This CER cheat sheet distills the HSPA Certified Endoscope Reprocessor exam into a printable rundown of the flexible-endoscope facts examiners test most. It's a premium cheat sheet built by Capital Prep — the one premium prep we trust — and it's yours free. Reinforce it with the rest of your free CER toolkit: the practice test, study guide, and flashcards.
CER exam at a glance
- Questions: 150 multiple-choice (125 scored + 25 unscored pretest items, mixed in)
- Time: 3 hours (fixed-length, linear — not adaptive)
- Passing score: Pass/Fail — criterion-referenced cut score (HSPA does not publish a fixed percentage); aim for ~75-80% on full practice tests
- Cost: ≈ $140 exam fee (verify at myhspa.org); annual recertification with continuing-education credits
What’s on the CER cheat sheet
- Endoscope Processing Steps (32%) — the one-way ST91 sequence — point-of-use treatment, leak testing, manual cleaning, high-level disinfection, final rinse, and forced-air drying.
- Endoscope Handling, Transport & Storage (16%) — soiled vs. clean transport, drying and storage cabinets, event-related sterility, and maximum hang time.
- Microbiology & Infection Control (12%) — the Spaulding classification, the microbial resistance hierarchy, biofilm and bioburden, and the chain of infection.
- Work Area Design (12%) — unidirectional workflow, room separation, air pressure and changes, humidity, and the three-sink decontamination room.
- Endoscope Purpose, Design & Structure (10%) — scope types, the control head and insertion tube, channels, and the high-risk duodenoscope elevator.
- Tracking, Repair & Maintenance (10%) + Human Factors (8%) — traceability and unique identifiers, preventive maintenance, plus fatigue, interruptions, and just culture.
How to use it in your final week
- Recite the ST91 step order until it's automatic — point-of-use treatment, leak test, manual cleaning, inspection, high-level disinfection, final rinse, forced-air drying, storage — and remember manual cleaning ALWAYS precedes disinfection.
- Front-load Endoscope Processing Steps (32%) plus Handling, Transport & Storage (16%) — together they're nearly half the exam, so if you master anything from the sheet, make it the hands-on workflow.
- Drill the memory hooks the morning of the test — flexible scope = semicritical (HLD minimum), force-dry channels for at least ~10 minutes, verify MEC before each disinfectant use (result beats the printed date), and the duodenoscope elevator is the highest-risk feature.
- Pair each review pass with a short timed practice set (150 questions in 3 hours ≈ 72 seconds each) so your pacing feels routine before you sit down.
The cheat sheet is your review layer — your CER practice test drives the exam-readiness ring at the top of this page. Download it, review, then take a full practice exam (or drill with the study guide and flashcards) to see where you stand.
CER cheat sheet FAQ
Yes — the CER cheat sheet is a 100% free PDF download with no sign-up required. It rides alongside Career Employer's free CER practice test, study guide, and flashcards, so your whole endoscope reprocessing toolkit costs nothing.
It condenses the highest-yield flexible-endoscope reprocessing facts into a quick reference: the one-way ST91 step order, high-level disinfection parameters, the Spaulding classification, forced-air drying rules, and scope anatomy — organized by the seven HSPA content areas so you review in the exam's own weighting.
It's built from the HSPA CER Exam Content Outline (May 2022) and ANSI/AAMI ST91:2021, cross-checked against CDC and FDA reprocessing guidance, and reviewed regularly against those primary sources.
No — the sheet is a review and final-week cram layer, not a stand-in for working the reprocessing sequence and drilling questions. The CER runs 150 questions (125 scored) in 3 hours and is reported pass/fail, so use the sheet to lock in facts and the practice test to confirm you're ready.
Click the download button (or the preview card) at the top of this page to open the PDF instantly. Bookmark the page so you can find it again during your final week before test day.
References
- 1.Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA). “Certified Endoscope Reprocessor (CER) — Certification Overview & Content Outline (May 2022).” myhspa.org, 2026. ↑
- 2.Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA). “CER Exam Content Outline.” myhspa.org, 2022. ↑
- 3.Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI). “ANSI/AAMI ST91:2021 — Flexible and Semi-Rigid Endoscope Processing in Health Care Facilities.” AAMI, 2021. ↑
- 4.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities.” CDC, 2026. ↑
- 5.U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “Reprocessing of Reusable Medical Devices & Duodenoscope Reprocessing Guidance.” FDA, 2026. ↑
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