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Central Sterile Services (CSS) Technician Prometric Exam

STE5652 is the DHA code for the Central Sterile Services (CSS) Technician Prometric exam, and its published blueprint splits the paper across 8 areas: overview of the cssd and decontamination, principles of asepsis, microbiology and infection control, transportation of solid items to cssd and disinfection process, processing equipment and classification of surgical instrument types, preparation, packaging and labeling of instruments and devices, sterilization, maintenance, audit and quality control, flexible endoscope and dental instrument processing and use of indicators, load control and transportation from the cssd. That list is the syllabus — questions are written to those headings from 3 named reference texts, so revision that ignores it is revision spent on the wrong material.

Exam Guidelines by Prometric and Pearson VUE

Exam summary, coverage areas and references

Duration
3 hrs
Questions
150
Exam Code
STE5652
Pass Score
45%

Exam Coverage

  • Overview of the CSSD and Decontamination
  • Principles of Asepsis, Microbiology and Infection Control
  • Transportation of Solid Items to CSSD and Disinfection Process
  • Processing Equipment and Classification of Surgical Instrument Types
  • Preparation, Packaging and Labeling of Instruments and Devices
  • Sterilization, Maintenance, Audit and Quality Control
  • Flexible Endoscope and Dental Instrument Processing
  • Use of Indicators, Load Control and Transportation from the CSSD

Chapters

4.9(386)
2 chapters · 200 total questions

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Mock exams

Full-length · timed · 45% to pass

Once you're comfortable with the chapters, take a full-length mock under real exam conditions - 150 randomized questions, 3-hour timer, no instant feedback. Three separate papers so you can build stamina across multiple attempts.

About the Central Sterile Services (CSS) Technician Prometric Exam (STE5652)

STE5652 is the DHA code for the Central Sterile Services (CSS) Technician Prometric exam, and its published blueprint splits the paper across 8 areas: overview of the cssd and decontamination, principles of asepsis, microbiology and infection control, transportation of solid items to cssd and disinfection process, processing equipment and classification of surgical instrument types, preparation, packaging and labeling of instruments and devices, sterilization, maintenance, audit and quality control, flexible endoscope and dental instrument processing and use of indicators, load control and transportation from the cssd. That list is the syllabus — questions are written to those headings from 3 named reference texts, so revision that ignores it is revision spent on the wrong material.

The sitting is 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours — about 1.2 minutes per question — delivered on computer at a Prometric test centre. The 45% pass mark works out at roughly 68 correct answers out of 150. Nothing is deducted for a wrong answer, so an unanswered question is the only guaranteed zero on the paper.

The paper is sat by allied health professionals applying for a licence under the Central Sterile Services (CSS) Technician professional title. Technician-grade papers are weighted towards procedure, equipment and safety rather than diagnosis. In practice the exam is rarely the bottleneck: the regulator has to accept your qualification and experience, and Dataflow has to return primary source verification, before a booking slot exists at all. Start that paperwork alongside your revision rather than after it.

This bank holds 200 explained questions cut to the same headings as the STE5652 outline, each with written reasoning that also rules out the distractors. Retries are unlimited, and the timed mocks run at the real 150-question, 3-hour, 45%-to-pass settings — so the first time you sit this paper at full pace is not the morning it counts.

One body of content, seven regulators. DHA in Dubai, MOHAP across the UAE, DOH in Abu Dhabi, SCFHS in Saudi Arabia, QCHP in Qatar, NHRA in Bahrain and OMSB in Oman all license the Central Sterile Services (CSS) Technician title off a Prometric-delivered MCQ paper, and the overlap between them is substantial. What differs is the pass mark, the classification tier they will grade you into, and how many attempts they allow — not the medicine.

Central Sterile Services (CSS) Technician exam — frequently asked questions

What does exam code STE5652 cover?

STE5652 is the Central Sterile Services (CSS) Technician Prometric paper. The code appears on your eligibility approval and on the Prometric booking screen — quote it when you book, because neighbouring grades of the same profession have their own codes and their own papers.

