NCCT SURGICAL TECH REVIEW
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH 100%
CORRECT ANSWERS
Which of the following sutures is most likely to be used to close the fascia layer on an
exploratory laparotomy with a mid-line incision?
A. 0 PDS
B. 2-0 Chromic
C. 2-0 Monocryl
D. 0 Vicryl - Answer- A. 0 PDS
Fresh specimens are transported to pathology placed in a specimen container
A. with a small amount of formalin.
B. with a small amount of saline.
C. with dry ice.
D. that is dry. - Answer- D. that is dry.
Where should the surgical technologist put a gall bladder if she cannot pass it off to the
circulator?
A. on a Ray-tec sponge
B. on a lap sponge
C. in a specimen container
D. in sterile water - Answer- C. in a specimen container
A possible melanoma is removed from the patient's left breast during surgery to be
analyzed as fresh frozen sample. The surgical technologist should place the specimen
A. in sterile formalin solution.
B. in sterile saline solution.
C. on a dry impervious drape.
D. on a moist Telfa pad. - Answer- D. on a moist Telfa pad.
Which of the following should the surgical technologist do when passing off a
specimen?
A. Verify with the circulating nurse the specimen name.
B. Ask the circulating nurse to put the transport container on the sterile field.
C. Grasp the specimen firmly with a clamp ensuring the clamp can lock.
D. Soak the specimen in sterile saline to ensure it does not dry out. - Answer- A. Verify
with the circulating nurse the specimen name.
,A patient has undergone a thoracic exploration due to a gunshot wound to the chest. At
the completion of the procedure, a double chest tube is placed superior and inferior in
the thoracic cavity. Which of the following is the primary purpose of the chest tubes?
A. eliminate chest leaks
B. irrigate the pleural space
C. prevent pulmonary emboli
D. re-establish negative pressure - Answer- D. re-establish negative pressure
The surgical technologist should open Jackson-Pratt drains and dressings
A. at the start of the case.
B. before the case begins.
C. when the body cavity is closed.
D. when the final counts are done. - Answer- D. when the final counts are done.
Which of the following is a self-retaining catheter, with an inflation balloon used to
measure urine output over an extended period of time?
A. Robinson
B. Foley
C. Malecot
D. Pezzer - Answer- B. Foley
Which of the following is needed to inflate the balloon when preparing a Foley catheter?
A. 0.9% sodium chloride
B. saline
C. lactated ringers
D. sterile water - Answer- D. sterile water
Which of the following catheters is typically used in a D&C procedure?
A. Foley
B. Robinson
C. Malecot
D. Fogarty - Answer- B. Robinson
The surgical technologist is picking a total abdominal hysterectomy case and sees that
the preference card only states "catheter". Which of the following catheters should the
technologist pull for this case?
A. Robinson
B. Foley
C. Coude'
D. Whistle Tip - Answer- B. Foley
In a thoracotomy procedure the surgical technologist should be prepared to use which
of the following negative pressure drains after the wound site is closed?
A. Plueravac
B. Jackson-Pratt
C. Hemovac
, D. Wound Vac - Answer- A. Plueravac
A chest tube drain for a thoracotomy should be placed through
A. the lower lobe of the left lung.
B. the inferior part of the incision.
C. a separate stab incision.
D. the superior part of the incision. - Answer- C. a separate stab incision.
Which of the following should always be removed from a Hemovac once a stab wound
is created?
A. drain
B. trocar
C. collection unit
D. tubing - Answer- B. trocar
Which of the following procedures is the surgical technologist likely to prepare a
Hemovac drain for?
A. right lobectomy
B. left hip arthroplasty
C. right knee arthroscopy
D. left ACL repair - Answer- B. left hip arthroplasty
At what point does the surgical technologist activate a Hemo-Vac drain?
A. when received on the back table
B. when handed to the surgeon
C. when inserted into the incision
D. when the incision is closed - Answer- D. when the incision is closed
The orthopedic surgeon wishes to place a Hemovac drain into a knee joint before
closing the incision. Which of the following should be the next step following the
tunneling of the sharp metal trocar?
A. Cut the trocar off with the center part or thicker part of Mayo scissors.
B. To prevent the drain from accidently being displaced, a nylon suture will always be
used to secure the drain. Therefore the surgical tech should ask the circulator to open
the package.
C. Saline should be inserted into the "Hemovac" container and squeezed to activate the
negative pressure.
D. Once the incision is closed, the reservoir can be compressed and the tab is closed
creating suction within the wound and drawing fluid out. - Answer- A. Cut the trocar off
with the center part or thicker part of Mayo scissors.
At what point during a routine Cesarean section should the surgical technologist initiate
the first intra operative count?
