According to CDC, what is the upper limit for relative humidity in the sterile storage area?
Based on: CDC Disinfection and Sterilization Guideline (2008, updated 2024), Physical facilities, p. 74
CRCST · HSPA certification · United States
CRCST Sterile Processing Prep
The CRCST exam is 150 multiple-choice questions in three hours, spread across the seven topics of the HSPA content outline. This independent app drills all seven topics with 163 original practice questions, 73 flashcards, 8 study notes and a timed 150-question mock. One-time purchase of $12.99, no subscription, with up to 15 free questions in every topic.
Coming soon toGoogle Play
200+ Study items
150 Mock exam
100% Offline
The exam
What the CRCST exam involves
CRCST stands for Certified Registered Central Service Technician, the certification HSPA (the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association) awards to sterile processing technicians: the staff who clean, inspect, package, sterilize and store the reusable instruments a hospital uses in surgery and patient care.
How many questions are on the CRCST exam, and how long do you get?
The exam has 150 multiple-choice questions and you have three hours. Only 125 of the 150 are scored; the other 25 are unscored pretest questions. The exam is taken on a computer.
What are the seven sections of the CRCST exam?
The content outline, revised in November 2023 from the 2023 job task analysis, splits the exam into seven sections with these weights:
- Departmental Considerations: 15%
- Cleaning, Decontamination and Disinfection: 21%
- Preparation and Packaging: 21%
- Sterilization Process: 21%
- Sterile Storage, Transport and Inventory Management: 9%
- Patient Care Equipment and Distribution: 5%
- Professional Development and Human Relation Skills: 8%
What score do you need to pass the CRCST exam?
HSPA does not publish a fixed number of correct answers. The pass mark is set by a criterion-referenced (Angoff) method, so there is no percentage that is guaranteed to pass. This app's mock uses 105 of 150, which is 70%, as a study target. That figure is our practice bar, not the official pass mark, and the app labels it that way.
How do you keep the certification once you pass?
The CRCST is renewed every year. Certified technicians submit continuing education credits to renew, and HSPA lists a renewal fee of $50.
How much of the outline does this app cover?
All seven sections, with 163 questions: 25 on Departmental Considerations, 34 on Cleaning, Decontamination and Disinfection, 34 on Preparation and Packaging, 34 on Sterilization Process, 15 on Sterile Storage, Transport and Inventory Management, 7 on Patient Care Equipment and Distribution and 14 on Professional Development and Human Relation Skills. The 73 flashcards cover all seven sections (10, 12, 12, 12, 9, 9 and 9). Eight study notes cover the exam format and each of the seven sections.
What is not covered?
A few outline topics are left out or only partly covered, and the app lists them on its own screens too:
- Equipment operating specifications: heat sealer temperatures and seal checks, insulation tester readings and borescope operation.
- Instrument protection: tray liners are covered; tip protectors, foam and instrument mats are not. Instrument cassettes are covered; stringers and racks are not.
- Packaging: the envelope fold and double wrapping are covered; the square fold, where to write on a package, approved labelling pens, and rigid container locks and tamper-evident seals are not. No tray weight figure is given, because published sources disagree.
- Patient care equipment: tracking, inspection, cleaning and removing damaged equipment are covered; assembling, testing, storing, charging and delivering it are not.
- Professional skills: resume writing and job interviews are not covered.
How does the mock exam compare with the real one?
Same length and time: 150 questions in 180 minutes. The questions are drawn in proportion to the outline weights, 23, 32, 32, 31, 13, 7 and 12 across the seven sections. The real exam's 25 unscored pretest questions are not simulated, and the 105 of 150 target is a study bar, not HSPA's pass mark.
Features
A complete study system, on one device
01 / PRACTICE
163 questions across all seven outline topics
Practice section by section, from decontamination and packaging to sterilizer monitoring and sterile storage. Wrong answers go into a review list, and a readiness score tracks each section on its own.
02 / MOCK
A 150-question, three-hour mock
The same length and time as the real exam, drawn in the outline's section weights. The 105 of 150 target is a study bar, since HSPA publishes no fixed pass score, and the app says so on the mock screen.
