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Quizzes > Health & Medicine > Human Anatomy & Medicine

Surgical Tech Practice Exam: Test Your CST Skills Free

Think you can ace it? Dive into this free cst exam practice test and prove your surgical tech know-how!

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Kishan GuptaUpdated Aug 26, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for surgical tech practice exam quiz on a sky blue background

This surgical tech practice exam lets you work through CST‑style questions in anatomy, instruments, sterile technique, and OR procedures so you can check gaps before the exam. Start with the main CST set or try a quick warm‑up to build speed and focus.

Event-related sterility primarily depends on which factor?
Number of items in the case cart
Steam exposure minutes of the prior cycle
Storage conditions and package integrity
Elapsed calendar time since sterilization
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Which patient position provides optimal exposure for lower abdominal and pelvic laparoscopic procedures?
Lithotomy with Trendelenburg tilt
Lateral decubitus with kidney rest elevated
Prone with chest rolls
Reverse Trendelenburg with legs extended
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Which step is essential before skin incision begins to comply with the Universal Protocol?
Perform the time-out to confirm patient, site, and procedure
Apply the surgical drapes
Document sponge count completion
Start prophylactic antibiotics
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Which draping principle maintains asepsis when unfolding large fenestrated drapes?
Keep hands above waist level and secure the near side first
Allow edges to touch patient hair and linens
Shake drapes to open fully
Reach over the nonsterile field to speed placement
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Which instrument is designed for atraumatic grasping of bowel?
Kocher clamp
Babcock forceps
Allis forceps
Pean clamp
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Which stapler is typically used to divide and staple bowel with a linear row on each side of the cut?
EEA stapler
GIA stapler
TA stapler
Skin stapler
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In electrosurgery, what is the primary purpose of the dispersive (return) electrode?
Complete the circuit and safely return current from the patient
Provide additional cutting energy at the site
Reduce smoke generation
Prevent grounding of metal OR tables
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Which step must be performed first when receiving an implant on the sterile field?
Soak the implant in antibiotic solution before verification
Confirm implant identity and size against the surgeon preference card and patient record aloud
Hand the implant to the circulator for documentation
Open the implant and place it onto the mayo stand
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A Bowie-Dick test is required to assess which parameter of a pre-vacuum steam sterilizer?
Exposure temperature calibration
Sterilizer chamber door seal integrity
Air removal and steam penetration effectiveness
Steam quality dryness fraction
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Which nerve is most at risk from improper padding in the lithotomy position due to leg stirrup pressure?
Ulnar nerve
Radial nerve
Common peroneal nerve
Femoral cutaneous nerve only
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Which skin prep solution must dry completely to achieve full antimicrobial effect and reduce fire risk under drapes?
Sterile saline
Triclosan soap
Alcohol-containing chlorhexidine
Povidone-iodine scrub only
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Which suture type is most appropriate for mucosal closure of the small intestine?
Polyglactin 910 absorbable braided
Stainless steel wire
Silk braided nonabsorbable
Polypropylene monofilament nonabsorbable
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Which needle point is best for dense fascia closure?
Tapercut for friable parenchyma
Cutting (conventional)
Blunt point
Taper point
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Which hemostatic agent should never be injected into blood vessels and is applied topically to bleeding surfaces?
Epinephrine saline irrigation
Absorbable gelatin sponge
Topical thrombin
Oxidized regenerated cellulose
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Which sterilization monitoring method directly verifies that cycle conditions were lethal to highly resistant microorganisms?
Biological indicator using Geobacillus or Bacillus spores
External process indicator tape color change
Load record printout only
Chemical indicator Class 1
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For immediate use steam sterilization (IUSS), which item requires a biological indicator each time it is processed?
Noncritical laryngoscope handle
Power cord for a dermatome
Implantable device
External suction canister
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Which action minimizes the risk of alternate site burns during monopolar electrosurgery?
Ensure all monitoring electrodes are properly applied and cords not pooled under patient
Use higher wattage settings
Remove all conductive gels from the skin
Place the return electrode over a bony prominence
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Which test helps confirm correct Veress needle placement before insufflation?
Drop test with saline falling freely
Bowie-Dick test
Modified Barany test
Allen test
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Which sign is most specific for malignant hyperthermia during surgery?
Mild bradycardia
Small rise in urine output
Rapid increase in end-tidal CO2
Skin flushing
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Chain-of-custody documentation is required for which specimen type?
Dermatology punch biopsy
Tissue sent for microbiology culture
Routine gallbladder
Forensic evidence such as a bullet fragment
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Exam Structure -

    Gain familiarity with the surgical tech practice exam format, question types, and time management strategies to optimize your performance on the CST test.

  2. Apply Aseptic Techniques -

    Practice maintaining sterile fields and implementing infection-control protocols through realistic scenario-based questions on this free surgical tech practice exam.

  3. Identify Surgical Instruments -

    Recognize common OR tools and their functions, enabling quick selection and proper handling under exam conditions.

  4. Analyze Patient Safety Protocols -

    Evaluate critical steps in patient positioning, monitoring, and emergency response to reinforce safety measures for certification test for surgical technologist.

  5. Interpret Procedural Workflows -

    Break down step-by-step surgical procedures to strengthen your ability to answer detailed questions on the cst practice exam free.

  6. Evaluate Performance Gaps -

    Use feedback from the free cst exam practice test to identify areas for improvement and tailor your study plan effectively.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Aseptic Technique Principles -

    Review the "STERILE" mnemonic (Surfaces, Equipment, Revalidation, Turn-away, Restricted traffic, Isolation, Layers, Elbow-wash) endorsed by CDC and AORN to reinforce no-touch zones and correct gown/glove protocols. Proper hand hygiene, donning PPE, and maintaining the sterile field are foundational to preventing surgical site infections (AST Standards).

  2. Surgical Instrument Classification -

    Master the four main categories - cutting, grasping/holding, clamping/occluding, and retracting - and use the "CLIP" memory aid: Cutting, Ligating, Instrument-holding, and Preventing bleeding. Familiarity with common names (e.g., Metzenbaum scissors vs. Mayo scissors) and count procedures per AORN guidelines reduces OR errors.

  3. Patient Positioning & Pressure Point Protection -

    Understand the ASA's positioning guidelines to prevent nerve damage and pressure ulcers; key points include proper padding of ulnar nerve sites and heel relief. Use checklists from surgical nursing journals to confirm neutral joint alignment and continuous monitoring for compartment syndrome risks.

  4. Sterilization Methods & Parameters -

    Know steam sterilization standards: 121°C at 15 psi for 30 minutes or 134°C at 30 psi for 3 minutes per CDC and AAMI ST79. Differentiate the "Critical-Semi-Non" instrument categories to apply correct sterilization (critical items require sterilization, semi-critical need high-level disinfection).

  5. Pharmacology of Anesthetics & Reversal Agents -

    Study common agents like propofol, sevoflurane, and succinylcholine, and their pharmacokinetics from the ASA handbook. Remember the "ABCD" reversal mnemonic: Anticholinesterase (neostigmine), Blocker decoupler (sugammadex), Calcium (for magnesium-induced blockade), and Don't forget anticholinergics (glycopyrrolate) to counter bradycardia.

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