NCCT
A cardiac arrest occurs during a thoracotomy procedure, and the surgeon calls a CODE
BLUE. The surgeon is attempting to resuscitate the patient using CPR. Which of the
following is the responsibility of the surgical technologist in this situation?
a. Hand the surgeon a loaded needle holder and forceps for closing.
b. Break scrub and retrieve the code cart.
c. Prepare internal defibrillator paddles.
d. Prepare external defibrillator paddles. - ANS-Prepare internal defibrillator paddles.
A class II or a clean-contaminated surgical wound enters through where?
A. Respiratory, GI, genital, or urinary tract
B. Respiratory, genital, or urinary tract but not GI
C. GI and genital only
D. Respiratory only - ANS-Respiratory, GI, genital, or urinary tract
A GYN patient is scheduled to have a D&C procedure. To prevent the risk of skin and
neurovascular pressure or injury when the patient is placed in stirrups in the lithotomy
position, which of the following must the surgical team do?
a. Have a backup pair of stirrups available in room.
b. Have adequate padding available in room.
c. Ensure the surgeon is in the room during positioning.
d. Place patient in position before the anesthesia. - ANS-Have adequate padding available in
room.
A gynecologic oncology surgeon decides to bring her patient into the OR emergently after
seeing her in the office. The patient's abdomen is greatly distended, warm and firm to the
touch. Which of the following should the surgical technologist have available?
a. Andrews tip suction and Raytec sponges
b. Poole tip suction and Lap sponges
c. Poole tip suction and Raytec sponges
d. Andrews tip suction and Lap sponges - ANS-Poole tip suction and Lap sponges
A patient is having a cervical cone biopsy. The surgeon prefers to not use a Bovie. Which of
the following solutions should the surgical technologist have available in the room for control
of bleeding?
A. Lugol's solution
B. Acetic acid
C. Monsel's solution
D. Collodian - ANS-Monsel's solution
A patient is having a laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy. If the surgeon is unable to
extract the uterus vaginally, which of the following equipment should the surgical
technologist have available to retrieve the uterus?
A. Harmonic scalpel
B. LigaSure
C. Morcellator
D. Enseal - ANS-Morcellator
,A patient is undergoing a right partial pneumonectomy. Which of the following drains should
the surgical technologist prepare for placement at the end of the case?
a. Jackson Pratt
b. Chest tube
c. Penrose
d. Hemovac - ANS-chest tube
A patient presents to the operating room for a hydrocelectomy. Which of the following
dressings should the surgical technologist anticipate needing?
A. Ace bandage
B. Gauze packing
C. Scrotal support
D. Elastoplast - ANS-Scrotal support
A patient presents to the operating room for irrigation and debridement of a wound caused
by penetrating trauma. The surgeon states that the wound will heal by secondary intention.
Which of the following dressing types should the surgical technologist ask the circulator for?
A. Steri-Strips
B. Bio-occlusive Opsite
C. ABD
D. Bolsters - ANS-ABD
A patient's dentures are removed in the operating room. Which of the following is the proper
procedure for the care of the dentures?
A. The recovery room nurse maintains possession of the labeled denture cup until
post-surgery.
B. The circulator places the dentures in a labeled denture cup and keeps them with the
patient's chart.
C. The anesthesia provider holds the labeled denture cup until the patient is awake.
D. The charge nurse holds the labeled denture cup in a secure area until post-surgery. -
ANS-The circulator places the dentures in a labeled denture cup and keeps them with the
patient's chart.
A pressure dressing is most likely applied over a:
A. fractured femur EX Fix.
B. skin graft.
C. cataract surgery.
D. TURP. - ANS-skin graft.
A surgical case ends, and the surgeon removes the drapes to finish dressings. What is the
first action that the surgical technologist must take as the surgery ends and drapes are
removed?
a. Dispose of all trash into proper containers.
b. Apply pre-cleaning agent to instruments.
c. Maintain back table and Mayo sterility.
d. Take dirty instruments to the decontamination room. - ANS-Maintain back table and Mayo
sterility.
A surgical technologist (ST) is notified of a burn patient coming into the OR for a
debridement. The ST volunteers to assist in transporting the patient from the patient's room
to the OR with other non-direct health care providers. Before entering the patient's room, the
ST dons a gown, gloves, and mask to retrieve the patient. Why is this the proper protocol?
a. The patient is under fire hazard precautions.
b. The patient is under isolation precautions.
, c. The patient is under airborne precautions.
d. The patient is under droplet precautions. - ANS-The patient is under isolation precautions.
A surgical technologist is in the process of opening sterile supplies for an abdominal
hysterectomy on a 300 lb. patient. After reviewing the preference card, which of the following
items should the technologist hold in order to watch costs? (Select the three (3) correct
answers.)
