- 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%
Free · 2026 · 8% of the HSPA CRCST CRCST Professional Development and Human Relation Skills practice questions
Professional Development and Human Relation Skills is 8% of the HSPA CRCST. Answer 10 questions (6 on Professional Development and Human Relation Skills) and see your score by domain, with every answer explained. Free, no sign-up.
A prep and pack technician keeps finding the shared workstation cluttered with unfinished count sheets and supplies at shift change. The same coworker from the previous shift is responsible each time, and the technician is growing frustrated. What is the best first step?
Tap an answer, or press A to D
Communication and customer service, HIPAA, prioritizing work, medical and surgical terminology, teamwork and continuing education.
What the HSPA CRCST exam tests in Professional Development and Human Relation Skills
- Professional communication: telephone and technology etiquette, formal vs informal communication, active listening, service recovery, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), HIPAA and patient privacy
- Decision-making: prioritizing work (OR schedule, STAT and add-on requests), critical thinking, anticipating customer needs, chain of command
- Medical terminology: word roots, prefixes and suffixes, surgical procedure terms, basic anatomy and physiology, instrument names and functions
- Teams and work groups: quality teams, task forces, cross-functional groups, roles and responsibilities, accountability, team decision making and task prioritization
- Personal and professional development: career paths, interviews and resume building, in-service training, certification and annual recertification, continuing education, conferences and keeping current with industry standards
High-yield professional development and human relation skills facts
- Customers: internal (OR, nursing units, physicians, other departments) and external (patients, vendors, visitors).
- Telephone etiquette: answer promptly, identify the department and yourself, take complete messages (name, number, date and time, message), avoid long holds, and follow up.
- Technology etiquette: professional tone; no protected health information (PHI) in unsecured messages; no distracting personal phone use.
- Formal communication uses official channels (policies, memos, meetings, chain of command). Informal communication is casual conversation and the grapevine.
- Active listening: full attention, eye contact, no interrupting, paraphrase back, ask clarifying questions.
- Service recovery: listen, empathize and apologize, fix the problem or escalate it, follow up to confirm resolution, document.
| Suffix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -ectomy | Removal | Cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) |
| -otomy | Cutting into | Laparotomy, craniotomy |
| -ostomy | Creating an opening | Colostomy |
| -plasty | Surgical repair or reshaping | Rhinoplasty |
| -pexy | Fixation | Orchiopexy |
| -rrhaphy | Suturing | Herniorrhaphy |
| -scopy / -scope | Looking inside / viewing instrument | Arthroscopy, cystoscopy |
| -centesis | Puncture to remove fluid | Thoracentesis |
The full CRCST High-Yield Cram Sheet comes with full prep.
Common professional development and human relation skills traps
- Service recovery fixes the problem and follows up; an apology alone is not enough.
- STAT and next-case needs come before routine restocking.
- HIPAA covers OR schedules and case records handled in SP.
- -ectomy removes, -otomy cuts into, -ostomy makes an opening, -plasty repairs.
- A task force is temporary and single-purpose; a cross-functional team spans departments.
- CRCST renews annually with 12 CE credits.
- Go to your immediate supervisor first; don't skip the chain of command.
Free CRCST professional development and human relation skills practice questions
Question 1
A technician who holds full CRCST certification is planning her next career step. According to the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA), which statement about its other credentials is accurate?
- AA technician must hold the CHL before becoming eligible for the CIS.
- BThe CER credential is the advanced certification for instrument specialists.
- CThe CIS and CHL credentials require full CRCST certification.
- DThe CHL credential is designed for endoscope reprocessing technicians.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. HSPA requires full CRCST certification before a candidate can earn the CIS (instrument specialist) or CHL (healthcare leader) credential.
Why not A: CHL is not a prerequisite for CIS; both credentials build on CRCST certification.
Why not B: CER is the endoscope reprocessor credential; the instrument specialist credential is CIS.
Why not D: CHL is the Certified Healthcare Leader credential for supervisors and managers; the endoscope credential is CER.
Remember: CIS (instrument specialist) and CHL (healthcare leader) build on full CRCST certification, while CER covers endoscope reprocessing.
Question 2
Which use of technology by a sterile processing technician is appropriate?
