Certified Surgical Technologist (CST)

In order to be eligible to sit for the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) examination, the applicant must be a graduate of a surgical technology program accredited by either the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.

The CST examination consists of 200 questions. Candidates must answer correctly a minimum of 118 questions in order to pass the examination. No two examinations are exactly alike because the questions are randomly drawn from a surgical technologist’s item bank. However, the number of questions will remain the same for all candidates. The examination content is outlined below for reference:

Peri-operative care (105 questions)

• Pre-operative preparation (30 questions)
• Intra-operative procedures (65 questions)
• Post-operative procedures (10 questions)

Additional procedures (20 questions)

• Administrative and personnel (5 questions)
  
• Equipment sterilization and maintenance (15 questions)

Basic science (50 questions)

• Anatomy and physiology (30 questions)
• Microbiology (10 questions)
• Surgical pharmacology (10 questions)

Subject matter that can be expected on the examination and the candidate is expected to be able to perform, includes the following (please note that this is not an all-inclusive list):

• Read a surgeon's preference card
  
• Verify the availability of surgery equipment
  
• Prepare and maintain an operating room environment according to surgical procedure
  
• Review a chart
  
• Obtain and apply additional equipment as needed
  
• Don personal protective equipment
  
• Obtain instruments, supplies, and equipment; verify readiness for surgery
  
• Check package integrity of sterile supplies
  
• Open sterile supplies while maintaining aseptic technique
  
• Perform a surgical hand scrub, gowning, and gloving
  
• Assemble, inspect, and set up sterile instruments and supplies for surgical procedures
  
• Gown and glove sterile team members
  
• Verify the identity of the patient and the operative site
  
• Drape the patient
  
• Obtain, assemble, and test positioning equipment
  
• Transfer a patient to the operating room table
  
• Apply patient safety measures
  
• Apply patient monitoring devices
  
• Position the patient
  
• Prepare the skin for surgery
  
• Consider the special needs of certain patient populations
  
• Provide intra-operative assistance under the direction of the surgeon
  
• Count instruments, sponges, and sharps with circulator: pre- and intra-operatively
  
• Anticipate the steps of surgical procedures
  
• Differentiate between the various methods and applications of hemostasis
  
• Specify methods of operative exposure
  
• Place and secure retractors
  
• Verify with the surgeon the correct type and/or size of implantable devices
  
• Pass instruments and supplies during surgery
  
• Irrigate, suction, and sponge the operative site
  
• Monitor and maintain aseptic techniques throughout the procedure
  
• Assemble, test, and operate specialty equipment during surgery
  
• Verify, label, and mix medications and solutions at the sterile field
  
• Calculate and report the amount of medications and solutions used
  
• Monitor and maintain adequate supplies and solutions
  
• Prepare drains, catheters, and tubing for insertion
  
• Verify, prepare, and label specimens
  
• Observe a patient's intra-operative status
• Apply thermal surgical techniques and safety precautions as directed by the surgeon
  
• Prepare suture materials and cut them as directed
  
• Identify appropriate uses of sutures, needles, and stapling devices
  
• Provide assistance with stapling skin tissue
  
• Perform appropriate actions during an emergency
  
• Initiate preventative or corrective actions in potentially dangerous situations
  
• Perform video recording or still photography of procedures
  
• Connect and activate drains to action apparatus
  
• Prepare and apply sterile dressing
  
• Assist in the placement of wound drainage systems
  
• Apply casts, splints, and braces
  
• Evaluate the patient immediately after surgery and report findings
  
• Remove drapes from patient