Key Takeaways
- Practice questions should cover all five content areas proportionally to the exam blueprint
- Review explanations for BOTH correct and incorrect answers to deepen understanding
- Track your performance by domain to identify weak areas for focused review
- Time yourself during practice sessions to build exam-pace stamina
- Questions that integrate multiple concepts (e.g., anatomy + instrumentation) reflect real exam questions
- The CST exam emphasizes application and critical thinking, not just memorization
- Focus on high-yield topics: sterile technique, surgical instruments, sterilization, and anatomy
Comprehensive Practice Questions
The following practice questions cover all five content areas of the CST exam. They are designed to simulate the difficulty and style of actual exam questions. Review the explanations carefully — understanding why an answer is correct is more valuable than simply knowing it.
Perioperative Care — Mixed Practice
A surgeon requests a self-retaining retractor for an open abdominal procedure. Which instrument should the surgical technologist provide?
During a total knee arthroplasty, the surgical technologist notices that the sterile gown sleeve has come in contact with the OR table edge (below table level). What is the appropriate action?
Which of the following incisions is used for an open appendectomy?
The circulating nurse opens a sterile package and notices the external chemical indicator tape has not changed color. What should she do?
A patient undergoing general anesthesia develops sudden masseter (jaw) muscle rigidity after receiving succinylcholine. This is an early warning sign of:
Basic Science — Mixed Practice
The parietal peritoneum lines the:
Which type of anesthesia involves injection into the subarachnoid space?
MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) requires which type of Transmission-Based Precautions in addition to Standard Precautions?
Sterilization & Safety — Mixed Practice
The Bowie-Dick test is used to evaluate the performance of:
A sterile package falls on the floor but appears intact with no visible damage. What should be done?
When using a fire extinguisher in the OR, the acronym PASS reminds you to:
A patient in the prone position is at risk for injury to which structures?
A surgeon asks the surgical technologist for a Weitlaner retractor. This is a:
Which suture would be most appropriate for closing the sternum after cardiac surgery?
The circulating nurse and surgical technologist are performing the initial surgical count. Laparotomy sponges (lap pads) are packaged in groups of:
During a laparoscopic procedure, CO₂ insufflation creates a pneumoperitoneum. The primary risk associated with CO₂ insufflation is:
Match each surgical incision with its primary use:
Match each item on the left with the correct item on the right
An unresponsive patient requires emergency surgery. No family members are available to provide consent. In this situation, which type of consent applies?
Additional Practice — Instruments, Procedures & Sterilization
Which scalpel blade is most appropriate for making a stab incision for a drain site?
During a procedure, the surgeon requests "Metz." The surgical technologist should provide:
A surgeon is performing a thyroidectomy and asks the surgical technologist to identify the nerve that must be preserved during the procedure. This nerve is the:
An event-related sterility system means that:
The safety strap for a patient in the supine position should be placed:
The Trendelenburg position involves:
Surgicel is composed of:
Which type of wound closure uses individual stitches, each tied and cut separately?
In a gravity displacement autoclave, air is removed from the chamber by:
The Spaulding classification system categorizes medical devices based on:
Double gloving is recommended for which type of procedure?
Which of the following are appropriate uses for the monopolar electrosurgical unit (Bovie)? (Select all that apply)
Select all that apply