A. peritoneum
B. skin
C. fascia
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH 100%
CORRECT ANSWERS
Which of the following sutures is most likely to be used to close the fascia layer on an
exploratory laparotomy with a mid-line incision?
A. 0 PDS
B. 2-0 Chromic
C. 2-0 Monocryl
D. 0 Vicryl - Answer- A. 0 PDS
Fresh specimens are transported to pathology placed in a specimen container
A. with a small amount of formalin.
B. with a small amount of saline.
C. with dry ice.
D. that is dry. - Answer- D. that is dry.
Where should the surgical technologist put a gall bladder if she cannot pass it off to the
circulator?
A. on a Ray-tec sponge
B. on a lap sponge
C. in a specimen container
D. in sterile water - Answer- C. in a specimen container
A possible melanoma is removed from the patient's left breast during surgery to be
analyzed as fresh frozen sample. The surgical technologist should place the specimen
A. in sterile formalin solution.
B. in sterile saline solution.
C. on a dry impervious drape.
D. on a moist Telfa pad. - Answer- D. on a moist Telfa pad.
Which of the following should the surgical technologist do when passing off a
specimen?
A. Verify with the circulating nurse the specimen name.
B. Ask the circulating nurse to put the transport container on the sterile field.
C. Grasp the specimen firmly with a clamp ensuring the clamp can lock.
D. Soak the specimen in sterile saline to ensure it does not dry out. - Answer- A. Verify
with the circulating nurse the specimen name.
,A patient has undergone a thoracic exploration due to a gunshot wound to the chest. At
the completion of the procedure, a double chest tube is placed superior and inferior in
the thoracic cavity. Which of the following is the primary purpose of the chest tubes?
A. eliminate chest leaks
B. irrigate the pleural space
C. prevent pulmonary emboli
D. re-establish negative pressure - Answer- D. re-establish negative pressure
The surgical technologist should open Jackson-Pratt drains and dressings
A. at the start of the case.
B. before the case begins.
C. when the body cavity is closed.
D. when the final counts are done. - Answer- D. when the final counts are done.
Which of the following is a self-retaining catheter, with an inflation balloon used to
measure urine output over an extended period of time?
A. Robinson
B. Foley
C. Malecot
D. Pezzer - Answer- B. Foley
Which of the following is needed to inflate the balloon when preparing a Foley catheter?
A. 0.9% sodium chloride
B. saline
C. lactated ringers
D. sterile water - Answer- D. sterile water
Which of the following catheters is typically used in a D&C procedure?
A. Foley
B. Robinson
C. Malecot
D. Fogarty - Answer- B. Robinson
The surgical technologist is picking a total abdominal hysterectomy case and sees that
the preference card only states "catheter". Which of the following catheters should the
technologist pull for this case?
A. Robinson
B. Foley
C. Coude'
D. Whistle Tip - Answer- B. Foley
In a thoracotomy procedure the surgical technologist should be prepared to use which
of the following negative pressure drains after the wound site is closed?
A. Plueravac
B. Jackson-Pratt
C. Hemovac
, D. Wound Vac - Answer- A. Plueravac
A chest tube drain for a thoracotomy should be placed through
A. the lower lobe of the left lung.
B. the inferior part of the incision.
C. a separate stab incision.
D. the superior part of the incision. - Answer- C. a separate stab incision.
Which of the following should always be removed from a Hemovac once a stab wound
is created?
A. drain
B. trocar
C. collection unit
D. tubing - Answer- B. trocar
Which of the following procedures is the surgical technologist likely to prepare a
Hemovac drain for?
A. right lobectomy
B. left hip arthroplasty
C. right knee arthroscopy
D. left ACL repair - Answer- B. left hip arthroplasty
At what point does the surgical technologist activate a Hemo-Vac drain?
A. when received on the back table
B. when handed to the surgeon
C. when inserted into the incision
D. when the incision is closed - Answer- D. when the incision is closed
The orthopedic surgeon wishes to place a Hemovac drain into a knee joint before
closing the incision. Which of the following should be the next step following the
tunneling of the sharp metal trocar?
A. Cut the trocar off with the center part or thicker part of Mayo scissors.
B. To prevent the drain from accidently being displaced, a nylon suture will always be
used to secure the drain. Therefore the surgical tech should ask the circulator to open
the package.
C. Saline should be inserted into the "Hemovac" container and squeezed to activate the
negative pressure.
D. Once the incision is closed, the reservoir can be compressed and the tab is closed
creating suction within the wound and drawing fluid out. - Answer- A. Cut the trocar off
with the center part or thicker part of Mayo scissors.
At what point during a routine Cesarean section should the surgical technologist initiate
the first intra operative count?
A. peritoneum
B. skin
C. fascia
