American Board of Surgical Assistants (ABSA) – Original Surgical
Assistant Practice 2026/2027 Exam with correct answers and
rationales
1. Before the skin incision, what is the primary responsibility of the surgical
assistant?
A. Administer anesthesia
B. Verify patient identity, procedure, and surgical site as part of the surgical team's safety
process
C. Complete the operative report
D. Transport the patient to recovery
Correct Answer: B. Verify patient identity, procedure, and surgical site as part of the surgical
team's safety process.
Rationale: Surgical assistants actively participate in preoperative safety verification to reduce
wrong-patient, wrong-site, and wrong-procedure events.
2. Which instrument is commonly used to grasp delicate tissue with minimal
trauma?
A. Allis tissue forceps
B. Babcock forceps
C. Kocher forceps
D. Bone-holding forceps
Correct Answer: B. Babcock forceps.
Rationale: Babcock forceps are designed to grasp delicate structures such as bowel or fallopian
tubes without causing significant tissue damage.
3. Which hemostatic instrument is commonly used to clamp small bleeding
vessels?
,A. Mosquito hemostat
B. DeBakey forceps
C. Richardson retractor
D. Army-Navy retractor
Correct Answer: A. Mosquito hemostat.
Rationale: Mosquito hemostats are designed for clamping small blood vessels during surgical
procedures.
4. What is the primary purpose of maintaining strict sterile technique?
A. Improve patient comfort
B. Prevent surgical site infections
C. Reduce operating room lighting
D. Increase operative time
Correct Answer: B. Prevent surgical site infections.
Rationale: Sterile technique minimizes microbial contamination and reduces the risk of
postoperative infection.
5. Which suture material is absorbable?
A. Nylon
B. Polypropylene
C. Chromic gut
D. Stainless steel
Correct Answer: C. Chromic gut.
Rationale: Chromic gut is an absorbable suture that gradually loses tensile strength as it is
absorbed by the body.
, 6. Which position is commonly used for many abdominal surgical procedures?
A. Lithotomy
B. Supine
C. Prone
D. Lateral decubitus
Correct Answer: B. Supine.
Rationale: The supine position provides excellent access to the anterior abdomen for many
general surgical procedures.
7. During surgery, the surgical assistant notices a break in sterile technique.
What is the best immediate action?
A. Ignore the break if the procedure has started.
B. Notify the surgical team immediately and correct the contamination.
C. Wait until the operation is complete.
D. Leave the operating room.
Correct Answer: B. Notify the surgical team immediately and correct the contamination.
Rationale: Prompt recognition and correction of contamination help maintain a sterile
environment and protect the patient.
8. Which instrument is commonly used to retract abdominal tissue during open
surgery?
A. Richardson retractor
B. Mayo scissors
C. Metzenbaum scissors
Assistant Practice 2026/2027 Exam with correct answers and
rationales
1. Before the skin incision, what is the primary responsibility of the surgical
assistant?
A. Administer anesthesia
B. Verify patient identity, procedure, and surgical site as part of the surgical team's safety
process
C. Complete the operative report
D. Transport the patient to recovery
Correct Answer: B. Verify patient identity, procedure, and surgical site as part of the surgical
team's safety process.
Rationale: Surgical assistants actively participate in preoperative safety verification to reduce
wrong-patient, wrong-site, and wrong-procedure events.
2. Which instrument is commonly used to grasp delicate tissue with minimal
trauma?
A. Allis tissue forceps
B. Babcock forceps
C. Kocher forceps
D. Bone-holding forceps
Correct Answer: B. Babcock forceps.
Rationale: Babcock forceps are designed to grasp delicate structures such as bowel or fallopian
tubes without causing significant tissue damage.
3. Which hemostatic instrument is commonly used to clamp small bleeding
vessels?
,A. Mosquito hemostat
B. DeBakey forceps
C. Richardson retractor
D. Army-Navy retractor
Correct Answer: A. Mosquito hemostat.
Rationale: Mosquito hemostats are designed for clamping small blood vessels during surgical
procedures.
4. What is the primary purpose of maintaining strict sterile technique?
A. Improve patient comfort
B. Prevent surgical site infections
C. Reduce operating room lighting
D. Increase operative time
Correct Answer: B. Prevent surgical site infections.
Rationale: Sterile technique minimizes microbial contamination and reduces the risk of
postoperative infection.
5. Which suture material is absorbable?
A. Nylon
B. Polypropylene
C. Chromic gut
D. Stainless steel
Correct Answer: C. Chromic gut.
Rationale: Chromic gut is an absorbable suture that gradually loses tensile strength as it is
absorbed by the body.
, 6. Which position is commonly used for many abdominal surgical procedures?
A. Lithotomy
B. Supine
C. Prone
D. Lateral decubitus
Correct Answer: B. Supine.
Rationale: The supine position provides excellent access to the anterior abdomen for many
general surgical procedures.
7. During surgery, the surgical assistant notices a break in sterile technique.
What is the best immediate action?
A. Ignore the break if the procedure has started.
B. Notify the surgical team immediately and correct the contamination.
C. Wait until the operation is complete.
D. Leave the operating room.
Correct Answer: B. Notify the surgical team immediately and correct the contamination.
Rationale: Prompt recognition and correction of contamination help maintain a sterile
environment and protect the patient.
8. Which instrument is commonly used to retract abdominal tissue during open
surgery?
A. Richardson retractor
B. Mayo scissors
C. Metzenbaum scissors
