NBSTSA CST Practice Exam A
1. Which of the following is the opening in the occipital bone through which
the spinal cord passes?
A. foramen ovale
B. foramen magnum
C. foramen rotundum
D. foramen of Bochdalek
ANS-: B. foramen magnum
2. Sterile supplies and instruments for a case have been opened in OR 1. A
surgical technologist was just informed that the case has been moved to OR
2 and the next case in OR 1 is scheduled in two hours. Which of the
following is the BEST course of action?
A. Cover the sterile field with a sterile drape and move it from OR 1 to OR 2.
B. New sterile supplies and instruments should be obtained for OR 2 and the
setup in OR 1 should be disposed of.
C. OR 1 should be left so that these supplies and instruments can be used
by the next case.
D. The surgical technologist should argue that the procedure be held in OR
1 as planned.
ANS-: B. New sterile supplies and instruments should be obtained for OR 2
and the setup in OR 1 should be disposed of.
3. Which of the following is the body's local tissue reaction to injury?
A. fever
B. infection
C. inflammation
D. immune reaction
ANS-: C. inflammation
4. Which of the following instruments is used for a common bile duct
exploration?
A. Fogarty clamp
B. Randall forceps
,NBSTSA CST Practice Exam A
C. Pennington clamp
D. Forester ring forceps
ANS-: B. Randall forceps
5. Which of the following is the MOST important consideration when cutting
suture?
A. avoiding the knot
B. using sharp scissors
C.opening the scissors wide when cutting
D. tagging the end of suture to be cut with a hemostat
ANS-: A. avoiding the knot
6. Which of the following structures are ligated and divided during the
cholecystectomy?
A.cystic artery and cystic duct
B.hepatic artery and hepatic duct
C. cystic artery and common bile duct
D. hepatic artery and pancreatic duct
ANS-: A.cystic artery and cystic duct
7. Which of the following may be used when applying a sterile dressing to a
skin graft site?
A. pressure dressing
B. ABD pad
C. 4x4s
D. Steri-Strips
ANS-: A. pressure dressing
8. When performing a dilation and curettage, which of the following
instruments is used to grasp the cervix?
A. Sims
,NBSTSA CST Practice Exam A
B. Auvard
C. Schroeder
D. Bozeman
ANS-: C. Schroeder
9. On the way into the operating room, a terminally ill patient tells the nurse,
"No matter what happens, it will be okay." Which of the Five Stages of Grief
is the patient MOST likely in?
A. denial
B. bargaining
C. depression
D. acceptance
ANS-: D. acceptance
10. Which of the following instruments is used for placement of cottonoid
strips during a craniotomy?
A. bayonet forceps
B. Russian forceps
C. Kelly clamp
D. angled DeBakey clamp
ANS-: A. bayonet forceps
11. When two individuals in sterile attire pass one another in the sterile field,
they should
A. pass back-to-back.
B. both face the wall.
C. pass side-to-side.
D. both face the sterile field.
ANS-: A. pass back-to-back.
12. Which of the following is used to oxygenate and circulate blood?
A. Doppler ultrasound
, NBSTSA CST Practice Exam A
B. defibrillator
C. extracorporeal bypass
D. autotransfuser: C. extracorporeal bypass
13. The PRIMARY consideration in selecting an appropriate anesthetic agent
is the
A. physiologic condition of the patient.
B. length of the procedure.
C. type of the procedure.
D. anxiety level of the patient.: A. physiologic condition of the patient.
14. If two basins are wrapped together for sterilizing, they should be
packaged with one basin
A.stacked inside the other and separated by impervious material.
B.on its side and the other upside down.
C.stacked inside the other and wrapped in a towel.
D.stacked inside the other and separated by a towel.: D.stacked inside the
other and separated by a towel.
15. Which of the following items may be used in positioning a patient for a
total hip arthroplasty?
A. fracture table
B. Wilson frame
C. Andrews frame
D. bean bag: D. bean bag
16. A surgical technologist sees a neighbor being admitted. How should
the surgical technologist respond? A.Acknowledge the neighbor.
B.Reassure the neighbor that everything will be fine.
C.Do not acknowledge the neighbor unless greeted first.
D.Ignore the neighbor, even if greeted.: C. Do not acknowledge the neighbor
unless greeted first
17. Instruments that come in contact with the appendiceal stump during
an appendectomy should be
1. Which of the following is the opening in the occipital bone through which
the spinal cord passes?
