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82 multiple-choice questions and 29 flashcards on Intraoperative Patient Care — Surgical Case Management, about 49% of the Surgical Tech bank. Every one carries a written rationale.
Intraoperative Patient Care — Surgical Case Management is one of 4 chapters in CoStudy's Surgical Tech (CST/NBSTSA) bank, and it holds 82 of the bank's 166 multiple-choice questions — roughly 49% of the total. That proportion is not arbitrary: chapters follow the certifying body's published exam outline, and the number of questions in each is set by that domain's published weight, so the share of your practice time this chapter takes matches the share of the real exam it accounts for.
Studying by chapter is worth doing once you have a diagnostic score. A single overall percentage tells you whether you are close; it does not tell you which domain is dragging. Working a weak chapter in isolation, and re-testing it in isolation, is the fastest way to move a score that has stalled — and it is why the mock exams in CoStudy report by domain rather than as one number.
10 questions drawn from this chapter, with the full rationale shown — the controlling principle behind the right answer, and why each wrong option tempts and fails.
Biological indicator for steam sterilization is:
Answer: B — Geobacillus stearothermophilus
A) EtO. B) Correct — spore test for steam. C/D) Pathogens, not BI.
Tapered needle is used for:
Answer: C — Muscle + fascia (penetrates without cutting)
A) Cutting needle. C) Correct. B/D) Different needles.
When a sterile field has been set up and is left unattended:
Answer: C — It is considered contaminated and may require re-setup or covering per policy
Sterile fields cannot be left unmonitored; abandoning a field is considered a break in technique.
A Kocher clamp differs from an Allis in that the Kocher has:
Answer: D — A heavy single tooth at the tip (1x2 teeth) for grasping tough tissue like fascia
Kocher has a 1x2 tooth design and is used on tough tissue like fascia. Allis has multiple fine interlocking teeth.
A Kelly hemostat differs from a mosquito hemostat primarily in that the Kelly is:
Answer: A — A larger hemostat used on bigger vessels; the mosquito is the smallest, fine-tipped hemostat
Mosquito = smallest, fine-tipped; Kelly = larger general hemostat. Reversing them is a classic trick answer.
Absorbable suture example:
Answer: A — Vicryl
B/C/D) Non-absorbable. A) Correct — internal layers.
Every medication or solution received onto the sterile field must be:
Answer: A — Labeled (drug name, strength, expiration) per AORN, even if it is the only drug on the field
AORN/AST require labeling of every medication and solution on the field — failure to label is a frequent error.
Medical asepsis is best described as:
Answer: C — Clean technique — reducing the number and transfer of microorganisms
Medical asepsis = clean technique; surgical asepsis = sterile technique. Confusing the two is a classic error.
Malignant hyperthermia treatment is:
Answer: B — Dantrolene + cooling
A/C/D) Wrong. B) Correct — life-threatening if not treated promptly.
Lidocaine is classified as a(n):
Answer: D — Amide local anesthetic
Lidocaine is an amide local anesthetic (two 'i's in the name above the '-caine' help remember amide).
4 cards from the 29 in this chapter.
Categories of instruments?
Cutting/dissecting (scalpels, scissors), grasping (forceps), clamping/occluding (hemostats), retracting (retractors), suturing (needle holders), suction.
Scalpel + blades?
#3 handle + #10 blade (general). #4 handle + #20 blade (large incision). #7 handle (delicate). #15 blade (small incision). Pass blade-down on Mayo stand.
Pass instruments how?
Firmly into surgeon's palm. Tip downward. Slap into hand audibly. Ratchets closed. Anticipate next instrument.
Gowning + gloving?
Closed glove technique: hands stay inside cuffs while gloves applied. Self-gowned + gloved CST. Then gowns + gloves surgeon + first assistant from sterile side.
These are a sample. The full Intraoperative Patient Care — Surgical Case Management chapter runs 111 items with per-chapter progress tracking, on the web and in the iOS app.
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