CSPT Exam Flashcards

Q: What do CSPT flashcards help you review?

These CSPT flashcards reinforce active recall for sterile compounding vocabulary, aseptic technique, engineering controls, hazardous drug precautions, calculations, quality testing, storage, packaging, and disposal.

Q: Are CSPT flashcards enough to pass?

Flashcards are useful for recall, but CSPT preparation should also include timed practice, USP and USP review, calculation practice, and hands-on procedure review under your facility's policies.

Question 1

CSPT exam structure

Accepted Answer

75 multiple-choice questions: 60 scored and 15 unscored. Time limit is 1 hour 50 minutes. Passing score is 1,400 on a 1,000-1,600 scaled score range.

Question 2

Largest CSPT domain

Accepted Answer

Sterile Compounding Procedures is the largest domain at 53%. It includes aseptic technique, garbing, hand hygiene, cleaning, hazardous compounding, calculations, media fills, and documentation.

Question 3

CSPT eligibility base

Accepted Answer

Candidates must hold an active PTCB CPhT credential in good standing before qualifying through a sterile compounding education or experience pathway.

Question 4

CSPT Pathway 1

Accepted Answer

PTCB-recognized sterile compounding education or training plus 1 year of full-time compounded sterile preparation work experience.

Question 5

CSPT Pathway 2

Accepted Answer

3 years of full-time compounded sterile preparation work experience within the past 8 years. Full-time means at least 30 hours per week in CSP work.

Question 6

Annual CSPT renewal

Accepted Answer

CSPT recertification is annual and requires 10 compounding-specific CE hours plus a competency attestation signed by a qualified supervisor.

Question 7

USP <797> focus

Accepted Answer

USP <797> is the sterile compounding standard: cleanroom controls, aseptic technique, personnel competency, environmental monitoring, BUD logic, and quality assurance.

Question 8

USP <800> focus

Accepted Answer

USP <800> addresses hazardous drugs in healthcare settings, including receipt, storage, compounding, transport, administration, spill response, and disposal controls.

Question 9

Aseptic technique goal

Accepted Answer

Maintain sterility of critical sites and prevent microbial contamination of the final compounded sterile preparation.

Question 10

Critical sites

Accepted Answer

Any exposed sterile surface or opening that can contact the CSP, such as needle tips, syringe tips, vial stoppers after disinfection, ampule necks, and IV ports.

Question 11

First air

Accepted Answer

HEPA-filtered air that reaches a critical site before passing over hands, supplies, containers, or other nonsterile objects.

Question 12

DCA placement

Accepted Answer

Perform sterile manipulations in the direct compounding area, typically at least 6 inches inside the PEC, where unidirectional ISO Class 5 airflow protects critical sites.

Question 13

Garbing order

Accepted Answer

Shoe covers, hair and beard cover, mask or face shield, gown, hand hygiene, then sterile gloves. The goal is to cover shedding sources before gloving.

Question 14

Hand hygiene before compounding

Accepted Answer

Wash with soap and water, dry thoroughly, use alcohol-based hand rub, and let hands dry before sterile gloves. Gloves do not replace hand hygiene.

Question 15

Nails and jewelry

Accepted Answer

Artificial nails, nail polish, rings, watches, and bracelets are contamination risks and can damage gloves. Natural nails should be short and clean.

Question 16

Torn glove response

Accepted Answer

Stop work, remove the compromised glove, perform hand hygiene as required, re-glove, and evaluate the preparation for possible contamination under facility policy.

Question 17

Ampule opening check

Accepted Answer

Disinfect the neck, break away from the face and body with protection for the hands, then inspect for glass particles before withdrawing contents.

Question 18

Vial reconstitution technique

Accepted Answer

Inject diluent slowly down the vial wall, manage pressure, and avoid forceful spraying. This reduces foaming, aerosol generation, and spray-back.

Question 19

Needles and syringes

Accepted Answer

They are single-use sterile devices. Reuse risks contamination, dull tips, particulates, and needlestick injury; discard sharps immediately in approved containers.

Question 20

Low-risk CSP pattern

Accepted Answer

Sterile ingredients and sterile devices, simple aseptic transfers, and ISO Class 5 conditions. No nonsterile components or complex pooling steps.

Question 21

Medium-risk CSP pattern

Accepted Answer

More complex sterile manipulations, such as pooling multiple containers, preparing TPN, or filling device reservoirs with several sterile components.

Question 22

High-risk CSP pattern

Accepted Answer

Nonsterile ingredients or devices, terminal sterilization needs, or exposure of sterile ingredients to air worse than ISO Class 5 for too long.

Question 23

BUD drivers

Accepted Answer

Beyond-use dating depends on microbial risk, chemical stability, storage conditions, container compatibility, and available stability data. Cost is not a BUD factor.