A. foramen ovale
B. foramen magnum
C. foramen rotundum
D. foramen of Bochdalek
ANS-: B. foramen magnum
2. Sterile supplies and instruments for a case have been opened in OR 1. A
surgical technologist was just informed that the case has been moved to OR
2 and the next case in OR 1 is scheduled in two hours. Which of the
following is the BEST course of action?
A. Cover the sterile field with a sterile drape and move it from OR 1 to OR 2.
B. New sterile supplies and instruments should be obtained for OR 2 and the
setup in OR 1 should be disposed of.
C. OR 1 should be left so that these supplies and instruments can be used
by the next case.
D. The surgical technologist should argue that the procedure be held in OR
1 as planned.
ANS-: B. New sterile supplies and instruments should be obtained for OR 2
and the setup in OR 1 should be disposed of.
3. Which of the following is the body's local tissue reaction to injury?
A. fever
B. infection
C. inflammation
D. immune reaction
ANS-: C. inflammation
4. Which of the following instruments is used for a common bile duct
exploration?
A. Fogarty clamp
B. Randall forceps
,NBSTSA CST Practice Exam A
C. Pennington clamp
D. Forester ring forceps
ANS-: B. Randall forceps
5. Which of the following is the MOST important consideration when cutting
suture?
A. avoiding the knot
B. using sharp scissors
C.opening the scissors wide when cutting
D. tagging the end of suture to be cut with a hemostat
ANS-: A. avoiding the knot
6. Which of the following structures are ligated and divided during the
cholecystectomy?
A.cystic artery and cystic duct
B.hepatic artery and hepatic duct
C. cystic artery and common bile duct
D. hepatic artery and pancreatic duct
ANS-: A.cystic artery and cystic duct
7. Which of the following may be used when applying a sterile dressing to a
skin graft site?
A. pressure dressing
B. ABD pad
C. 4x4s
D. Steri-Strips
ANS-: A. pressure dressing
8. When performing a dilation and curettage, which of the following
instruments is used to grasp the cervix?
A. Sims
,NBSTSA CST Practice Exam A
B. Auvard
C. Schroeder
D. Bozeman
ANS-: C. Schroeder
9. On the way into the operating room, a terminally ill patient tells the nurse,
"No matter what happens, it will be okay." Which of the Five Stages of Grief
is the patient MOST likely in?
A. denial
B. bargaining
C. depression
D. acceptance
ANS-: D. acceptance
10. Which of the following instruments is used for placement of cottonoid
strips during a craniotomy?
A. bayonet forceps
B. Russian forceps
C. Kelly clamp
D. angled DeBakey clamp
ANS-: A. bayonet forceps
11. When two individuals in sterile attire pass one another in the sterile field,
they should
A. pass back-to-back.
B. both face the wall.
C. pass side-to-side.
D. both face the sterile field.
ANS-: A. pass back-to-back.
12. Which of the following is used to oxygenate and circulate blood?
A. Doppler ultrasound
, NBSTSA CST Practice Exam A
B. defibrillator
C. extracorporeal bypass
D. autotransfuser: C. extracorporeal bypass
13. The PRIMARY consideration in selecting an appropriate anesthetic agent
is the
A. physiologic condition of the patient.
B. length of the procedure.
C. type of the procedure.
D. anxiety level of the patient.: A. physiologic condition of the patient.
14. If two basins are wrapped together for sterilizing, they should be
packaged with one basin
A.stacked inside the other and separated by impervious material.
B.on its side and the other upside down.
C.stacked inside the other and wrapped in a towel.
D.stacked inside the other and separated by a towel.: D.stacked inside the
other and separated by a towel.
15. Which of the following items may be used in positioning a patient for a
total hip arthroplasty?
A. fracture table
B. Wilson frame
C. Andrews frame
D. bean bag: D. bean bag
16. A surgical technologist sees a neighbor being admitted. How should
the surgical technologist respond? A.Acknowledge the neighbor.
B.Reassure the neighbor that everything will be fine.
C.Do not acknowledge the neighbor unless greeted first.
D.Ignore the neighbor, even if greeted.: C. Do not acknowledge the neighbor
unless greeted first
17. Instruments that come in contact with the appendiceal stump during
an appendectomy should be
