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CRCST Departmental Considerations practice questions

Work-area temperature, humidity and air flow, dress code and traffic control, the regulations and standards that govern sterile processing, record keeping, and quality assurance programs. This domain is about 15% of the exam. Try each question, then open the answer.

Read the Departmental Considerations study guide

Question 1

Which air pressure relationship is correct for the decontamination area compared with the areas around it?
  1. Negative pressure, with all air exhausted outdoors
  2. Positive pressure, so air flows out into the hallway
  3. Equal pressure, so no air moves between the rooms
  4. Negative pressure, with the air recirculated into prep
Show answer

Answer: A. Negative pressure, with all air exhausted outdoors

Decontamination is kept under negative pressure so air flows into the room and contaminants and aerosols stay inside. Its air is exhausted directly outdoors rather than recirculated to other areas.

Source: ANSI/AAMI ST79:2017/(R)2022, section on physical facilities and environmental controls; ANSI/ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170-2025, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities; HSPA Sterile Processing Technical Manual, 9th ed. (2023), Ch. 5, Infection Prevention

Question 2

On a morning check, a technician sees that the sterile storage temperature log reads 80 F (27 C), above the department's limit. What should the technician do?
  1. Report it to the supervisor and document the reading and action
  2. Prop open the door to the hallway to let cooler air into the room
  3. Record the reading and check it again at the end of the week
  4. Move the sterile packs into the decontamination area until it cools
Show answer

Answer: A. Report it to the supervisor and document the reading and action

When temperature or humidity is out of range, the technician reports it promptly so facilities engineering can correct it. The reading and action are documented. The department then follows its policy for assessing any effect on stored items.

Source: ANSI/AAMI ST79:2017/(R)2022, section on environmental controls and monitoring; HSPA Sterile Processing Technical Manual, 9th ed. (2023), Ch. 16, Sterile Storage and Transport

Question 3

How often should floors and horizontal work surfaces in the sterile processing areas be cleaned?
  1. At least weekly
  2. Only when visibly soiled
  3. At least daily
  4. Monthly, during deep cleaning
Show answer

Answer: C. At least daily

AAMI ST79 calls for floors and horizontal work surfaces in processing areas to be cleaned at least daily. Other surfaces, such as walls, shelving and vents, are cleaned on a regular schedule set by policy and whenever soiled.

Source: ANSI/AAMI ST79:2017/(R)2022, section on housekeeping and environmental cleaning; HSPA Sterile Processing Technical Manual, 9th ed. (2023), Ch. 5, Infection Prevention

Question 4

A technician fills a spray bottle with detergent concentrate from a large drum. The bottle will stay in decontamination for use by all shifts. What does OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard require?
  1. No label, because the bottle stays in one department
  2. Only the date the bottle was filled must be written on it
  3. Label the bottle with the product name and its hazards
  4. A label only if the chemical is classified as a carcinogen
Show answer

Answer: C. Label the bottle with the product name and its hazards

Secondary containers of hazardous chemicals must carry a workplace label that identifies the product and gives its hazard information. The only exception is a portable container meant for immediate use by the employee who filled it. A bottle left out for all shifts does not qualify.

Source: OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6) and (f)(8), workplace labeling and the portable-container exemption

Question 5

Which technician is dressed correctly for the preparation and packaging area?
  1. One in scrubs and a hair cover, with long artificial nails
  2. One in facility-laundered scrubs with all hair covered
  3. One in street clothes under a long-sleeved cover jacket
  4. One in scrubs and a hair cover, with a long necklace showing
Show answer

Answer: B. One in facility-laundered scrubs with all hair covered

Department attire is facility-laundered scrubs with all head and facial hair covered. Jewelry is removed or contained, artificial nails are not worn, and nails are kept short. These rules reduce the shedding of hair, skin and microorganisms onto instruments and packages.

Source: ANSI/AAMI ST79:2017/(R)2022, section on personnel considerations and attire; HSPA Sterile Processing Technical Manual, 9th ed. (2023), Ch. 5, Infection Prevention

Question 6

Which sequence shows the correct one-way flow of instruments through the department?
  1. Prep and packaging, decontamination, sterilization, sterile storage
  2. Decontamination, sterile storage, prep and packaging, sterilization
  3. Sterilization, decontamination, prep and packaging, sterile storage
  4. Decontamination, prep and packaging, sterilization, sterile storage
Show answer

Answer: D. Decontamination, prep and packaging, sterilization, sterile storage

Instruments move one way, from dirty to clean to sterile: decontamination, then preparation and packaging, then sterilization, then sterile storage. This flow keeps contaminated items from crossing paths with clean and sterile items.