Question 24

C1V1 = C2V2

Accepted Answer

Use for dilutions: concentration stock times volume stock equals concentration final times volume final. Solve for the unknown before measuring.

Question 25

Percent w/v

Accepted Answer

A percent weight/volume solution means grams per 100 mL. Example: 10% dextrose contains 10 g per 100 mL.

Question 26

mcg to mg

Accepted Answer

1 mg equals 1,000 mcg. Convert units before dose or infusion-rate calculations to prevent decimal-place errors.

Question 27

lb to kg

Accepted Answer

Divide pounds by 2.2 to get kilograms. Weight-based sterile compounding calculations should use kilograms.

Question 28

Normal plasma osmolarity

Accepted Answer

About 275-295 mOsm/L. Solutions far above this range are hypertonic and may require route or administration review.

Question 29

PEC purpose

Accepted Answer

A primary engineering control creates ISO Class 5 air at the direct compounding area so critical sites stay protected during sterile manipulation.

Question 30

LAFW limitation

Accepted Answer

Laminar airflow workbenches protect the product, not the worker. They are not appropriate for hazardous drug compounding.

Question 31

BSC protection

Accepted Answer

A Class II biological safety cabinet provides product, personnel, and environmental protection, making it appropriate for hazardous sterile compounding when properly certified.

Question 32

CAI vs CACI

Accepted Answer

A CAI supports nonhazardous sterile compounding in an enclosed ISO Class 5 environment. A CACI adds containment for hazardous drug compounding.

Question 33

HEPA filter benchmark

Accepted Answer

HEPA filtration removes at least 99.97% of particles 0.3 micrometers and larger, supporting clean airflow to the compounding area.

Question 34

ISO class ranking

Accepted Answer

Lower ISO numbers mean cleaner air. ISO 5 is cleaner than ISO 7, and ISO 7 is cleaner than ISO 8.

Question 35

Buffer room role

Accepted Answer

The buffer room houses the PEC and supports the ISO Class 5 compounding area, commonly with ISO Class 7 background air.

Question 36

Anteroom role

Accepted Answer

The anteroom is the transition space for hand hygiene, garbing, and staging materials before entering the buffer area.

Question 37

Positive vs negative pressure

Accepted Answer

Nonhazardous buffer areas use positive pressure to keep contaminants out. Hazardous drug rooms use negative pressure to contain hazardous contamination.

Question 38

PEC certification timing

Accepted Answer

Primary engineering controls are certified at least every 6 months and after relocation, repair, maintenance, or filter replacement.

Question 39

Cleaning direction in hoods

Accepted Answer

Use overlapping strokes from the cleanest/furthest area toward the operator; in vertical flow hoods, clean top to bottom. Do not spray the HEPA filter.

Question 40

70% IPA limitation

Accepted Answer

Sterile 70% isopropyl alcohol is useful for routine disinfection but is not sporicidal. Sporicidal agents are needed when spores are the target.

Question 41

High-alert medications

Accepted Answer

Medications such as insulin, heparin, and concentrated electrolytes require extra safeguards because errors can cause serious patient harm.

Question 42

NTI medications

Accepted Answer

Narrow therapeutic index drugs have little margin between effective and toxic concentrations, so calculations, measurements, and checks must be precise.

Question 43

Physical incompatibility signs

Accepted Answer

Look for visible changes such as cloudiness, haze, crystals, precipitation, color change, or gas formation. Reject and investigate questionable CSPs.

Question 44

Chemical incompatibility

Accepted Answer

Drug degradation or inactivation may occur without visible change, so use compatibility references and approved formulations rather than visual inspection alone.

Question 45

Intrathecal and epidural CSPs

Accepted Answer

These routes contact the central nervous system area and require preservative-free formulations, strict sterility, and very tight endotoxin control.

Question 46

TPN calcium-phosphate risk

Accepted Answer

Calcium and phosphate can form insoluble precipitate. Use compatibility guidance, proper order of addition, solubility limits, and final visual inspection.

Question 47

Hazardous drug PPE

Accepted Answer

Use chemotherapy-tested powder-free gloves, often double-gloving, plus protective gown and eye/face or respiratory protection when risk warrants.

Question 48

CSTD role

Accepted Answer

A closed-system drug-transfer device reduces escape of hazardous drug or vapor and entry of contaminants. It supplements, not replaces, PPE and containment PECs.

Question 49

Chemotherapy spill first steps

Accepted Answer

Alert others, don appropriate PPE, contain the area, and use the chemotherapy spill kit according to facility procedure. Avoid spreading contamination.

Question 50

CSP final inspection

Accepted Answer

Check correct label, container integrity, clarity, color, no leaks, no precipitate, no visible particles, and appropriate storage conditions before release.

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