CST Perioperative Care Practice Questions
Perioperative Care is 97 of the 150 scored questions, nearly two-thirds of the CST exam. It follows a case from room setup and scrubbing in, through the procedure, to drape removal and room turnover.
175 questions across every content area in 4 hours, with a score for perioperative care and your total against the 98-of-150 passing score.
Free perioperative care drill- 185 original Perioperative Care questions, each explained
- 65% of the exam, 97 of 150 scored questions
- 3 subject areas in the outline
At the end of the case, how are suction canisters containing blood and body fluids handled?
The 3 Perioperative Care subject areas
- I.A. Preoperative Preparation: 19 of 150 scored questions
- I.B. Intraoperative Procedures: 68 of 150 scored questions
- I.C. Postoperative Procedures: 10 of 150 scored questions
Subject areas and item counts as printed in NBSTSA’s CST Examination Content Outline. Every exam form follows these counts.
Perioperative Care practice by subject area
- Preoperative Preparation
It covers everything before the incision: the room, the supplies, the scrub, gowning and gloving, and getting the patient positioned, prepped and draped for the time out.
Free preoperative preparation drill - Intraoperative Procedures
It covers the scrub role during the case: keeping the field sterile, anticipating the surgeon, and handling instruments, sutures, medications, specimens and emergencies.
Free intraoperative procedures drill - Postoperative Procedures
It covers the end of the case: taking down the field safely, caring for and moving the patient, reporting what was used, and turning over and restocking the room.
Free postoperative procedures drill - Surgical Instruments
These questions test instrument names and uses in words: which scissors, clamp, forceps, retractor or suction tip fits a job, and how instruments are classified and cared for.
Free surgical instruments drill
Free Perioperative Care drill (ten questions across its subject areas)
97 Perioperative Care questions in a full timed mock
175 questions across every content area in 4 hours, with a score for perioperative care and your total against the 98-of-150 passing score.
Free perioperative care drillIdeas the questions test most
- Intraoperative Procedures alone is 68 questions, more than all of Ancillary Duties and Basic Science together.
- Aseptic technique runs through all three subject areas: if in doubt about sterility, the item is contaminated.
- Counts, medication labeling and specimen handling are patient-safety tasks the exam returns to often.
Common questions
How much of the CST exam is Perioperative Care?
Perioperative Care is 97 of the 150 scored questions (65%): Preoperative Preparation 19, Intraoperative Procedures 68 and Postoperative Procedures 10.
Where do surgical instruments fall in the outline?
In Intraoperative Procedures: task I.B.9 is to identify instruments by function, application and classification, and I.B.11 is to assemble and maintain retractors. We have a separate instruments page and drill.
Other CST content areas
Content areas, subject areas, item counts and tasks: NBSTSA: CST certification (format, passing score, content areas) · NBSTSA: CST Examination Content Outline, checked November 2026.
CST® and Certified Surgical Technologist® are registered marks of the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA). Independent practice, not affiliated with or endorsed by NBSTSA, the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) or PSI. Our questions are original and are not taken from the CST exam.