuring
arterial:
Answer: pH, pCO2, H2CO3
Question 38: Which statement is not true about fluids?
Answer: Lab report of a dehyrdated patient shows a decrease in packed cell volume and hemoglobin
Question 39: The center which regulates the rhythm of respirations is located in the:
Answer: Pons
Page 4