A. Long Bovie tip
B. Closing suture
C. 11 knife blade
D. Extra laps
E. Extra Raytec - ANS-Closing suture, 11 knife blade, Extra Raytec
A surgical technologist relieves another technologist during a case. After the first surgical
technologist leaves, the relieving technologist realizes that the medication on the field is not
labeled. Which of the following is the first action the relieving surgical technologist should
take?
A. Ask the surgeon to verify the medication and irrigating solution on the field.
B. Ask the circulator to verify the medication and irrigating solution on the field.
C. Call the first technologist back to the room to verify the medication and irrigating solution.
D. Discard the medication and irrigating solution on the field and start over. - ANS-Discard
the medication and irrigating solution on the field and start over.
A surgical technologist working the night shift is preparing implants for the next morning.
After running the autoclave, the cycle fails. Which of the following should the surgical
technologist do?
A. Rerun the wrapped implants with an external chemical monitor taped to the outside of the
sets to ensure proper sterility has been achieved.
B. Ask the night operating room supervisor to postpone the orthopedic surgical procedure
until the oncoming day shift surgical technologists can run a BI test pack on the first load of
the day.
C. Unwrap, decontaminate and re-sterilize implants with a biological test pack and place a
hold on the use of the sets until the BI test results are available.
D. Have the sterilizer scheduled for repair and halt the sterilization of all implants. -
ANS-Unwrap, decontaminate and re-sterilize implants with a biological test pack and place a
hold on the use of the sets until the BI test results are available.
A tornado warning is in effect and power has been switched to the generator due to downed
electrical lines. The hospital's disaster triage protocol has been activated. A surgical
procedure is in progress. Which of the following is the best course of action to ensure patient
safety?
a. Immediately evacuate the patient to the preoperative holding area.
b. Finish the procedure and evacuate the patient.
c. Place wet towels under door and finish the procedure.
d. Cover the back table until the storm passes. - ANS-Finish the procedure and evacuate the
patient.
After a resident connects the Yankauer suction tip, it falls slightly below the edge of the
sterile field. Which of the following should be considered contaminated?
a. Yankauer suction tip and the resident's gown
b. Yankauer suction tip and the drape
c. Yankauer suction tip
d. Yankauer suction tip, the drape, and the resident's gown - ANS-Yankauer suction tip
A cardiac arrest occurs during a thoracotomy procedure, and the surgeon calls a CODE
BLUE. The surgeon is attempting to resuscitate the patient using CPR. Which of the
following is the responsibility of the surgical technologist in this situation?
a. Hand the surgeon a loaded needle holder and forceps for closing.
b. Break scrub and retrieve the code cart.
c. Prepare internal defibrillator paddles.
d. Prepare external defibrillator paddles. - ANS-Prepare internal defibrillator paddles.
A class II or a clean-contaminated surgical wound enters through where?
A. Respiratory, GI, genital, or urinary tract
B. Respiratory, genital, or urinary tract but not GI
C. GI and genital only
D. Respiratory only - ANS-Respiratory, GI, genital, or urinary tract
A GYN patient is scheduled to have a D&C procedure. To prevent the risk of skin and
neurovascular pressure or injury when the patient is placed in stirrups in the lithotomy
position, which of the following must the surgical team do?
a. Have a backup pair of stirrups available in room.
b. Have adequate padding available in room.
c. Ensure the surgeon is in the room during positioning.
d. Place patient in position before the anesthesia. - ANS-Have adequate padding available in
room.
A gynecologic oncology surgeon decides to bring her patient into the OR emergently after
seeing her in the office. The patient's abdomen is greatly distended, warm and firm to the
touch. Which of the following should the surgical technologist have available?
a. Andrews tip suction and Raytec sponges
b. Poole tip suction and Lap sponges
c. Poole tip suction and Raytec sponges
d. Andrews tip suction and Lap sponges - ANS-Poole tip suction and Lap sponges
A patient is having a cervical cone biopsy. The surgeon prefers to not use a Bovie. Which of
the following solutions should the surgical technologist have available in the room for control
of bleeding?
A. Lugol's solution
B. Acetic acid
C. Monsel's solution
D. Collodian - ANS-Monsel's solution
A patient is having a laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy. If the surgeon is unable to
extract the uterus vaginally, which of the following equipment should the surgical
technologist have available to retrieve the uterus?
A. Harmonic scalpel
B. LigaSure
C. Morcellator
D. Enseal - ANS-Morcellator
,A patient is undergoing a right partial pneumonectomy. Which of the following drains should
the surgical technologist prepare for placement at the end of the case?
a. Jackson Pratt
b. Chest tube
c. Penrose
d. Hemovac - ANS-chest tube
A patient presents to the operating room for a hydrocelectomy. Which of the following
dressings should the surgical technologist anticipate needing?
