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NBSTSA CST CERTIFICATION EXAM 2026 NEWEST
ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND DETAILED
CORRECT ANSWER
1. Which of the following is considered the MOST important skill for a
surgical technologist?
A. management of specimens
B. management of sponges
C. maintaining an orderly setup
D. ensuring adequate lighting - CORRECT ANSWER = A. Management of
specimens
2. During the postoperative phase, the personnel primarily responsible
for transporting soiled instrumentation to decontamination is the
A. housekeeping staff.
B. anesthesia technician.
C. surgical technologist.
D. central processing technician. - CORRECT ANSWER = C. Surgical
technologist
pg. 1
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3. The surgical incision that allows for the BEST visualization for a
Billroth I procedure is
A. McBurney's.
B. Pfannenstiel.
C. midline.
D. subcostal. - CORRECT ANSWER = C. Midline
4. CSF is formed in the lateral ventricles of a patient and may not
properly flow into the third ventricle through the foramen of
A. Magendie into the fourth ventricle.
B. Monro into the fourth ventricle.
C. Sylvius into the fourth ventricle.
D. Luschka into the fourth ventricle. - CORRECT ANSWER = C. Sylvius
into the fourth ventricle
5. During an excisional biopsy of sentinel nodes, the surgical
technologist should prepare specimens using which of the following
methods?
A. Place on a Raytec to be handed off to the circulator.
B. Separate on Telfa and pass to the circulator.
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C. Place in separate containers and identify.
D. Place in specimen container held by the circulator using a hemostat. -
CORRECT ANSWER = C. Place in separate containers and identify
6. A surgical technologist received the following medications onto the
sterile field: 0.9% sodium chloride, bacitracin 1 gm, and 0.25% Marcaine
with epinephrine. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate way
to label these medications?
A. saline + bacitracin and .25 Marcaine + epinephrine
B. NACL + 1 gm baci and 0.25 marc w/epi
C. saline + baci and 0.25% marc with epi
D. 0.9% saline + 1 gm bacitracin and 0.25% Marcaine with epinephrine -
CORRECT ANSWER = D. 0.9% saline + 1 gm bacitracin and 0.25%
Marcaine with epinephrine
7. A thyroidectomy that was done earlier in the day is being brought
back for excessive bleeding from the incision. Which of the following
items are needed for this case?
A. Monocryl suture and harmonic scalpel
B. laps, silk ties, and hemoclips
C. Vicryl ties, pledgets, and Alexis
D. nylon suture, Raytec, and Geralds - CORRECT ANSWER = B. laps, silk
ties, and hemoclips
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8. If there is any question related to handling a specific type of
specimen, which of the following departments should be consulted?
A. histology
B. laboratory
C. pathology
D. radiology - CORRECT ANSWER = C. Pathology
9. The required number of air exchanges per hour in an OR is
A. 5 to 10.
B. 15 to 25.
C. 30 to 35.
D. 40 to 50. - CORRECT ANSWER = B. 15 to 25
10. A special-made instrument without a backup falls to the floor during
a procedure. Which of the following is the BEST reason to hesitate
performing immediate-use sterilization?
A. The sterilizer is used for implantable devices, but not instruments.
B. The manufacturer's standards for sterilizing the instrument are
unknown.
pg. 4
NBSTSA CST CERTIFICATION EXAM 2026 NEWEST
ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND DETAILED
CORRECT ANSWER
1. Which of the following is considered the MOST important skill for a
surgical technologist?
A. management of specimens
B. management of sponges
C. maintaining an orderly setup
D. ensuring adequate lighting - CORRECT ANSWER = A. Management of
specimens
2. During the postoperative phase, the personnel primarily responsible
for transporting soiled instrumentation to decontamination is the
A. housekeeping staff.
B. anesthesia technician.
C. surgical technologist.
D. central processing technician. - CORRECT ANSWER = C. Surgical
technologist
pg. 1
,2|Page
3. The surgical incision that allows for the BEST visualization for a
Billroth I procedure is
A. McBurney's.
B. Pfannenstiel.
C. midline.
D. subcostal. - CORRECT ANSWER = C. Midline
4. CSF is formed in the lateral ventricles of a patient and may not
properly flow into the third ventricle through the foramen of
A. Magendie into the fourth ventricle.
B. Monro into the fourth ventricle.
C. Sylvius into the fourth ventricle.
D. Luschka into the fourth ventricle. - CORRECT ANSWER = C. Sylvius
into the fourth ventricle
5. During an excisional biopsy of sentinel nodes, the surgical
technologist should prepare specimens using which of the following
methods?
A. Place on a Raytec to be handed off to the circulator.
B. Separate on Telfa and pass to the circulator.
pg. 2
,3|Page
C. Place in separate containers and identify.
D. Place in specimen container held by the circulator using a hemostat. -
CORRECT ANSWER = C. Place in separate containers and identify
6. A surgical technologist received the following medications onto the
sterile field: 0.9% sodium chloride, bacitracin 1 gm, and 0.25% Marcaine
with epinephrine. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate way
to label these medications?
A. saline + bacitracin and .25 Marcaine + epinephrine
B. NACL + 1 gm baci and 0.25 marc w/epi
C. saline + baci and 0.25% marc with epi
D. 0.9% saline + 1 gm bacitracin and 0.25% Marcaine with epinephrine -
CORRECT ANSWER = D. 0.9% saline + 1 gm bacitracin and 0.25%
Marcaine with epinephrine
7. A thyroidectomy that was done earlier in the day is being brought
back for excessive bleeding from the incision. Which of the following
items are needed for this case?
A. Monocryl suture and harmonic scalpel
B. laps, silk ties, and hemoclips
C. Vicryl ties, pledgets, and Alexis
D. nylon suture, Raytec, and Geralds - CORRECT ANSWER = B. laps, silk
ties, and hemoclips
pg. 3
, 4|Page
8. If there is any question related to handling a specific type of
specimen, which of the following departments should be consulted?
A. histology
B. laboratory
C. pathology
D. radiology - CORRECT ANSWER = C. Pathology
9. The required number of air exchanges per hour in an OR is
A. 5 to 10.
B. 15 to 25.
C. 30 to 35.
D. 40 to 50. - CORRECT ANSWER = B. 15 to 25
10. A special-made instrument without a backup falls to the floor during
a procedure. Which of the following is the BEST reason to hesitate
performing immediate-use sterilization?
A. The sterilizer is used for implantable devices, but not instruments.
B. The manufacturer's standards for sterilizing the instrument are
unknown.
pg. 4
