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CRCST Exam Explained (2026): Format, Passing Score, Cost & 10 Practice Questions

Audio from the Open Exam Hub video of the same name; the video shows the numbers and practice questions on screen.

The CRCST (Certified Registered Central Service Technician) exam from HSPA, the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (formerly IAHCSMM), explained from myhspa.org and the HSPA Certification Handbook revised January 2026, as of October 2026. The exam: 150 multiple-choice questions, 125 scored and 25 unscored pretest items you can't tell apart, in 3 hours, computer-based at a Prometric test center (HSPA lists no remote option; no paper version). The passing score is not published: one point per correct answer, pass/fail set on the 125 scored items with the Angoff procedure and approved by the HSPA Certification Council. You see pass/fail on screen; a failing report rates each section At or Above, Below or Well Below, with no percentage score. HSPA's published 2025 counts: 10,083 passed and 5,286 failed (about 66%, our math). Fee: $140 per attempt (includes a $25 non-refundable application fee); processing about 3 to 4 weeks, then a 120-day window to test, no extensions; after a fail, wait at least 6 weeks. Experience: 400 hands-on hours in a sterile processing department, paid or volunteer (120 decontamination, 120 preparing and packaging, 120 sterilization and disinfection, 24 storage and distribution, 16 quality assurance), completed before testing within the past 5 years (full CRCST, recommended) or within 6 months after passing (provisional CRCST, one-time 2-month extension if you work or volunteer in an SPD). Content outline (revised November 2023): Cleaning, Decontamination and Disinfection 21%, Preparation and Packaging 21%, Sterilization Process 21%, Departmental Considerations 15%, Sterile Storage, Transport and Inventory Management 9%, Professional Development and Human Relation Skills 8%, Patient Care Equipment and Distribution 5%. Renewal: every year, 12 technical CE credits plus a $50 fee. References HSPA names: Sterile Processing Technical Manual 9th edition (2023), ANSI/AAMI ST79 and AORN Guidelines for Perioperative Practice. Then 10 original practice questions with answers (Spaulding classification, steam cycle times, biological indicators, Bowie-Dick testing, implant loads, decontamination PPE, event-related sterility, IFU, instrument care). Study plan is our own suggestion. Independent guide, not affiliated with HSPA.

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Chapters
0:00 The Short Answer
1:04 What a CRCST Does
1:45 The 400 Hours
2:48 Exam Format
3:34 Passing Score and Results
4:32 Cost and Retakes
5:13 The Seven Content Areas
6:12 Staying Certified
6:41 How to Study
7:39 Practice Questions, Part One
9:38 Practice Questions, Part Two
11:53 Recap

Exam facts are from the official Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) pages as of 2026-10-23. Fees and rules can change, so confirm on the official site before you enroll. Open Exam Hub is an independent study resource, not affiliated with HSPA. Practice questions are not from a real exam. Narration is an AI-generated voice.

Music
"Fresh Air" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

"Friday Morning" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
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"Carefree" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

"Reminiscing" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
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Sound effects: Kenney (kenney.nl), CC0.

#crcst #sterileprocessing #hspa