WITH RATIONALE
"The surgical technologist is helping the surgeon complete a laparoscopic cholecystectomy and
the surgeon has placed the dressing on the patient. Which of the following should the surgical
technologist do next?
A. Remove the top glove, hold the dressing in place, roll away the drape and discard.
B. Remove Mayo stand, back table and top glove, hold the dressing in place, tear the drape off
the patient and discard.
C. Remove top glove, hold dressing in place, tear the drape off patient and discard.
D. Remove the Mayo stand, back table and top glove, hold the dressing in place, roll away the
drape and discard. - CORRECT ANSWER D. Remove the Mayo stand, back table and top
glove, hold the dressing in place, roll away the drape and discard.
Rationale: The Mayo stand and back table need to remain sterile until the patient is out of the
room. The top gloves need replaced to prohibit any debris from getting the dressing dirty. By
holding the dressing on with the clean gloves the drape can be removed so any biohazardous
materials are contained within the drapes and discarded."
"Upon opening a sterilized instrument tray, the surgical technologist finds bioburden inside the
lumen of a metal suction. Which of the following actions should the surgical technologist take?
A. Isolate the sterilized suction, then flush the bioburden with sterile water.
B. Remove the sterilized suction from the sterile field.
C. Isolate the sterilized suction on the sterile field with a sterile towel.
D. Remove the sterilized instrument tray from the sterile field. - CORRECT ANSWER D.
Remove the sterilized instrument tray from the sterile field.
Rationale: The surgical technologist should check and inspect instruments. If bioburden is
found, the whole tray should be discarded and handed off. (When in doubt throw it out.) The
tray should not be left on the sterile field at all, or cleaned on the sterile field, because it would
make the field contaminated."
"During a vaginal hysterectomy the surgical team noticed that the safety belt was left off the
patient before the drape was applied and discovered after draping. How can the patient be
secured to the OR bed without interrupting the sterile field or procedure?
A. The surgical technologist can watch for movement of the patient and inform the circulator.
B. The anesthesiologist can secure the head to prevent shifting.
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,C. The circulator can reach under the sterile drape and apply the safety strap.
D. The surgeon can request sterile coban to secure the patient. - CORRECT ANSWER C. The
circulator can reach under the sterile drape and apply the safety strap.
Rationale: The underside of the drape is not sterile, therefore, can be touched by the unsterile
circulating nurse, while she secures the patient with the safety strap."
"The surgical team is at the surgical field and has just completed the time-out. The surgeon
turns to the surgical technologist and asks for local. Which of the following actions should the
surgical technologist take next before passing the local?
A. Read aloud the medication label on the syringe.
B. Pass the correctly labeled medication syringe.
C. Confirm with the circulator the medication label on the syringe.
D. Confirm with the anesthesiologist the medication on the syringe. - CORRECT ANSWER A.
Read aloud the medication label on the syringe.
Rationale: The medication has already been verified by the circulator and the surgical
technologist upon placement on the sterile field. The surgical technologist needs to read aloud
the syringe contents when handing the syringe to the surgeon. The anesthesiologist is not part
of the sterile team environment."
"Which member of the surgical team is in charge of the transfer of an immobile or unconscious
patient from the OR table to the stretcher?
A. surgeon
B. circulator
C. anesthesia provider
D. surgical technologist - CORRECT ANSWER C. anesthesia provider
Rationale: The anesthesia provider is in control of the patient transfer and coordinates the
move. They have control of the head and the patient's airway. The surgeon most likely has
already left the room and cannot help with the transfer. The circulator is on the other side of
the bed waiting on the transfer device when anesthesia gives the permission. The surgical
technologist is on the other side waiting to help transfer the patient. There should always be 4
people to transfer a patient. Anesthesia is at the head of the bed and one person is on each side
with one at the end of the bed to help transfer the feet."
"The surgical technologist observed a patient fall during the transfer from the gurney to the
operating bed. Which of the following items are required in the incident report? (Select the
three (3) correct answers.)
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,A. patient's name
B. personnel involved
C. type of anesthesia used
D. location of the incident
E. patient's weight - CORRECT ANSWER A. patient's name
B. personnel involved
D. location of the incident
Rationale: In completing an incident report for an occurrence such as this fall, all information
regarding the patient and the circumstances around the occurrence should be included. In this
case scenario, the patient had not had anesthesia yet so this did not play a factor, nor did the
patient's weight. So the best choices for information that needed to be included in the incident
report are the patient's name, the personnel involved, and the location of the incident"
"The surgical technologist hears a patient entering the operating room state verbally that he
doesn't want the surgery and fears he will not survive. The surgical technologist must inform
the
A. surgeon.
B. anesthesiologist.
C. circulating nurse.
D. charge nurse. - CORRECT ANSWER C. Circulating nurse
Rationale: Per the Joint Commission, informed consent is a process of communication between
a clinician and a patient which results in the patient's authorization to undergo a specific
surgical procedure. It is the surgical technologist's ethical responsibility to bring it to the
attention of the circulator if there is evidence the patient has changed his mind, or needs more
information to be able to understand the procedure he is scheduled for."
"The patient is scheduled for insertion of a permanent pacemaker at 0800. In addition to key
surgical team members, the absence of which of the following individuals would cause the case
to be delayed?
A. unit coordinator
B. internal hospital transporter
C. manufacturer representative
D. sterile processing personnel - CORRECT ANSWER C. manufacturer representative
Rationale: The manufacturer representative should be present to calibrate the product for the
surgeon's use and serve as a product expert to enhance patient safety. A unit coordinator,
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, hospital transporter, or sterile processing personnel are not required to be present for surgical
procedures."
"Which of the following actions by the surgical technologist reduces the risk of bioburden
accumulation on serrated hemostatic forceps postoperatively?
A. Soak in sterile saline within 24 hours.
B. Soak in enzymatic solution within 20 minutes.
C. Allow to dry completely prior to placing in autoclave.
D. Sterilize with rings together. - CORRECT ANSWER B. Soak in enzymatic solution within 20
minutes.
Rationale: Instruments are not soaked in saline because it will pit them. Instruments should not
be sterilized with rings together, because they cannot be properly sterilized. The instruments
dry in sterile processing prior to being placed in the autoclave."
"A patient is undergoing a right partial pneumonectomy. Which of the following drains should
the surgical technologist prepare for placement at the end of the case?
A. Jackson Pratt
B. chest tube
C. Penrose
D. Hemovac - CORRECT ANSWER B. chest tube
Rationale: Any time the chest cavity is entered and the normally present negative intrapleural
pressure is compromised, a chest tube must be placed to reestablish the negative pressure. A
penrose is a passive drain that is partially placed within the wound allowing fluid to move out of
the tube onto a dressing. The Jackson Pratt drain is commonly used for general and abdominal
procedures for moderate drainage. The Hemovac drainage is commonly used for orthopedics
for moderate drainage."
"Which of the following must the surgical technologist verify before implants are opened during
a total knee replacement? (Select the three (3) correct answers.)
A. expiration date
B. name of component
C. lot number
D. size
E. manufacturer name - CORRECT ANSWER A. expiration date
B. name of component
D. size
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