Source: ANSI/AAMI ST79:2017/(R)2022, section on functional workflow; HSPA Sterile Processing Technical Manual, 9th ed. (2023), Ch. 5, Infection Prevention

Question 7

A technician who assembles trays for most of the shift reports neck and back pain from leaning over the table. Which change is most likely to help?
  1. Raise the table to shoulder height so the arms stay lifted
  2. Skip breaks so the work finishes sooner and standing time is shorter
  3. Set the work surface near elbow height and use an anti-fatigue mat
  4. Stand directly on the hard floor for better footing
Show answer

Answer: C. Set the work surface near elbow height and use an anti-fatigue mat

A work surface near elbow height lets the technician work without bending forward or lifting the arms. Anti-fatigue mats reduce strain from long periods of standing. Adjustable tables, task rotation and short breaks also lower the risk of injury.

Source: HSPA Sterile Processing Technical Manual, 9th ed. (2023), Ch. 22, Safety for Sterile Processing (topic: ergonomics)

Question 8

An investigation finds that a device malfunction probably contributed to a patient's death. Under FDA medical device reporting rules, to whom must the hospital report it?
  1. The FDA and the device's manufacturer
  2. OSHA, which handles workplace incidents
  3. The EPA, which oversees environmental hazards
  4. The Joint Commission only
Show answer

Answer: A. The FDA and the device's manufacturer

FDA's medical device reporting rules come from the Safe Medical Devices Act. Under them, user facilities such as hospitals report device-related deaths to both the FDA and the manufacturer. The report is due within 10 work days of learning of the death. Device-related serious injuries go to the manufacturer, or to the FDA if the manufacturer is unknown. Sterile processing reports such events through the facility's risk management process.

Source: FDA medical device reporting regulation, 21 CFR Part 803 (user facility reporting); HSPA Sterile Processing Technical Manual, 9th ed. (2023), Ch. 6, Regulations and Standards

Question 9

A technician notices a wrong entry in a paper sterilizer log. How should it be corrected?
  1. Cover it with correction fluid and write in the right entry
  2. Scribble over it so the wrong entry cannot be read
  3. Draw one line through it, write the correct entry, and initial and date it
  4. Remove the page and copy the log onto a fresh sheet
Show answer

Answer: C. Draw one line through it, write the correct entry, and initial and date it

Records are legal documents. A single line keeps the original entry readable, and the correction is written with the person's initials and the date. This shows what was changed, by whom and when.

Source: HSPA Sterile Processing Technical Manual, 9th ed. (2023), Ch. 17, Monitoring and Record Keeping for Sterile Processing

Question 10

A technician is stuck by a sharp left in a returned tray. After first aid and telling the supervisor, what is true about the incident report?
  1. It should be completed promptly with objective facts
  2. It is needed only if the injury requires stitches
  3. It should say which OR staff member is to blame
  4. It can wait until the end of the week with other reports
Show answer

Answer: A. It should be completed promptly with objective facts

Incident reports are completed promptly while details are fresh. They state objective facts: what happened, when, where and what was done. The goal is follow-up care and fixing the system, not assigning blame.

Source: OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030(f)(3), post-exposure evaluation and follow-up; HSPA Sterile Processing Technical Manual, 9th ed. (2023), Ch. 22, Safety for Sterile Processing

Question 11

A set with bioburden left inside a box lock reaches the OR. The department does a root cause analysis. What is its main goal?
  1. Identify the technician at fault so discipline can follow
  2. Prove the problem began in the OR, not in processing
  3. Find the underlying process causes and fix them
  4. Complete a form so the event is closed quickly
Show answer

Answer: C. Find the underlying process causes and fix them

Root cause analysis asks why an event happened until it reaches the underlying system causes, such as training, workload, tools or procedures. The department then changes the process to prevent a repeat. It is not designed to assign individual blame.

Source: HSPA Sterile Processing Technical Manual, 9th ed. (2023), Ch. 18, Quality Production and Monitoring (topic: root cause analysis)

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