RNAS-C Practice Questions (2026) — Free Sample Questions with Answers

Answer: B

The entire gown, front and back, once the wrap tie is secured: The back cannot be continuously seen and is considered unsterile even after the gown is wrapped.

Front from chest to field level, sleeves from 2 in above elbow to cuff: Correct. Only the front from chest to the level of the sterile field and the sleeves from 2 inches above the elbow to the cuff are considered sterile.

Front from the neckline to the hem, including below the table: The neckline, shoulders and anything below the level of the sterile field are not considered sterile.

The back panel and both sleeves, since they face away from the field: The back is unsterile because it is out of the wearer's view.

Sterile gown zone: front from chest to sterile-field level and sleeves to 2 inches above the elbow; the neckline, axillae, back and areas below the field are unsterile.

Answer: C

Finish the procedure alone to avoid delay for the patient: Completing the operation is beyond the RNFA's scope; the RNFA does not take over as primary surgeon.

Close the incision quickly and transfer the patient to the PACU now: Closing an incomplete procedure without a surgeon may harm the patient and is outside the first assistant role.

Stay with the patient, keep the field stable and call for a surgeon: Correct. The RNFA stays with the patient, maintains hemostasis and the sterile field, and requests an immediate replacement surgeon.

Leave the sterile field to perform CPR on the surgeon: Other team members respond to the surgeon; the RNFA's duty is to the open surgical patient.

If the surgeon is incapacitated: stay with the patient, maintain the patient's status and get a replacement surgeon right away; do not act beyond your scope.

Answer: A

Let it dry fully and make sure no solution has pooled: Correct. Alcohol vapors and pooled solution are flammable, so letting the prep dry fully and preventing pooling (for example in skin folds or linens) prevents surgical fires and achieves full antiseptic effect.

Blot it off with a sterile towel right after applying it: Blotting removes antiseptic before it has worked; the product should dry naturally for the time on the label.

Drape at once so the prepped area stays sterile: Draping over wet alcohol traps flammable vapor under the drapes and increases fire risk.

Apply extra solution so it pools under the patient: Pooled alcohol prep is a major fire hazard and can also cause chemical skin injury.

Alcohol-based preps plus an ignition source (ESU, laser) mean fire risk: avoid pooling, follow the drying time on the label and drape only when the prep is dry.

Answer: C

Oblique (major) fissure: The oblique fissure separates the lower lobe from the upper and middle lobes.

Azygos fissure variant: An azygos lobe and fissure is an uncommon anatomic variant, not the normal boundary between the upper and middle lobes.

Horizontal (minor) fissure: Correct. The right lung has three lobes; the horizontal fissure separates the upper and middle lobes.

Lingular (left) fissure: The lingula belongs to the left upper lobe; the left lung has only two lobes.

Right lung: 3 lobes, oblique and horizontal fissures; left lung: 2 lobes, oblique fissure only, with the lingula part of the upper lobe.

Answer: B

Cross the legs while sitting to stabilize the new joint: Crossing the legs adducts the hip past midline, a dislocating position after a posterior approach.

Avoid hip flexion past 90°, adduction and internal rotation: Correct. After a posterior approach, deep flexion, adduction and internal rotation can lever the prosthetic head out the back.

Use a low toilet seat to encourage full hip flexion: A low seat forces flexion past 90 degrees; raised seats are recommended.

Sleep on the operative side without a pillow between the knees: An abduction pillow or a pillow between the knees keeps the leg from adducting.

Posterior-approach hip precautions: no flexion past 90 degrees, no adduction past midline, no internal rotation; use an abduction pillow and raised seating.

Answer: A

Just before incision, with all team members taking part: Correct. The time-out happens immediately before the procedure starts, with the whole team actively confirming the patient, procedure, site and other critical elements.

In preoperative holding, before the patient enters the OR: Preprocedure verification and site marking happen earlier, but the time-out takes place in the procedure room just before incision.

After the incision, once the surgeon confirms the anatomy: A time-out after incision defeats its purpose of preventing wrong-site and wrong-procedure surgery.

At the end of the case, during the final instrument count: The end-of-case debrief and counts are separate from the pre-incision time-out.

Universal Protocol: preprocedure verification, site marking, then a time-out immediately before incision with active participation by everyone.