NBSTSA CST Practice Exam A 2025 Study Guide &
Practice Questions | Certified Surgical Technologist Prep
1. Which of the following is the opening in the occipital B. foramen magnum
bone through which the spinal cord passes?
A. foramen ovale
B. foramen magnum
C. foramen rotundum
D. foramen of Bochdalek
2. Sterile supplies and instruments for a case have been B. New sterile supplies
opened in OR 1. A surgical technologist was just in- and instruments should
formed that the case has been moved to OR 2 and the be obtained for OR 2 and
next case in OR 1 is scheduled in two hours. Which of the setup in OR 1 should
the following is the BEST course of action? be disposed of.
A. Cover the sterile field with a sterile drape and move
it from OR 1 to OR 2.
B. New sterile supplies and instruments should be
obtained for OR 2 and the setup in OR 1 should be
disposed of.
C. OR 1 should be left so that these supplies and
instruments can be used by the next case.
D. The surgical technologist should argue that the
procedure be held in OR 1 as planned.
3. Which of the following is the body's local tissue reac- C. inflammation
tion to injury?
A. fever
B. infection
C. inflammation
D. immune reaction
4. Which of the following instruments is used for a com- B. Randall forceps
mon bile duct exploration?
, NBSTSA CST Practice Exam A 2025 Study Guide &
Practice Questions | Certified Surgical Technologist Prep
A. Fogarty clamp
B. Randall forceps
C. Pennington clamp
D. Forester ring forceps
5. Which of the following is the MOST important consid- A. avoiding the knot
eration when cutting suture?
A. avoiding the knot
B. using sharp scissors
C. opening the scissors wide when cutting
D. tagging the end of suture to be cut with a hemostat
6. Which of the following structures are ligated and di- A.cystic artery and cystic
vided during the cholecystectomy? duct
A. cystic artery and cystic duct
B. hepatic artery and hepatic duct
C. cystic artery and common bile duct
D. hepatic artery and pancreatic duct
7. Which of the following may be used when applying a A. pressure dressing
sterile dressing to a skin graft site?
A. pressure dressing
B. ABD pad
C. 4x4s
D. Steri-Strips
8. When performing a dilation and curettage, which of C. Schroeder
the following instruments is used to grasp the cervix?
A. Sims
B. Auvard
, NBSTSA CST Practice Exam A
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_a3kvwf
C. Schroeder
D. Bozeman
9. On the way into the operating room, a terminally ill D. acceptance
patient tells the nurse, "No matter what happens, it
will be okay." Which of the Five Stages of Grief is the
patient MOST likely in?
A. denial
B. bargaining
C. depression
D. acceptance
10. Which of the following instruments is used for place- A. bayonet forceps
ment of cottonoid strips during a craniotomy?
A. bayonet forceps
B. Russian forceps
C. Kelly clamp
D. angled DeBakey clamp
11. When two individuals in sterile attire pass one another A. pass back-to-back.
in the sterile field, they should
A. pass back-to-back.
B. both face the wall.
C. pass side-to-side.
D. both face the sterile field.
12. Which of the following is used to oxygenate and circu- C. extracorporeal bypass
late blood?
A. Doppler ultrasound
B. defibrillator
, NBSTSA CST Practice Exam A
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_a3kvwf
C. extracorporeal bypass
D. autotransfuser
13. The PRIMARY consideration in selecting an appropri- A. physiologic condition of
ate anesthetic agent is the the patient.
A. physiologic condition of the patient.
B. length of the procedure.
C. type of the procedure.
D. anxiety level of the patient.
14. If two basins are wrapped together for sterilizing, they D.stacked inside the other
should be packaged with one basin and separated by a towel.
A. stacked inside the other and separated by impervi-
ous material.
B. on its side and the other upside down.
C. stacked inside the other and wrapped in a towel.
D. stacked inside the other and separated by a towel.
15. Which of the following items may be used in position- D. bean bag
ing a patient for a total hip arthroplasty?
A. fracture table
B. Wilson frame
C. Andrews frame
D. bean bag
16. A surgical technologist sees a neighbor being admit- C. Do not acknowledge the
ted. How should the surgical technologist respond? neighbor unless greeted
A.Acknowledge the neighbor. first
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.
