CFA Professionalism, Ethics & Legal Considerations 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The national certifying body specifically responsible for credentialing surgical technologists and surgical first assistants in the US is:
- AORN
- NBSTSA (Correct answer)
- AST
- CFAA
Correct answer: NBSTSA
The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) administers the CST and CSFA credentials for surgical technologists and surgical first assistants.
Question 2: Which document legally authorizes a surrogate to make healthcare decisions for an incapacitated patient?
- Living will
- POLST form
- Durable power of attorney for healthcare (Correct answer)
- Advance beneficiary notice
Correct answer: Durable power of attorney for healthcare
A durable power of attorney for healthcare (healthcare proxy) designates a specific person to make medical decisions when the patient lacks decision-making capacity.
Question 3: Under the doctrine of respondeat superior, liability for a first assistant's negligent acts during surgery may extend to:
- The first assistant alone
- The hospital and/or supervising physician (Correct answer)
- The surgical technologist on the case
- The anesthesia team
Correct answer: The hospital and/or supervising physician
Respondeat superior ('let the master answer') holds employers and supervising physicians vicariously liable for employees' and agents' negligent acts performed within the scope of their duties.
Question 4: A first assistant is asked by a pharmaceutical representative to promote a specific surgical device to surgeons in exchange for gifts. This situation represents a potential:
- Acceptable professional networking opportunity
- Conflict of interest and ethical violation (Correct answer)
- Standard industry practice requiring no disclosure
- Opportunity to improve patient outcomes
Correct answer: Conflict of interest and ethical violation
Accepting gifts in exchange for promoting products creates a conflict of interest that compromises professional objectivity and violates most healthcare ethics codes.
Question 5: Which element is NOT required to establish negligence in a malpractice claim against a first assistant?
- Duty of care owed to the patient
- Breach of the standard of care
- Proof of malicious intent (Correct answer)
- Causation linking breach to patient harm
Correct answer: Proof of malicious intent
Negligence requires duty, breach, causation, and damages — malicious intent is not required; negligence can occur through carelessness or omission without intent to harm.
Question 6: The minimum continuing education requirement to maintain the CSFA credential through NBSTSA every two years is:
- 15 CE credits
- 30 CE credits (Correct answer)
- 45 CE credits
- 60 CE credits
Correct answer: 30 CE credits
NBSTSA requires 30 continuing education credits every two years to maintain the Certified Surgical First Assistant (CSFA) credential.
Question 7: A first assistant discovers a retained surgical instrument post-closure. The most immediate professional obligation is to:
- Document the finding privately and monitor the patient
- Immediately inform the surgeon so corrective action can be taken (Correct answer)
- Notify the patient's family before the surgeon
- Wait until the patient shows symptoms before reporting
Correct answer: Immediately inform the surgeon so corrective action can be taken
Retained surgical items are a serious patient safety event requiring immediate disclosure to the surgeon so the patient can receive prompt corrective intervention.
CFA Professionalism, Ethics & Legal Considerations 3
The national certifying body specifically responsible for credentialing surgical technologists and surgical first assistants in the US is: