NBSTSA Practice Test 2025 Free CST and CSFA Exam Prep

1) Latex gloves should not be worn:

2) The folds of the mucosa of the small intestine, which increase the surface area for absorption of nutrients, are called:

3) A lumpectomy performed for a cancerous breast tumor consists of:

4) The decontamination process starts with:

5) Glands that have ducts that lead the secreted material away from the gland to the surface of a passageway or the skin and also secrete hormones are known as:

6) Who is responsible for verifying medication on the sterile field?

7) The closed glove technique is used:

8) Before taking instruments down to decontamination, what actions should be taken?

9) Which method of anesthesia is likely to be used for a 51-year-old intoxicated man for a closed reduction and cast application of a fractured forearm?

10) The basic structural unit of biological organization is the:

11) A perforated viscera is classified as a:

12) The cellular process of reading the code and bringing the appropriate amino acids in sequence along the mRNA to form a protein is known as:

13) What happens to the patient’s skin if the prep solution is left on?

14) Stimuli, such as stretching the peritoneum or retracting the eye muscles, cause which of the following physiological reactions?

15) Syphilis is caused by:

16) The pear-shaped sac about 3 to 4 inches long that stores and concentrates bile is the:

17) Which of the following bacteria cause toxic shock?

18) What does the period called “Time Out” verify?

19) The key to teamwork in an operating room is:

20) Microorganisms that are facultative aerobes:

21) Gram-negative bacteria have a:

22) A uterine sound and Kevorkian curette are found on which type of instrument tray?

23) The space along the nerve fiber where no myelin sheath is present is known as:

24) The department that troubleshoots potential hazards and develops an action plan in a healthcare facility is the:

25) Cheiloplasty is:

26) Excision of a cone of tissue from the mucous membrane of the cervix is termed:

27) A dressing that draws fluids from the wound and allows for the passage of air is:

28) What should be worn in a restricted area?

29) The abbreviation t.i.d. represents:

30) Excessive secretion of growth hormones in adults causes:

31) Urine is expelled from the body by a process called:

32) Hepatitis E is of special concern to:

33) After the scrub is complete, it is necessary to:

34) Which of the following diseases is not caused by a virus?

35) Which of the following are sedatives?

36) The term that is defined as the farthest from the point of origin is:

37) The term “tie on a pass” means:

38) All methods of sterilization require three elements. They are:

39) The acronym TURP means:

40) The incision made for an open cholecystectomy is located in the:

41) The formation of the female sex cells, or eggs, is called:

42) The portion of the needle where the suture strand is attached is called the:

43) Instruments processed in a Steris are considered sterile after storage for:

44) When patient skin prep or urinary catheterization is being done, which method of donning gloves is used?

45) The principal vein draining blood from the upper portion of the body that empties into the right atrium of the heart is called the:

46) Which of the following microorganisms cause Lyme’s disease, typhus, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever?

47) The laser of choice for gastrointestinal endoscopy is the:

48) Which of the following groups of medications causes elimination of excess fluid by preventing reabsorption of sodium and water?

49) A Potts scissor is used for:

50) Sterile individuals and items may have:

51) Before transferring a patient from the operating room table to the stretcher, what needs to happen?

52) A chemical agent used to kill most microbes, including spores, that is used only on inanimate objects is a(n):

53) Veins draining the lower parts of the body merge into a larger vein that transports blood to the right atrium of the heart; this principal vein is called the:

54) The first menstrual period is called:

55) If the surgeon decides to suture the peritoneum, the suture that is frequently utilized is:

56) An isolation or retracting device used for vessels, ducts, or nerves is called:

57) Which device delivers electrical current to the surgical site?

58) The portion of the tooth above the level of the gums that consists of dentin covered by enamel is the:

59) A substance used to inhibit the growth and reproduction of microbes that is used on living tissue is a(n):

60) The most commonly used sponges employed during surgery are:

61) Which of the following is not true about viruses?

62) When positioning the patient’s arm on an arm board, avoid:

63) The curved Mayo scissor is used to cut:

64) A tube 10 inches long that allows the bolus to reach the stomach is called the:

65) The hormone that stimulates ovarian follicle growth and estrogen secretion is:

66) If a patient has been experiencing excessive uterine bleeding, her preoperative diagnosis is:

67) What is a normal range of coagulation time?

68) When a CST scrubs for a prescribed length of time, what is the method for the surgical scrub called?

69) Relative deficiency of oxygen supply to the heart muscle that causes a sensation of pain and numbness in the left arm and shoulder is known as:

70) If a thoracic procedure requires a median sternotomy, what instruments are required?

71) All of the following are surgical procedures performed on the uterus EXCEPT:

72) If a piece of equipment breaks, which department is called to fix it?

73) The excessive loss of water caused by bouts of diarrhea can lead to a serious condition known as:

74) The condition caused by excessive secretion from the adrenal cortex, resulting in puffy skin, obesity, a moon-shaped face, a buffalo hump, and masculine changes in women, is known as:

75) Pressure sores are most likely to occur on a patient’s:

76) Where do sharps go after surgery?

77) Which of the following is a common nosocomial infection?

78) Whooping cough is also known as:

79) The removal of the entire uterus, including the cervix, is called:

80) Which of the following fractions is the result of dividing 1/24 by 1/6?

81) The outermost layer of the tissue surrounding the kidneys that anchors the kidneys to their surrounding structures and to the abdominal wall is known as the:

82) Nails, rods, and plates are used to correct:

83) The organ located directly above the stomach is the:

84) Resident microorganisms that are located on the skin are reduced by:

85) When should the surgical drapes be removed?

86) Which set of laws was passed in 1970?

87) The tenth, eleventh, and twelfth ribs protect this organ:

88) An example of an angled suction tip with a thumbhole that allows for variability in suction strength is:

89) A mass of dilated and tortuous veins in the anorectum is known as:

90) Who activates the generator for an electrosurgical unit (ESU)?

91) An expected but unintended effect of a drug is termed a(n) _____effect:

92) The following are important goals when positioning a patient except:

93) Direct patient care is provided by the:

94) The mitral valve is also known as the:

95) What protective item(s) can be worn to shield the body when exposed to x-ray beams?

96) If a patient is wearing nail polish, what will not function properly?

97) The artery located in the upper arm is the:

98) In which order are supplies counted for every procedure?

99) The paranasal sinuses that are located below the eyes and lateral to the nasal cavity are called:

100) Which of the following has inactive or hidden stages?

101) Diabetes mellitus results from inadequate production or use of the hormone:

102) What should be done first when creating the sterile field?

103) Bacterial spores are resistant to:

104) A condition caused by the protrusion of a portion of the stomach through the opening in the diaphragm is known as a(an):

105) Which phase of general anesthesia includes administration of anesthetic agents?

106) Which of the following viruses causes herpes?

107) Malleable, wire-like instruments used to explore fistulas or ducts are called:

108) The patient should be protected during laser surgery with:

109) Which of the following types of diuretics are prescribed in the treatment of glaucoma?

110) Rongeurs are used for:

111) The enzyme produced by the kidneys that helps regulate blood pressure is:

112) The procedure that treats sinusitis or removes recurrent polyps in the maxillary sinus is called:

113) Eight is what percent of 20?

114) Which of the following is in the restricted area?

115) The end-product of the breakdown of amino acids is:

116) Epinephrine is combined with local anesthetic agents in each of the following concentrations EXCEPT:

117) Which part of the surgical gown is not sterile?

118) _____must never be removed from the room until after the final count:

119) The spore-forming bacillus that produces tetanus is called:

120) Which of the following glands is called the “master gland”?

121) Where in the operating room is the anesthesia machine set up in relation to the operating room table and the patient?

122) What are the five phases of general anesthesia in correct sequence?

123) Epinephrine is combined with local anesthetics to:

124) Hoods and caps are types of:

125) Standard precautions apply to:

126) While moving the patient into the Trendelenburg position, the CST must:

127) Oxytocin is available under which trade name?

128) Who is responsible for discharging a patient from PACU?

129) The trachea is also known as the:

130) Which group of medications is given to relieve a patient’s preoperative anxiety?

131) How long after a tourniquet has been inflated does a CST need to notify the surgeon?

132) Critical items are processed to this state for subsequent use on a patient:

133) All of the following are duties performed by the CST during the preoperative case management phase EXCEPT:

134) Inflammation of the pelvis of the kidneys is known as:

135) During the cleaning process, instruments are sorted and sharp instrument tips are:

136) A poisonous substance made by certain Gram-positive bacteria such as staphylococci is called:

137) The strongest portion of the hip bone, which bears the weight of the body in the sitting position, is known as the:

138) An oscillating saw moves in a:

139) Who can sign a consent form for an emergency procedure on a child if a parent cannot be located?

140) Who is responsible for casting a fractured extremity?

141) The needle used to instill CO2 gas is a:

142) What term describes the loss of heat from a patient’s body into the environment?

143) The division process in cells that reduces the chromosome number by half is:

144) In a gravity displacement sterilizer, the pressure is:

145) When should terminal cleaning be done?

146) A Deaver and a Richardson are types of ______ instruments.

147) The term for moving toward the midline is:

148) During this type of procedure, an endoscope is used to view a knee or a shoulder joint:

149) Palms up is referred to as:

150) The self-retaining retractor that can be sharp or blunt is a:

151) What does the surgical team wear during extremely high-risk procedures on infected patients?

152) Cells that are derived from activated T and B lymphocytes produced during an initial immune response that can quickly recognize a foreign antigen are known as:

153) The stage of a disease characterized by the earliest, nonspecific symptoms and the appearance of a headache or malaise is called the:

154) Which dressing is used on a wound with primary closure and has little or no drainage?

155) The hormone secreted by the alpha cells of the pancreas that stimulates the liver to convert stored glycogen into glucose when blood glucose levels are extremely low is:

156) Most of the bacteria that cause human disease exist in a pH range of:

157) Nonsterile items and individuals may:

158) Complete destruction of all living organisms is termed:

159) A measuring device used during surgical procedures is a:

160) What percentage of all surgical patients can be affected by hypothermia?

161) The _____laser is the most commonly used laser in the operating room:

162) During a mini–tubal ligation, the Babcock clamp is used to grasp the:

163) An exploratory laparotomy is performed to:

164) The procedure performed to remove the prepuce is called:

165) Which of the following is associated with syphilis?