NIFA Perioperative Quiz 1 & Quiz 2
2025/2026 | Actual Exam with Complete
Questions & Verified Answers | National
Institute for First Assistants
NIFA Perioperative Practice Exam —
Questions 1–200
1. Which action best maintains a sterile field during surgery?
A. Turning away briefly to grab supplies
B. Keeping hands above waist at all times
C. Touching sterile drapes with non-sterile gloves
D. Reaching over a sterile field without caution
Answer: B
Rationale: Hands must remain above waist to avoid contamination.
2. What is the purpose of a surgical timeout?
A. To review patient allergies
B. To verify patient, site, and procedure
C. To check staff attendance
D. To clean the OR
Answer: B
Rationale: Timeouts prevent wrong-site and wrong-procedure errors.
3. Which is a key responsibility of the circulating nurse?
A. Passing instruments
B. Maintaining sterile field
C. Managing OR supplies and documentation
D. Administering anesthesia
Answer: C
Rationale: Circulating nurses manage supplies and record events outside the sterile
field.
,4. What is the safest method to prepare a surgical site?
A. Shaving with a razor
B. Using clippers or depilatory cream
C. Leaving hair intact
D. Applying alcohol only
Answer: B
Rationale: Clippers reduce risk of micro-abrasions and infection.
5. Which position increases the risk of facial swelling and airway edema?
A. Supine
B. Trendelenburg
C. Lateral
D. Prone
Answer: B
Rationale: Head-down tilt increases venous pressure in upper body.
6. When should surgical counts be performed?
A. Start of surgery only
B. Start, during, and end of surgery
C. End of surgery only
D. Only if surgeon requests
Answer: B
Rationale: Multiple counts prevent retained surgical items.
7. Which is considered a sharp item?
A. Sponge
B. Needle
C. Draping material
D. Suction tubing
Answer: B
Rationale: Needles can cause injury and require careful handling.
8. What is the main purpose of OR fire safety protocols?
A. Reduce heat exposure
B. Prevent ignition of flammable materials
C. Organize equipment
D. Reduce noise
Answer: B
Rationale: Proper fire safety prevents OR fires and injuries.
9. What is the correct way to handle instruments passing across a sterile field?
A. Pass without verification
B. Confirm sterility before handing
C. Allow them to touch non-sterile surfaces
D. Pass quickly without looking
, Answer: B
Rationale: Ensures instruments remain sterile and safe.
10. Which monitoring device measures oxygen saturation?
A. Pulse oximeter
B. Capnograph
C. Blood pressure cuff
D. ECG
Answer: A
Rationale: Pulse oximetry monitors arterial oxygen saturation continuously.
11. Which is the primary responsibility of the scrub nurse?
A. Documenting patient care
B. Passing instruments to the surgeon
C. Managing anesthesia
D. Cleaning the OR
Answer: B
Rationale: The scrub nurse assists the surgeon and handles sterile instruments.
12. What is the best practice when a sterile field is accidentally contaminated?
A. Continue surgery
B. Immediately replace or correct contamination
C. Ignore unless the surgeon notices
D. Document only
Answer: B
Rationale: Immediate correction prevents infection risk.
13. Which is the correct method for hand hygiene before scrubbing?
A. Quick rinse with water
B. Using antiseptic soap for recommended time
C. Wiping hands with towel
D. Applying lotion
Answer: B
Rationale: Proper antiseptic hand scrub reduces surgical site infection risk.
14. What is a key responsibility of the anesthesia provider?
A. Maintaining sterile field
B. Administering anesthesia and monitoring vital signs
C. Passing instruments
D. Documenting sponge counts
Answer: B
Rationale: Anesthesia provider ensures patient sedation and stability during surgery.
2025/2026 | Actual Exam with Complete
Questions & Verified Answers | National
Institute for First Assistants
NIFA Perioperative Practice Exam —
Questions 1–200
1. Which action best maintains a sterile field during surgery?
A. Turning away briefly to grab supplies
B. Keeping hands above waist at all times
C. Touching sterile drapes with non-sterile gloves
D. Reaching over a sterile field without caution
Answer: B
Rationale: Hands must remain above waist to avoid contamination.
2. What is the purpose of a surgical timeout?
A. To review patient allergies
B. To verify patient, site, and procedure
C. To check staff attendance
D. To clean the OR
Answer: B
Rationale: Timeouts prevent wrong-site and wrong-procedure errors.
3. Which is a key responsibility of the circulating nurse?
A. Passing instruments
B. Maintaining sterile field
C. Managing OR supplies and documentation
D. Administering anesthesia
Answer: C
Rationale: Circulating nurses manage supplies and record events outside the sterile
field.
,4. What is the safest method to prepare a surgical site?
A. Shaving with a razor
B. Using clippers or depilatory cream
C. Leaving hair intact
D. Applying alcohol only
Answer: B
Rationale: Clippers reduce risk of micro-abrasions and infection.
5. Which position increases the risk of facial swelling and airway edema?
A. Supine
B. Trendelenburg
C. Lateral
D. Prone
Answer: B
Rationale: Head-down tilt increases venous pressure in upper body.
6. When should surgical counts be performed?
A. Start of surgery only
B. Start, during, and end of surgery
C. End of surgery only
D. Only if surgeon requests
Answer: B
Rationale: Multiple counts prevent retained surgical items.
7. Which is considered a sharp item?
A. Sponge
B. Needle
C. Draping material
D. Suction tubing
Answer: B
Rationale: Needles can cause injury and require careful handling.
8. What is the main purpose of OR fire safety protocols?
A. Reduce heat exposure
B. Prevent ignition of flammable materials
C. Organize equipment
D. Reduce noise
Answer: B
Rationale: Proper fire safety prevents OR fires and injuries.
9. What is the correct way to handle instruments passing across a sterile field?
A. Pass without verification
B. Confirm sterility before handing
C. Allow them to touch non-sterile surfaces
D. Pass quickly without looking
, Answer: B
Rationale: Ensures instruments remain sterile and safe.
10. Which monitoring device measures oxygen saturation?
A. Pulse oximeter
B. Capnograph
C. Blood pressure cuff
D. ECG
Answer: A
Rationale: Pulse oximetry monitors arterial oxygen saturation continuously.
11. Which is the primary responsibility of the scrub nurse?
A. Documenting patient care
B. Passing instruments to the surgeon
C. Managing anesthesia
D. Cleaning the OR
Answer: B
Rationale: The scrub nurse assists the surgeon and handles sterile instruments.
12. What is the best practice when a sterile field is accidentally contaminated?
A. Continue surgery
B. Immediately replace or correct contamination
C. Ignore unless the surgeon notices
D. Document only
Answer: B
Rationale: Immediate correction prevents infection risk.
13. Which is the correct method for hand hygiene before scrubbing?
A. Quick rinse with water
B. Using antiseptic soap for recommended time
C. Wiping hands with towel
D. Applying lotion
Answer: B
Rationale: Proper antiseptic hand scrub reduces surgical site infection risk.
14. What is a key responsibility of the anesthesia provider?
A. Maintaining sterile field
B. Administering anesthesia and monitoring vital signs
C. Passing instruments
D. Documenting sponge counts
Answer: B
Rationale: Anesthesia provider ensures patient sedation and stability during surgery.