- AUsing the department's secure instrument tracking system to tell an OR caller where a requested set is in processing
- BChecking personal social media on a phone between loads at the decontamination sink
- CTexting a photo of a case cart pick list showing a patient's name to a coworker's personal phone
- DEmailing the OR from a personal account with the patient's name and diagnosis in the subject line
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. Approved, secure systems used for a work purpose are appropriate and support good customer service.
Why not B: Personal phone use is distracting, unprofessional and contaminates the device in the decontamination area.
Why not C: Sending PHI to a personal device by unsecured text violates HIPAA and facility policy.
Why not D: Personal email is not secure and placing PHI in a subject line exposes it unnecessarily; use only the minimum necessary information through approved systems.
Remember: Use only approved, secure systems for work communication, and never send PHI by personal text, email or social media.
Question 3
A technician sees a coworker repeatedly packaging laparoscopic instruments without running the insulation test. When the technician mentions it privately, the coworker brushes it off. What should the technician do next?
- ADescribe the problem in the department's group chat so everyone is warned
- BReport the concern to the immediate supervisor with specific examples
- CLet it go, since checking a coworker's work is a supervisor's job
- DReport the concern directly to the director of surgical services
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. After addressing it with the coworker, the next step in the chain of command is the immediate supervisor, using facts rather than opinions.
Why not A: Public posting is unprofessional, can embarrass the coworker and does not route the safety issue to someone with authority to fix it.
Why not C: Ignoring a practice that can cause patient burns is unsafe; every technician is accountable for reporting unsafe conditions.
Why not D: Skipping the immediate supervisor bypasses the chain of command; the director becomes involved only if the issue is not resolved at the first level.
Remember: Raise problems through the chain of command, starting with your immediate supervisor, and escalate only if unresolved.
Question 4
A new SP-OR work group has met twice. Members are now arguing about who owns the case cart accuracy audit and are challenging the team leader's approach. Which stage of team development is the group in?
- AForming
- BStorming
- CNorming
- DPerforming
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. Storming is marked by conflict over roles, responsibilities and leadership as members test boundaries.
Why not A: Forming is the first stage, when members are polite, uncertain and still getting oriented, before open conflict appears.
Why not C: In norming, the group has settled its conflicts and agreed on roles and ground rules, which has not happened yet.
Why not D: Performing is when the team works smoothly and productively toward its goals, not while it is still disputing roles.
Remember: Tuckman's stages are forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning; conflict over roles and leadership signals storming.
Question 5
A newly hired technician whose first language is not English appears unsure after receiving spoken instructions on how to assemble a laparoscopic set. As the trainer, what is the most appropriate approach?
- AAvoid correcting the new hire's errors so they do not feel singled out
- BAsk the supervisor to assign the new hire only to tasks that need little communication
- CRepeat the same instructions more loudly and quickly so the training stays on schedule
- DUse plain language, demonstrate with the count sheet, and have the new hire show the steps back
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. Clear wording, visual demonstration and a teach-back confirm understanding while treating the coworker with respect.
Why not A: Withholding feedback risks incorrect set assembly and patient harm; respectful feedback is part of fair training.
Why not B: Limiting someone's duties based on language assumptions is not inclusive and denies them equal training opportunities.
Why not C: Speaking louder or faster does not improve understanding and can come across as disrespectful.
Remember: Inclusive communication adapts the method (plain words, demonstration, teach-back) without lowering expectations or making assumptions.
Full CRCST prep
Practice every CRCST domain
7-Day Cram Access
Lowest upfront$157 days
$2.14 a day
One-time payment. We will never charge you again.
- 300+ CRCST practice questions, every answer choice explained
- Unlimited timed mock exams (150 questions)
- Spaulding & Sterilization Matcher: all 15 rounds
- Full 14-page printable High-Yield Cram Sheet (PDF)
100% Pass Guarantee + 7-day money-back. How it works
CRCST Exam Pass
Best value$29120 days
$0.24 a day
One-time payment. Nothing renews.
- 300+ CRCST practice questions, every answer choice explained
- Unlimited timed mock exams (150 questions)
- Spaulding & Sterilization Matcher: all 15 rounds
- Full 14-page printable High-Yield Cram Sheet (PDF)
100% Pass Guarantee + 7-day money-back. How it works