03 / SOURCES
Written from U.S. government guidance
The questions are original, written from public U.S. government sources: the CDC disinfection and sterilization guideline, FDA reprocessing guidance, OSHA standards, CMS surveyor worksheets and VA directives. Under an explanation you see the passage it rests on, for example CDC guideline, Physical facilities, p. 74. The paid ANSI/AAMI ST79 standard is not reproduced or quoted. Everything works offline, with no account.
04 / NOTES
Eight study notes
One note on the exam format and one for each outline section, each with key points, key terms, common mistakes and the source links it was written from. The exam format note and the Cleaning, Decontamination and Disinfection note are open in full before you buy.
What's inside
What to look for in an exam-prep app
| Based on the official public source | Yes, U.S. government sterile processing guidance: the CDC Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities (2008, updated June 2024), FDA reprocessing and electrosurgical device guidance, CMS infection control surveyor worksheets, VHA Directives 1116 and 1761, the VA design guide PG-18-12, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030 and related standards, 21 CFR Parts 7, 801 and 830, and U.S. Army sterile-supply training material (MD0937) |
|---|---|
| Timed mock exam | 150 questions, 180 min |
| Answer explanations mapped to the source | Yes |
| Weak-area review | Yes |
| Flashcards (spaced repetition) | Yes |
| Works fully offline, no account | Yes |
| Ads | None |
| Payment | One-time purchase |
| Last content review | 2026-10-21 |
In the app
Calm, focused study, nothing else
09:41▰▰▰
According to CDC, what is the upper limit for relative humidity in the sterile storage area?
AIt should not exceed 70%
BIt should not exceed 60%
CIt should not exceed 50%
DIt should not exceed 80%
Practice mode
09:41▰▰▰
Answer AIt should not exceed 70%
CDC states that relative humidity should be 30% to 60% in all work areas except sterile storage, where it should not exceed 70%.
Answer and explanation
Sample questions
Try 10 real practice questions
Tap an answer to see why it is right, mapped to the official source, exactly as in the app.
How does CDC's disinfection guideline describe biofilms?
Based on: CDC Disinfection and Sterilization Guideline (2008, updated 2024), Microbial resistance, biofilms, p. 36
OSHA lists the features that a container for contaminated sharps must have. Which of these is NOT on that list?
Based on: 29 CFR 1910.1030 (OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens), 1910.1030(d)(4)(iii)(A)(1)
During inspection in the prep area, a device is found not to be visually clean. According to FDA reprocessing guidance, what should happen?
Based on: FDA Reprocessing Guidance (2015), Section H, Visual Inspection
In U.S. Army central supply training material, how is a sharp-edged jointed instrument such as scissors checked for sharpness?
Based on: U.S. Army MD0937 Operating Room Specialist, Lesson 3, para 3-8f(3)(c)
What is the Bowie-Dick test used to detect in a vacuum-type steam sterilizer?
Based on: CDC Disinfection and Sterilization Guideline (2008, updated 2024), Steam sterilization, p. 60
According to CDC, which event calls for testing a sterilizer with biological and chemical indicators before it goes back into routine use?
Based on: CDC Disinfection and Sterilization Guideline (2008, updated 2024), Sterilization cycle verification, p. 74
Why does CDC say sterile supplies should not be stored under sinks?
Based on: CDC Disinfection and Sterilization Guideline (2008, updated 2024), Storage, p. 76
According to CDC, at a minimum, when should noncritical patient-care devices be disinfected?
Based on: CDC Disinfection and Sterilization Guideline, Summary of Recommendations, Recommendation 4.c
In TeamSTEPPS, what is SBAR?
