ABSA SURGICAL ASSISTANT
CERTIFICATION EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
SOLUTIONS 2026/2027
Instructions: This practice exam contains multiple-choice questions covering the core content
domains tested on the ABSA Surgical Assistant (SA-C) Certification Examination. Topics
include perioperative care, surgical anatomy, instrumentation, asepsis, sutures and wound
repair, patient safety, and professional practice
1. Before the surgical incision is made, the surgical assistant's primary
responsibility is to ensure that:
A. The operative note has already been completed
B. The correct patient, procedure, site, and required equipment have
been verified according to the surgical safety checklist
C. The wound dressing has been applied
D. The surgical team has taken a break
Correct Answer: B — The correct patient, procedure, site, and required
equipment have been verified according to the surgical safety checklist
Rationale: Verification through the surgical safety checklist is the critical
safety measure performed before incision to prevent wrong-site,
,wrong-patient, and wrong-procedure surgeries. The "time out" is a
formal process in which all team members must participate just prior to
incision .
2. During the preoperative "timeout" for a scheduled bilateral inguinal
hernia repair, the surgical team discovers that the surgeon intends to
repair the left side, but the surgical consent form and the preoperative
site marking indicate the right side. What is the most appropriate
immediate action for the surgical assistant?
A. Proceed with the left-side repair as the surgeon has identified it as
the correct pathology
B. Verify the side with the patient's family in the waiting area before
making an incision
C. Stop the procedure immediately and request that the surgeon and
circulating nurse resolve the discrepancy with the patient and medical
records
,D. Proceed with the right-side repair as it matches the legal consent
form, regardless of the surgeon's current plan
Correct Answer: C — Stop the procedure immediately and request that
the surgeon and circulating nurse resolve the discrepancy with the
patient and medical records
Rationale: The Universal Protocol for preventing wrong-site, wrong-
procedure, and wrong-person surgery mandates a "timeout"
immediately before starting a procedure. Any discrepancy identified
during the timeout must be resolved before the incision is made.
Relying on family members is insufficient when official medical
documentation is contradictory .
3. A patient is scheduled for a mastectomy and is found to have a
permanent cardiac pacemaker. The surgical assistant is preparing the
operative field. Which of the following is the primary safety concern
regarding the use of electrosurgical units (ESU) in this patient?
, A. The ESU may cause the pacemaker to switch to an asynchronous
mode or inhibit pacing due to electromagnetic interference
B. The ESU will inevitably drain the battery of the pacemaker, leading to
immediate postoperative failure
C. The ESU current will be diverted through the pacemaker leads,
potentially causing a myocardial infarction
D. The ESU ground pad placement is irrelevant as long as the
pacemaker is shielded by a lead apron
Correct Answer: A — The ESU may cause the pacemaker to switch to an
asynchronous mode or inhibit pacing due to electromagnetic
interference
Rationale: Electrosurgical units create electromagnetic interference
that can be interpreted by the pacemaker as cardiac activity, potentially
inhibiting the device's output. It can also cause the device to revert to
an asynchronous (fixed-rate) mode. The primary concern is interference
with the device's sensing/pacing logic .
CERTIFICATION EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
SOLUTIONS 2026/2027
Instructions: This practice exam contains multiple-choice questions covering the core content
domains tested on the ABSA Surgical Assistant (SA-C) Certification Examination. Topics
include perioperative care, surgical anatomy, instrumentation, asepsis, sutures and wound
repair, patient safety, and professional practice
1. Before the surgical incision is made, the surgical assistant's primary
responsibility is to ensure that:
A. The operative note has already been completed
B. The correct patient, procedure, site, and required equipment have
been verified according to the surgical safety checklist
C. The wound dressing has been applied
D. The surgical team has taken a break
Correct Answer: B — The correct patient, procedure, site, and required
equipment have been verified according to the surgical safety checklist
Rationale: Verification through the surgical safety checklist is the critical
safety measure performed before incision to prevent wrong-site,
,wrong-patient, and wrong-procedure surgeries. The "time out" is a
formal process in which all team members must participate just prior to
incision .
2. During the preoperative "timeout" for a scheduled bilateral inguinal
hernia repair, the surgical team discovers that the surgeon intends to
repair the left side, but the surgical consent form and the preoperative
site marking indicate the right side. What is the most appropriate
immediate action for the surgical assistant?
A. Proceed with the left-side repair as the surgeon has identified it as
the correct pathology
B. Verify the side with the patient's family in the waiting area before
making an incision
C. Stop the procedure immediately and request that the surgeon and
circulating nurse resolve the discrepancy with the patient and medical
records
,D. Proceed with the right-side repair as it matches the legal consent
form, regardless of the surgeon's current plan
Correct Answer: C — Stop the procedure immediately and request that
the surgeon and circulating nurse resolve the discrepancy with the
patient and medical records
Rationale: The Universal Protocol for preventing wrong-site, wrong-
procedure, and wrong-person surgery mandates a "timeout"
immediately before starting a procedure. Any discrepancy identified
during the timeout must be resolved before the incision is made.
Relying on family members is insufficient when official medical
documentation is contradictory .
3. A patient is scheduled for a mastectomy and is found to have a
permanent cardiac pacemaker. The surgical assistant is preparing the
operative field. Which of the following is the primary safety concern
regarding the use of electrosurgical units (ESU) in this patient?
, A. The ESU may cause the pacemaker to switch to an asynchronous
mode or inhibit pacing due to electromagnetic interference
B. The ESU will inevitably drain the battery of the pacemaker, leading to
immediate postoperative failure
C. The ESU current will be diverted through the pacemaker leads,
potentially causing a myocardial infarction
D. The ESU ground pad placement is irrelevant as long as the
pacemaker is shielded by a lead apron
Correct Answer: A — The ESU may cause the pacemaker to switch to an
asynchronous mode or inhibit pacing due to electromagnetic
interference
Rationale: Electrosurgical units create electromagnetic interference
that can be interpreted by the pacemaker as cardiac activity, potentially
inhibiting the device's output. It can also cause the device to revert to
an asynchronous (fixed-rate) mode. The primary concern is interference
with the device's sensing/pacing logic .
