NCCT CST Practice Exam Questions
and Answers 100% Pass
The circulating nurse notices that the patient is actively bleeding from one of the
operative sites and the surgeon has left the room. Which of the following actions
should the surgical technologist take?
A. Break scrub and inform the surgeon.
B. Remain in gown and gloves and apply pressure.
C. Break scrub and monitor the sterile field.
D. Open a new sterile field for the patient. - ANSWER-B. Remain in gown and
gloves and apply pressure.
Rationale: The surgical technologist should remain sterile until the patient is out of
the operating room and in PACU. If the surgical technologist has not broken scrub
she can apply pressure until the surgeon is called back into the room. Since the
field remains sterile it is not necessary to open a new sterile field.
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,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. - 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.
A tornado warning is in effect and power has been switched to the generator due
to downed electrical lines. The hospital's disaster triage protocol has been
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,activated. A surgical procedure is in progress. Which of the following is the best
course of action to ensure patient safety?
A. Immediately evacuate the patient to the preoperative holding area.
B. Finish the procedure and evacuate the patient.
C. Place wet towels under door and finish the procedure.
D. Cover the back table until the storm passes. - ANSWER-B. Finish the
procedure and evacuate the patient.
Rationale: Follow hospital's disaster plan for tornado preparedness and response.
Under Joint Commissions standard codes, this would be categorized as a Code
Brown, which is a weather related emergency. The best option in this instance is to
complete the case, and then transfer the patient to a safe location for post-
operative care.
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.
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, D. Remove the sterilized instrument tray from the sterile field. - 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.
While preparing the room for a surgical procedure using the laser, which of the
following policies ensure the laser is being used correctly? (Select the three (3)
correct answers.)
A. Have laparotomy sponges available.
B. Post warning signs outside the room
C. Place the foot control next to the circulator.
D. Do not use alcohol based preps.
E. Wear safety goggles. - ANSWER-B. Post warning signs outside the room.
D. Do not use alcohol based preps.
E. Wear safety goggles.
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and Answers 100% Pass
The circulating nurse notices that the patient is actively bleeding from one of the
operative sites and the surgeon has left the room. Which of the following actions
should the surgical technologist take?
A. Break scrub and inform the surgeon.
B. Remain in gown and gloves and apply pressure.
C. Break scrub and monitor the sterile field.
D. Open a new sterile field for the patient. - ANSWER-B. Remain in gown and
gloves and apply pressure.
Rationale: The surgical technologist should remain sterile until the patient is out of
the operating room and in PACU. If the surgical technologist has not broken scrub
she can apply pressure until the surgeon is called back into the room. Since the
field remains sterile it is not necessary to open a new sterile field.
COPYRIGHT 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, TRUSTED AND VERIFIED 1
,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. - 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.
A tornado warning is in effect and power has been switched to the generator due
to downed electrical lines. The hospital's disaster triage protocol has been
COPYRIGHT 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, TRUSTED AND VERIFIED 2
,activated. A surgical procedure is in progress. Which of the following is the best
course of action to ensure patient safety?
A. Immediately evacuate the patient to the preoperative holding area.
B. Finish the procedure and evacuate the patient.
C. Place wet towels under door and finish the procedure.
D. Cover the back table until the storm passes. - ANSWER-B. Finish the
procedure and evacuate the patient.
Rationale: Follow hospital's disaster plan for tornado preparedness and response.
Under Joint Commissions standard codes, this would be categorized as a Code
Brown, which is a weather related emergency. The best option in this instance is to
complete the case, and then transfer the patient to a safe location for post-
operative care.
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.
COPYRIGHT 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, TRUSTED AND VERIFIED 3
, D. Remove the sterilized instrument tray from the sterile field. - 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.
While preparing the room for a surgical procedure using the laser, which of the
following policies ensure the laser is being used correctly? (Select the three (3)
correct answers.)
A. Have laparotomy sponges available.
B. Post warning signs outside the room
C. Place the foot control next to the circulator.
D. Do not use alcohol based preps.
E. Wear safety goggles. - ANSWER-B. Post warning signs outside the room.
D. Do not use alcohol based preps.
E. Wear safety goggles.
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