NCCT TS-C Tech in Surgery, Certified

According to Spaulding classification, which category requires sterilization because the item enters sterile tissue or the vascular system?

• ANon-critical
• BSemi-critical
• CCritical
• DEnvironmental

The standard cycle parameters for gravity-displacement steam sterilization of unwrapped non-porous instruments (immediate-use steam sterilization, IUSS) are:

• A121°C (250°F) for 15 minutes
• B132°C (270°F) for 3 minutes
• C160°C (320°F) for 60 minutes
• D55°C (131°F) for 8 hours

Which sterilization method is most appropriate for moisture- and heat-sensitive items such as flexible endoscopes and electronics?

• AGravity-displacement steam
• BDry heat
• CEthylene oxide (ETO)
• DPre-vacuum steam at 132°C

A biological indicator (BI) used to verify steam sterilization contains spores of:

• ABacillus atrophaeus
• BGeobacillus stearothermophilus
• CClostridium difficile
• DPseudomonas aeruginosa

Bowie-Dick testing is performed in pre-vacuum steam sterilizers primarily to verify:

• ASpore kill at the end of the cycle
• BAdequate air removal from the chamber
• CEthylene oxide concentration
• DTemperature inside packs after cooling

When transporting contaminated instruments from the OR to the decontamination area, the AAMI/AORN-recommended practice is to:

• APlace them on an open tray for rapid access
• BPre-soak in hot water above 60°C
• CKeep them moist (e.g., enzymatic spray) in a closed, leak-proof, biohazard-labeled contai…
• DWipe with alcohol and bag in clear plastic

Instruments arriving in the decontamination area should first undergo which step before mechanical washing?

• ASterilization
• BLubrication
• CManual cleaning and inspection of lumens/box locks
• DWrapping for the autoclave

An enzymatic detergent used for instrument cleaning works primarily by:

• AKilling spores within 30 seconds
• BBreaking down proteinaceous bioburden through proteolytic action
• CSterilizing lumens via oxidation
• DCoating instruments with a corrosion barrier

When assembling a tray for sterilization, instruments with box locks (e.g., hemostats) should be:

• ATightly closed to protect the tip
• BOpen or on the first ratchet so steam can contact all surfaces
• CWrapped individually in foil
• DSubmerged in saline

The maximum recommended weight for a wrapped instrument set undergoing steam sterilization (per AAMI ST79) is:

• A10 lb (4.5 kg)
• B17 lb (7.7 kg)
• C25 lb (11.3 kg)
• D40 lb (18.1 kg)

Peracetic acid (e.g., STERIS System 1E) is most often used to:

• ATerminally sterilize wrapped surgical trays
• BProvide just-in-time liquid chemical sterilization of immersible heat-sensitive devices l…
• CDisinfect OR floors
• DSterilize implants for storage

Class 5 chemical integrators inside a pack indicate:

• AA specific organism was killed
• BExposure to all critical parameters of the sterilization cycle (time, temperature, steam)
• COnly the date of sterilization
• DThat the load is ready to be released without BI results

An OR room turnover (between cases) requires terminal cleaning at:

• AThe end of every case
• BThe end of the day's surgery schedule
• COnly after a known infectious case
• DOnce per week

Operating-room ventilation should maintain a positive pressure relative to adjacent spaces and a minimum total air change rate (per ASHRAE/FGI) of:

• A6 air changes per hour
• B10 air changes per hour
• C20 air changes per hour
• D60 air changes per hour

Surgical attire (scrubs) for the restricted area of the OR should be:

• APersonal scrubs laundered at home
• BHospital-laundered, freshly donned each day, covered when leaving the suite
• COptional if a cover gown is worn
• DReplaced only when visibly soiled

The semi-restricted area of the surgical suite requires:

• ASterile attire and full mask
• BSurgical attire and head covering, but no mask required unless open sterile supplies are…
• CStreet clothes with shoe covers
• DFull PPE including gown and gloves

Reviewing the surgeon's preference card before a case is important primarily because it:

• ALists the patient's allergies
• BLists instruments, suture, supplies, draping, and equipment specific to that surgeon and…
• CDocuments the surgical time-out
• DRecords the count results

When opening a sterile back-table pack, the surgical tech should open the wrap flap that is:

• AClosest to the body first
• BFarthest from the body first, then the sides, then the closest
• CFrom either side first to keep both hands clean
• DAll four corners simultaneously

A peel-pouch package is dispensed onto the sterile field by:

• ATossing it in from a distance
• BPeeling the edges back evenly and presenting the contents (or flipping a small lightweigh…
• CCutting the pouch open with sterile scissors
• DSubmerging the pouch in sterile water first

When a sterile package falls from the back table to the floor, the correct action is to:

• APick it up and use it if the wrap is intact
• BSpray it with alcohol and reuse
• CConsider it contaminated, set it aside, and obtain a replacement
• DRe-sterilize at the point of use

Event-related sterility means a sterile package:

• AExpires 30 days after sterilization regardless of storage
• BRemains sterile until an event compromises the package (tear, moisture, drop)
• CMust be re-sterilized weekly
• DIs sterile only on the day of sterilization

OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) requires that contaminated sharps be:

• ABent and recapped before disposal
• BPlaced immediately in a closable, puncture-resistant, leak-proof, biohazard-labeled sharp…
• CWashed with bleach and reused
• DWrapped in gauze and placed in red bag waste

Standard Precautions (per CDC) require that personnel treat which body fluids as potentially infectious?

• AOnly visibly bloody fluids
• BBlood, all body fluids/secretions/excretions (except sweat), non-intact skin, and mucous…
• COnly fluids from known HIV-positive patients
• DOnly urine and feces

The Universal Protocol/time-out before surgical incision must verify all of the following EXCEPT:

• ACorrect patient identity
• BCorrect procedure and correct site/side marked by the surgeon
• CCorrect positioning, antibiotics given, and availability of implants/equipment
• DThe surgical tech's certification expiration date

Surgical site infection (SSI) prevention bundles typically include:

• ARemoving all hair from the surgical site with a razor
• BPre-op chlorhexidine bath, weight-based prophylactic antibiotic within 60 minutes of inci…
• CRoutine intra-operative antibiotic irrigation in all wounds
• DAvoiding skin antiseptic to preserve normal flora

Hair removal at the surgical site, when needed, should be performed:

• AWith a wet razor the night before
• BWith electric clippers as close to the time of surgery as possible
• CNot at all, as hair is sterile
• DWith depilatory cream regardless of skin sensitivity

Latex allergy precautions for an at-risk patient require that the case be:

• ABooked anywhere on the schedule
• BScheduled as the first case of the day in a latex-safe room with all latex products remov…
• CPerformed only with double-gloving in latex
• DPostponed until antihistamines are given

Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) skin prep should NOT be used:

• AOn the abdomen for laparotomy
• BOn adult arms for vascular access
• COn mucous membranes, the eyes, or the inner ear
• DOn the chest for thoracic surgery

Surgical skin prep should be applied:

• AFrom the periphery toward the incision site
• BFrom the planned incision site outward in concentric circles or back-and-forth strokes, n…
• COnce with a single wet sponge
• DOnly to the incision line itself

Alcohol-based skin preps (e.g., chlorhexidine-alcohol, iodine-alcohol) require that the prep be:

• ADrape immediately while wet
• BAllowed to dry completely before drape application or activation of an electrosurgical un…
• CWiped off before draping
• DReapplied every 30 minutes

The proper sequence for the surgical scrub (counted brush-stroke method) is:

• AHands → forearms → elbows, ending at the elbow
• BFingertips → fingers/nails → hands → forearms (toward but not above the elbow), keeping h…
• CForearms first, then hands, ending at the fingertips
• DWrists only, then rinse

When self-gowning after the surgical scrub, the gown is held by:

• AThe outside, at the shoulders
• BThe inside, at the neckline, and unfolded away from the body
• CEither side equally
• DThe waist tie only

In closed-glove technique for self-gloving, the hands are:

• APushed completely through the cuff before donning gloves
• BKept inside the gown sleeve with the stockinette cuff covering the hand while applying th…
• CBare and pulled through before gloving
• DWiped with alcohol between gowning and gloving

The sterile area of a sterile gown is considered to extend:

• AFrom the neckline to the floor and the entire back
• BFrom the chest to the level of the sterile field anteriorly, and from 2 inches above the…
• CFrom the shoulders to the knees, including the back
• DOnly the cuffs and chest