Based on: AHRQ TeamSTEPPS Pocket Guide, Communication, SBAR
Source & accuracy
Where the questions come from, and when we last checked
Built from U.S. government sterile processing guidance: the CDC Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities (2008, updated June 2024), FDA reprocessing and electrosurgical device guidance, CMS infection control surveyor worksheets, VHA Directives 1116 and 1761, the VA design guide PG-18-12, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030 and related standards, 21 CFR Parts 7, 801 and 830, and U.S. Army sterile-supply training material (MD0937) (CDC guideline as updated June 2024; HSPA CRCST content outline revised November 2023), the official public source, used under Public domain: works of the U.S. federal government are not subject to copyright (17 U.S.C. 105). Every question is original wording by RiverMap Learning; the paid ANSI/AAMI ST79 standard is not reproduced or quoted.. View the official source .
Last checked against the source: 2026-10-21.
- Study items
- 200+
- Questions
- 163
- Flashcards
- 73
- Mock exam
- 150
All questions are original and written from the public source. No official exam questions are copied.
Content audit trail
- 2026-10-22 Initial pack: 163 questions across the seven outline sections (25, 34, 34, 34, 15, 7 and 14) and 73 flashcards across all seven sections (10, 12, 12, 12, 9, 9 and 9), plus 8 study notes: the exam format and one per section. Exam figures on this page (150 questions, 125 scored and 25 pretest, three hours, the seven section weights, annual renewal) read from the HSPA CRCST page and the 2026 HSPA Certification Handbook on 21 October 2026. Not covered, and declared in the app: equipment operating specifications, some packaging and labelling details, delivering patient care equipment, resume writing and job interviews.
What this app does not cover
- Instrument protection devices: tray liners are covered; tip protectors, foam and instrument mats are not.
- Instrument organisers: instrument cassettes are covered; stringers and racks are not.
- Equipment operating specifications are not covered: heat sealer seal temperature, seal width and seal-check methods; insulation tester voltage and readings; borescope operation.
- Approved writing implements for labelling are not covered.
- Tray weight: we cover why metal mass causes wet packs and why weight should be spread out, but we give no weight figure, because published sources disagree.
- Wrapping: the envelope fold and double wrapping are covered; the square fold is not.
- Not covered at all: where to write on a package, and rigid container locks and tamper-evident seals.
- Patient care equipment: equipment tracking, inspection, cleaning and removing damaged equipment from service are covered; assembling, testing, storing, charging and delivering patient care equipment to user departments are not.
- Professional skills: communication, decision-making, medical word parts, teamwork and continuing education are covered; work groups are covered only as standing versus temporary groups; resume writing and job interviews are not covered.
FAQ
Common questions
Which exam does this app prepare for?
The CRCST (Certified Registered Central Service Technician) exam from HSPA, the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association. It covers all seven sections of the content outline revised in November 2023.
How many questions are on the CRCST exam?
150 multiple-choice questions in three hours. 125 are scored and 25 are unscored pretest questions.
What score do I need to pass the CRCST?
HSPA does not publish a fixed number. The pass mark is set by a criterion-referenced (Angoff) method. The app uses 105 of 150 as a study target in its mock, and labels it as a target, not the official pass mark.
Does the app cover the whole exam?
It covers all seven sections, but not every topic inside them. Equipment operating specifications, some packaging and labelling details, delivering patient care equipment, and resume writing and job interviews are not covered. The full list is on this page and in the app.
Where do the questions come from?
They are original questions written by RiverMap Learning from public U.S. government sources, mainly the CDC Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, FDA reprocessing guidance, OSHA standards, CMS surveyor worksheets and VA directives. No real exam questions are reproduced, and the paid ANSI/AAMI ST79 standard is not quoted.
What does it cost?
The download is free and includes up to 15 practice questions in every topic, two mock attempts, up to 10 flashcards in every flashcard topic, two study notes in full (the exam format and Cleaning, Decontamination and Disinfection) and the summary and first two key points of every other note. Everything else unlocks with a one-time purchase of $12.99. There is no subscription and no account.
Is it available on iPhone?
Not at the moment. The app is being released on Google Play for Android.
Is this app connected to HSPA?
No. It is an independent study aid published by RiverMap Learning. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by HSPA, AAMI or any certifying body, and it is not a substitute for the official content outline.
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