TheorySurgical Tech CST
Practice Test
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Surgical Tech CST exam — full Q&A walkthrough
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30 free Surgical Tech CST questions
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Surgical Tech CST
Once a sterile field has been established, which area of a sterile gown is considered sterile?
Correct — A. A sterile gown is considered sterile only in front from the chest to the level of the sterile field and at the sleeves from two inches above the elbow to the cuff. The back and areas below the field level are not sterile. -
Surgical Tech CST
What is the minimum exposure time to achieve sterilization for wrapped items in a gravity-displacement steam sterilizer operating at 250 degrees F (121 degrees C)?
Correct — B. Gravity-displacement steam sterilization at 250 degrees F (121 degrees C) typically requires a 30-minute exposure for wrapped items, because air removal is slower than in a prevacuum cycle. Higher temperatures (270 degrees F) shorten the required time. -
Surgical Tech CST
A biological indicator used to monitor steam sterilization most commonly contains spores of which organism?
Correct — C. Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores are used to test steam and hydrogen peroxide sterilization because they are highly heat-resistant. Bacillus atrophaeus spores are used for dry-heat and ethylene oxide processes. -
Surgical Tech CST
If a circulator observes a break in sterile technique that no one else noticed, the correct action is to:
Correct — D. Surgical conscience requires that any break in sterile technique be identified and corrected immediately, regardless of who is watching. Patient safety takes priority over convenience or embarrassment. -
Surgical Tech CST
Ethylene oxide (EO) gas sterilization is most appropriate for which type of item?
Correct — A. Ethylene oxide is a low-temperature chemical sterilant used for heat- and moisture-sensitive items such as plastics, electronics, and fiber-optic cables. Its drawbacks are long aeration times and toxicity. -
Surgical Tech CST
Items used to set up a sterile field should be opened in what sequence relative to the time of use?
Correct — B. Sterile supplies should be opened as close as possible to the time of use to minimize the chance of airborne contamination. Prolonged exposure of an open field increases the risk of contamination. -
Surgical Tech CST
When using the closed-gloving technique, the hands:
Correct — C. In closed gloving, the scrubbed person keeps their hands inside the gown sleeves and manipulates the gloves through the fabric, so bare skin never contacts the sterile glove exterior. This reduces contamination risk during self-gloving. -
Surgical Tech CST
An instrument that contacts intact mucous membranes but does not penetrate sterile tissue (e.g., a vaginal speculum) is classified under the Spaulding system as:
Correct — D. Under the Spaulding classification, semicritical items contact mucous membranes or nonintact skin and require at minimum high-level disinfection. Critical items enter sterile tissue and require sterilization. -
Surgical Tech CST
Immediate-use steam sterilization (IUSS, formerly 'flash') is acceptable when:
Correct — A. IUSS is reserved for situations where an item is needed immediately and no sterile replacement is available, such as a dropped instrument with no backup. It should not be used for routine processing or, ideally, for implants. -
Surgical Tech CST
Which statement about the edges of a sterile drape or wrapper is correct?
Correct — B. A standard rule of sterile technique holds that a one-inch (about 2.5 cm) margin at the edge of a sterile drape or wrapper is considered nonsterile because it is closest to the nonsterile boundary. -
Surgical Tech CST
A Class 5 chemical integrating indicator placed inside a pack is designed to:
Correct — C. Class 5 integrating indicators respond to all critical variables (time, temperature, and presence of steam) across a range of cycles. They provide more assurance than simple exposure indicators but do not replace biological indicators. -
Surgical Tech CST
The Bowie-Dick test is performed to evaluate which function of a prevacuum (dynamic-air-removal) steam sterilizer?
Correct — D. The Bowie-Dick test detects air leaks and confirms adequate air removal and steam penetration in a prevacuum sterilizer. It is run daily before the first processed load but is not a test of actual microbial lethality. -
Surgical Tech CST
When performing a surgical skin prep at the incision site, the antiseptic is applied:
Correct — A. The skin prep is applied starting at the planned incision site and moving outward in expanding circles toward the periphery, so the cleanest area is at the incision. A sponge that reaches the periphery is discarded, never returned to the center. -
Surgical Tech CST
The primary purpose of the surgical hand scrub or surgical hand rub is to:
Correct — B. The surgical hand scrub does not sterilize the skin; it removes debris and transient flora and reduces resident flora to a minimum, also leaving a residual antimicrobial effect. Gloves are still required because skin cannot be sterilized. -
Surgical Tech CST
Once a sterile drape has been positioned on the patient, it should be:
Correct — C. A drape that has been placed should not be moved because shifting it can drag nonsterile areas across the sterile field. If misplaced, it is removed and a new drape is applied, never repositioned. -
Surgical Tech CST
Peel-pouch packaging used for steam sterilization should be loaded into the sterilizer:
Correct — D. Peel pouches are placed on edge with paper facing plastic to allow steam contact and proper drying. Laying them flat or stacking them traps air and moisture and can cause wet packs. -
Surgical Tech CST
Sterile team members who must change positions should pass one another:
Correct — A. Sterile personnel pass each other back to back to keep sterile surfaces from contacting nonsterile backs. A sterile person also keeps their hands above waist level and within the sterile field. -
Surgical Tech CST
Current best practice considers the sterility of a packaged item to be:
Correct — B. The event-related sterility concept holds that a package remains sterile until an event (tear, moisture, compromised seal) compromises it, rather than expiring on a fixed date. Packaging integrity must be inspected before use. -
Surgical Tech CST
Dry-heat sterilization is best suited for which of the following?
Correct — C. Dry-heat sterilization is used for materials that steam cannot penetrate or would damage, such as powders, anhydrous oils, and petroleum-based ointments. It requires higher temperatures and longer times than steam. -
Surgical Tech CST
If a sterile team member's glove is punctured during a procedure, the appropriate action is to:
Correct — D. A punctured glove is contaminated and must be changed. The scrubbed person steps back from the field and regloves (often with assistance using open or assisted gloving) to restore the sterile barrier. -
Surgical Tech CST
Instruments are transported to the decontamination area and kept moist primarily to:
Correct — A. Keeping soiled instruments moist prevents organic debris from drying onto surfaces, which would make cleaning difficult and could harbor microorganisms. Effective cleaning must occur before sterilization. -
Surgical Tech CST
Which of the following is true regarding the height at which sterile items are considered sterile on a draped table?
Correct — B. Only the top surface of a draped table is considered sterile; anything hanging or falling below the level of the tabletop is regarded as contaminated and must not be brought back up. -
Surgical Tech CST
A load control number (lot number) on a sterilized package allows the facility to:
Correct — C. Each sterilizer load is assigned a control/lot number so that, if a biological indicator fails or a problem is detected, every item in that load can be located and recalled. This traceability is a core quality-control practice. -
Surgical Tech CST
Low-temperature hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilization is unsuitable for items made of:
Correct — D. Hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilization cannot process cellulose-based materials (paper, linens, cotton) because they absorb the peroxide and abort the cycle. It is well suited to many heat-sensitive metals and plastics. -
Surgical Tech CST
A fundamental principle of asepsis states that a sterile item touching a nonsterile item:
Correct — A. A core principle of aseptic technique is that sterile touching nonsterile results in contamination. There is no acceptable brief or minor contact; the item must be considered contaminated. -
Surgical Tech CST
If a biological indicator from a routine (non-implant) steam load returns a positive (growth) result, the facility should:
Correct — B. A positive biological indicator signals a possible sterilization failure. Best practice is to recall processed items where feasible, quarantine, reprocess, and investigate/repair the sterilizer before returning it to service. -
Surgical Tech CST
When a scrubbed person dons a sterile gown, they should pick it up by:
Correct — C. The gown is grasped at the inside near the neckline, allowed to unfold downward without touching nonsterile surfaces, and the arms are slid into the sleeves. Touching the outside front would risk contamination from the wearer's hands. -
Surgical Tech CST
The restricted area of the surgical suite requires personnel to wear:
Correct — D. The restricted area (including the OR) requires full surgical attire and a surgical mask when sterile supplies are open or scrubbing/operating is underway. This minimizes microbial shedding into the sterile environment. -
Surgical Tech CST
Which three parameters must all be satisfied for effective steam sterilization?
Correct — A. Steam sterilization depends on adequate exposure time, sufficient temperature, and direct contact with saturated steam (moisture). If any one parameter is inadequate, sterilization may fail even if the others are met. -
Surgical Tech CST
A wrapped tray removed from the steam sterilizer with visible moisture (a 'wet pack') should be:
Correct — B. Moisture provides a wicking pathway for microorganisms from the nonsterile exterior to the contents, so a wet pack is considered contaminated and must be repackaged and resterilized.
Surgical Tech CST sample questions
Tap any question below to reveal the answer and a plain-English explanation.
Instruments A Kelly hemostat is primarily used to:
A. Cut suture
B. Grasp needles
C. Retract the abdominal wall
D. Clamp blood vessels and tissue ✓
Correct — D. A Kelly is a hemostatic clamp used to occlude blood vessels and grasp tissue. Its transverse serrations extend partway up the jaws; a Crile (Halsted) has serrations the full length of the jaws.
Instruments Which instrument is specifically designed to grasp and drive a curved suture needle?
A. Needle holder (driver) ✓
B. Adson forceps
C. Mayo scissors
D. Babcock clamp
Correct — A. A needle holder (needle driver) has short, sturdy jaws, often with a tungsten-carbide insert, to securely grip a suture needle. Using a hemostat instead can damage the needle and the jaws.
Instruments Curved Mayo scissors are generally used to cut:
A. Fine, delicate tissue
B. Heavy tissue, fascia, and sutures ✓
C. Skin only
D. Bone
Correct — B. Mayo scissors are heavier scissors used to cut tough tissue such as fascia and muscle, as well as suture. Metzenbaum scissors are lighter and used for finer, more delicate tissue dissection.
Instruments Metzenbaum scissors are best described as instruments for:
A. Cutting heavy fascia
B. Cutting wire
C. Delicate tissue dissection ✓
D. Cutting drapes
Correct — C. Metzenbaum scissors have long, slender shanks with short blades and are used for delicate dissection of fine tissue. They should not be used to cut suture, which dulls the fine edges.
About the Surgical Tech CST test
Surgical Tech CST candidates are tested on Nursing/Medical and Asepsis Sterilization, in the same format the real exam uses. Every question here comes with a plain-language explanation, so you learn why an answer is right instead of memorising it — with 30 questions to start on.
You will be tested on
- Safe and effective care environment
- Health promotion and maintenance
- Psychosocial and physiological integrity
- Pharmacology, infection control and patient safety
How TheoryPractice helps you pass
- Real exam-style questions with instant, detailed explanations
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Topics in this question bank
Safe and effective care environment
Health promotion and maintenance
Psychosocial and physiological integrity
Pharmacology, infection control and patient safety
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