How many questions is the Central Sterile Services (CSS) Technician exam, and how long do I get?

150 questions in 3 hours, which is about 1.2 minutes each. It is computer-based at a Prometric centre, and you can flag and revisit questions before you submit.

What is the pass mark for STE5652?

45% under the DHA guideline — roughly 68 correct answers out of 150. Nothing is deducted for wrong answers, so leave nothing blank. Other Gulf regulators publish their own thresholds for the same content, so confirm the figure with the authority you are applying to.

Which topics carry the marks in the Central Sterile Services (CSS) Technician exam?

The published blueprint names 8 areas: Overview of the CSSD and Decontamination, Principles of Asepsis, Microbiology and Infection Control, Transportation of Solid Items to CSSD and Disinfection Process, Processing Equipment and Classification of Surgical Instrument Types, Preparation, Packaging and Labeling of Instruments and Devices, Sterilization, Maintenance, Audit and Quality Control, Flexible Endoscope and Dental Instrument Processing and Use of Indicators, Load Control and Transportation from the CSSD. Our chapters use the same headings, so a weak chapter score points straight at the blueprint area to revisit.

Do I need a separate exam for each Gulf authority?

No. DHA, MOHAP, DOH, SCFHS, QCHP, NHRA and OMSB each license the Central Sterile Services (CSS) Technician title off a Prometric-delivered MCQ paper built on the same content. What changes between them is the pass mark, the classification tier and the attempt limit — so one body of preparation carries across, but each application is its own file.

What do I need before I can book STE5652?

An eligibility approval from the regulator — your qualification and experience accepted against its classification rules — plus Dataflow primary source verification returned on your degree, licence and experience letters. The booking window opens after that, not before, which is why the paperwork should run in parallel with your revision.

Guides for Central Sterile Services (CSS) Technician candidates

Licensing routes for pharmacists

The full pathway — eligibility, documents, exam and registration — written per authority.

Authorities that license this title

Each regulator sets its own pass mark, classification tier and attempt limit for the same paper. Check yours before you book.

What candidates are saying

Verified reviews from doctors, nurses, and allied-health professionals who prepared with this bank.

4.9
Based on 386 verified reviews
5
80%
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16%
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3%
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1%
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IY
Ibrahim Yassin
🇪🇬 Verified
Consultant Internal Med · Alex
85d ago

The 3-month plan was enough for a repeater like me. Skimmed the strong chapters, hammered the weak ones. Passed.

HM
Hala Mahmoud
🇸🇩 Verified
Physician · Khartoum
134d ago

Affordable pricing that still delivered quality. Coming from Sudan the currency conversion was important - the checkout showed my local price which built trust.

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Priya Nair
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Specialist Anesthesia · Bangalore
22d ago

Worth every dirham. The mobile experience is smooth - I revised on the metro every morning for 3 weeks and passed SCFHS on the first try.

DK
Divya Krishnan
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General Dentist · Mumbai
58d ago

The dentistry bank is stronger than anything I found on YouTube channels. Especially the perio and prostho sections - very high yield.

KR
Kavya Reddy
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Registered Nurse · Hyderabad
104d ago

Coming from an Indian nursing background, the GCC-specific patient-safety and legal-framework questions were the hardest. This bank covered them properly.

AR
Ayesha Rahman
🇵🇰 Verified
Physician · Karachi
4d ago

Passed my DHA on the first attempt. The chapter-wise breakdown made revision so much easier - I could focus on my weak areas without going through 5,000 questions randomly.

NF
Nadia Farooq
🇵🇰 Verified
Specialist Pediatrics · Lahore
34d ago

The referral discount + coupon combo made this really affordable for a family with two doctors preparing at once. Both of us cleared DHA back to back.

SK
Sana Kapoor
🇮🇳 Verified
Specialist Derm · Delhi
79d ago

Loved the interface - clean, fast, no ads. The retry mode where you only see the ones you got wrong is a lifesaver in the last week before the exam.

How it works

  • • Pick any chapter and start answering questions
  • • Wrong answer? You instantly see the correct answer and a clear explanation
  • • Track your score at the end of each chapter