Practice Questions | Certified Surgical Technologist Prep
1. Which of the following is the opening in the occipital B. foramen magnum
bone through which the spinal cord passes?
A. foramen ovale
B. foramen magnum
C. foramen rotundum
D. foramen of Bochdalek
2. Sterile supplies and instruments for a case have been B. New sterile supplies
opened in OR 1. A surgical technologist was just in- and instruments should
formed that the case has been moved to OR 2 and the be obtained for OR 2 and
next case in OR 1 is scheduled in two hours. Which of the setup in OR 1 should
the following is the BEST course of action? be disposed of.
A. Cover the sterile field with a sterile drape and move
it from OR 1 to OR 2.
B. New sterile supplies and instruments should be
obtained for OR 2 and the setup in OR 1 should be
disposed of.
C. OR 1 should be left so that these supplies and
instruments can be used by the next case.
D. The surgical technologist should argue that the
procedure be held in OR 1 as planned.
3. Which of the following is the body's local tissue reac- C. inflammation
tion to injury?
A. fever
B. infection
C. inflammation
D. immune reaction
4. Which of the following instruments is used for a com- B. Randall forceps
mon bile duct exploration?
, NBSTSA CST Practice Exam A 2025 Study Guide &
Practice Questions | Certified Surgical Technologist Prep
A. Fogarty clamp
B. Randall forceps
C. Pennington clamp
D. Forester ring forceps
5. Which of the following is the MOST important consid- A. avoiding the knot
eration when cutting suture?
A. avoiding the knot
B. using sharp scissors
C. opening the scissors wide when cutting
D. tagging the end of suture to be cut with a hemostat
6. Which of the following structures are ligated and di- A.cystic artery and cystic
vided during the cholecystectomy? duct
A. cystic artery and cystic duct
B. hepatic artery and hepatic duct
C. cystic artery and common bile duct
D. hepatic artery and pancreatic duct
7. Which of the following may be used when applying a A. pressure dressing
sterile dressing to a skin graft site?
A. pressure dressing
B. ABD pad
C. 4x4s
D. Steri-Strips
8. When performing a dilation and curettage, which of C. Schroeder
the following instruments is used to grasp the cervix?
A. Sims
B. Auvard
, NBSTSA CST Practice Exam A
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_a3kvwf
C. Schroeder
D. Bozeman
9. On the way into the operating room, a terminally ill D. acceptance
patient tells the nurse, "No matter what happens, it
will be okay." Which of the Five Stages of Grief is the
patient MOST likely in?
A. denial
B. bargaining
C. depression
D. acceptance
10. Which of the following instruments is used for place- A. bayonet forceps
ment of cottonoid strips during a craniotomy?
A. bayonet forceps
B. Russian forceps
C. Kelly clamp
D. angled DeBakey clamp
11. When two individuals in sterile attire pass one another A. pass back-to-back.
in the sterile field, they should
A. pass back-to-back.
B. both face the wall.
C. pass side-to-side.
D. both face the sterile field.
12. Which of the following is used to oxygenate and circu- C. extracorporeal bypass
late blood?
A. Doppler ultrasound
B. defibrillator
, NBSTSA CST Practice Exam A
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_a3kvwf
C. extracorporeal bypass
D. autotransfuser
13. The PRIMARY consideration in selecting an appropri- A. physiologic condition of
ate anesthetic agent is the the patient.
A. physiologic condition of the patient.
B. length of the procedure.
C. type of the procedure.
D. anxiety level of the patient.
14. If two basins are wrapped together for sterilizing, they D.stacked inside the other
should be packaged with one basin and separated by a towel.
A. stacked inside the other and separated by impervi-
ous material.
B. on its side and the other upside down.
C. stacked inside the other and wrapped in a towel.
D. stacked inside the other and separated by a towel.
15. Which of the following items may be used in position- D. bean bag
ing a patient for a total hip arthroplasty?
A. fracture table
B. Wilson frame
C. Andrews frame
D. bean bag
16. A surgical technologist sees a neighbor being admit- C. Do not acknowledge the
ted. How should the surgical technologist respond? neighbor unless greeted
A.Acknowledge the neighbor. first
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.