A. Ace bandage
B. Gauze packing
C. Scrotal support
D. Elastoplast - ANS-Scrotal support
A patient presents to the operating room for irrigation and debridement of a wound caused
by penetrating trauma. The surgeon states that the wound will heal by secondary intention.
Which of the following dressing types should the surgical technologist ask the circulator for?
A. Steri-Strips
B. Bio-occlusive Opsite
C. ABD
D. Bolsters - ANS-ABD
A patient's dentures are removed in the operating room. Which of the following is the proper
procedure for the care of the dentures?
A. The recovery room nurse maintains possession of the labeled denture cup until
post-surgery.
B. The circulator places the dentures in a labeled denture cup and keeps them with the
patient's chart.
C. The anesthesia provider holds the labeled denture cup until the patient is awake.
D. The charge nurse holds the labeled denture cup in a secure area until post-surgery. -
ANS-The circulator places the dentures in a labeled denture cup and keeps them with the
patient's chart.
A pressure dressing is most likely applied over a:
A. fractured femur EX Fix.
B. skin graft.
C. cataract surgery.
D. TURP. - ANS-skin graft.
A surgical case ends, and the surgeon removes the drapes to finish dressings. What is the
first action that the surgical technologist must take as the surgery ends and drapes are
removed?
a. Dispose of all trash into proper containers.
b. Apply pre-cleaning agent to instruments.
c. Maintain back table and Mayo sterility.
d. Take dirty instruments to the decontamination room. - ANS-Maintain back table and Mayo
sterility.
A surgical technologist (ST) is notified of a burn patient coming into the OR for a
debridement. The ST volunteers to assist in transporting the patient from the patient's room
to the OR with other non-direct health care providers. Before entering the patient's room, the
ST dons a gown, gloves, and mask to retrieve the patient. Why is this the proper protocol?
a. The patient is under fire hazard precautions.
b. The patient is under isolation precautions.
, c. The patient is under airborne precautions.
d. The patient is under droplet precautions. - ANS-The patient is under isolation precautions.
A surgical technologist is in the process of opening sterile supplies for an abdominal
hysterectomy on a 300 lb. patient. After reviewing the preference card, which of the following
items should the technologist hold in order to watch costs? (Select the three (3) correct
answers.)
A. Long Bovie tip
B. Closing suture
C. 11 knife blade
D. Extra laps
E. Extra Raytec - ANS-Closing suture, 11 knife blade, Extra Raytec
A surgical technologist relieves another technologist during a case. After the first surgical
technologist leaves, the relieving technologist realizes that the medication on the field is not
labeled. Which of the following is the first action the relieving surgical technologist should
take?
A. Ask the surgeon to verify the medication and irrigating solution on the field.
B. Ask the circulator to verify the medication and irrigating solution on the field.
C. Call the first technologist back to the room to verify the medication and irrigating solution.
D. Discard the medication and irrigating solution on the field and start over. - ANS-Discard
the medication and irrigating solution on the field and start over.
A surgical technologist working the night shift is preparing implants for the next morning.
After running the autoclave, the cycle fails. Which of the following should the surgical
technologist do?
A. Rerun the wrapped implants with an external chemical monitor taped to the outside of the
sets to ensure proper sterility has been achieved.
B. Ask the night operating room supervisor to postpone the orthopedic surgical procedure
until the oncoming day shift surgical technologists can run a BI test pack on the first load of
the day.
C. Unwrap, decontaminate and re-sterilize implants with a biological test pack and place a
hold on the use of the sets until the BI test results are available.
D. Have the sterilizer scheduled for repair and halt the sterilization of all implants. -
ANS-Unwrap, decontaminate and re-sterilize implants with a biological test pack and place a
hold on the use of the sets until the BI test results are available.
A tornado warning is in effect and power has been switched to the generator due to downed
electrical lines. The hospital's disaster triage protocol has been activated. A surgical
procedure is in progress. Which of the following is the best course of action to ensure patient
safety?
a. Immediately evacuate the patient to the preoperative holding area.
b. Finish the procedure and evacuate the patient.
c. Place wet towels under door and finish the procedure.
d. Cover the back table until the storm passes. - ANS-Finish the procedure and evacuate the
patient.
After a resident connects the Yankauer suction tip, it falls slightly below the edge of the
sterile field. Which of the following should be considered contaminated?
a. Yankauer suction tip and the resident's gown
b. Yankauer suction tip and the drape
c. Yankauer suction tip
d. Yankauer suction tip, the drape, and the resident's gown - ANS-Yankauer suction tip
