IHI PS 101 Study Guide 2026 – Nursing,
Medicine & Public Health Faculty Practice
Exams
Description:
Preparing for the IHI PS 101 certification in Nursing School, Medical School, or Public Health
programs? This 2026 study guide provides faculty-aligned practice questions and
answers tailored for students in BSN, MSN, MD, MPH, and Healthcare
Administration courses. Covering essential patient safety competencies, just culture, systems
thinking, and healthcare quality improvement, this resource is designed to help you pass
your IHI exam, clinical rotations, or capstone projects.
Whether you're in nursing clinicals, medical residency prep, or public health fieldwork, this
guide bridges theory and practice with up-to-date, accredited content.
Download now to excel in your program and become a safer, more competent healthcare
professional.
, IHI PS 101 Exam Prep 2026 – Patient Safety Practice Questions &
Answers
1. The World Health Organization estimates that within healthcare systems of high-income nations,
what is the approximate probability of a patient experiencing some form of harm during a
hospital admission?
A) Less than 1%
B) Approximately 10%
C) Nearly 50%
D) Greater than 75%
Answer: B) Approximately 10%
Explanation: WHO data consistently indicates that in developed countries, about 1 in 10
hospitalized patients is subject to an adverse event while receiving care, underscoring the global
scale of preventable harm in healthcare.
2. The landmark report "To Err Is Human" (1999) catalyzed a shift in healthcare. Which of the
following represents the most significant and lasting change in the industry since its publication?
A) A dramatic, system-wide reduction in error rates
B) Increased legal and professional penalties for errors
C) Broadened acknowledgment that preventable errors are a critical systemic issue
D) A reinforced belief that errors are primarily due to individual caregiver failure
Answer: C) Broadened acknowledgment that preventable errors are a critical systemic issue
Explanation: While progress in measurable outcomes has been slower than hoped, the report's
pivotal achievement was reframing medical error from an individual failing to a systems issue,
fostering widespread awareness and establishing patient safety as a fundamental discipline.
3. In high-risk environments, safety is often described as a "dynamic non-event." What is the core
meaning of this concept?
A) Safe outcomes occur naturally when skilled people work together.
B) Maintaining safety requires proactive, continuous effort to prevent adverse events.
, C) A high number of "near misses" indicates an inherently unsafe system.
D) Solving safety problems employs the same cognitive processes that create them.
Answer: B) Maintaining safety requires proactive, continuous effort to prevent adverse events.
Explanation: The term highlights that safety is not a passive state but an active achievement. It
is the result of constant, often unseen, work—designing robust systems, following protocols, and
maintaining vigilance—to ensure that harm does not occur.
4. A junior resident, unfamiliar with pediatric dosing, is instructed to initiate IV fluids for a toddler.
Unsure of the correct calculation, they seek guidance from an experienced nurse, who defers
back to the resident's authority. The resident proceeds with an incorrect, high rate, leading to
fluid overload. What systemic approach would be MOST effective in preventing a future
recurrence of this error?
A) Mandating stricter supervision for all trainees
B) Developing clearer, more accessible clinical guidelines
C) Fostering a culture that empowers any team member to voice concerns and collaborate
D) Implementing automatic suspensions for similar dosing errors
Answer: C) Fostering a culture that empowers any team member to voice concerns and
collaborate
Explanation: This error stemmed from a cultural and teamwork failure, not a lack of guidelines
or supervision. The most sustainable solution is building a psychological safety culture where
hierarchical barriers are lowered, and all staff feel responsible and empowered to double-check
and speak up to prevent patient harm.
5. When a preventable medical error leads to patient harm, who is typically affected by the event?
A) The patient and their family
B) The involved healthcare providers
C) The supporting staff and the care unit
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Medicine & Public Health Faculty Practice
Exams
Description:
Preparing for the IHI PS 101 certification in Nursing School, Medical School, or Public Health
programs? This 2026 study guide provides faculty-aligned practice questions and
answers tailored for students in BSN, MSN, MD, MPH, and Healthcare
Administration courses. Covering essential patient safety competencies, just culture, systems
thinking, and healthcare quality improvement, this resource is designed to help you pass
your IHI exam, clinical rotations, or capstone projects.
Whether you're in nursing clinicals, medical residency prep, or public health fieldwork, this
guide bridges theory and practice with up-to-date, accredited content.
Download now to excel in your program and become a safer, more competent healthcare
professional.
, IHI PS 101 Exam Prep 2026 – Patient Safety Practice Questions &
Answers
1. The World Health Organization estimates that within healthcare systems of high-income nations,
what is the approximate probability of a patient experiencing some form of harm during a
hospital admission?
A) Less than 1%
B) Approximately 10%
C) Nearly 50%
D) Greater than 75%
Answer: B) Approximately 10%
Explanation: WHO data consistently indicates that in developed countries, about 1 in 10
hospitalized patients is subject to an adverse event while receiving care, underscoring the global
scale of preventable harm in healthcare.
2. The landmark report "To Err Is Human" (1999) catalyzed a shift in healthcare. Which of the
following represents the most significant and lasting change in the industry since its publication?
A) A dramatic, system-wide reduction in error rates
B) Increased legal and professional penalties for errors
C) Broadened acknowledgment that preventable errors are a critical systemic issue
D) A reinforced belief that errors are primarily due to individual caregiver failure
Answer: C) Broadened acknowledgment that preventable errors are a critical systemic issue
Explanation: While progress in measurable outcomes has been slower than hoped, the report's
pivotal achievement was reframing medical error from an individual failing to a systems issue,
fostering widespread awareness and establishing patient safety as a fundamental discipline.
3. In high-risk environments, safety is often described as a "dynamic non-event." What is the core
meaning of this concept?
A) Safe outcomes occur naturally when skilled people work together.
B) Maintaining safety requires proactive, continuous effort to prevent adverse events.
, C) A high number of "near misses" indicates an inherently unsafe system.
D) Solving safety problems employs the same cognitive processes that create them.
Answer: B) Maintaining safety requires proactive, continuous effort to prevent adverse events.
Explanation: The term highlights that safety is not a passive state but an active achievement. It
is the result of constant, often unseen, work—designing robust systems, following protocols, and
maintaining vigilance—to ensure that harm does not occur.
4. A junior resident, unfamiliar with pediatric dosing, is instructed to initiate IV fluids for a toddler.
Unsure of the correct calculation, they seek guidance from an experienced nurse, who defers
back to the resident's authority. The resident proceeds with an incorrect, high rate, leading to
fluid overload. What systemic approach would be MOST effective in preventing a future
recurrence of this error?
A) Mandating stricter supervision for all trainees
B) Developing clearer, more accessible clinical guidelines
C) Fostering a culture that empowers any team member to voice concerns and collaborate
D) Implementing automatic suspensions for similar dosing errors
Answer: C) Fostering a culture that empowers any team member to voice concerns and
collaborate
Explanation: This error stemmed from a cultural and teamwork failure, not a lack of guidelines
or supervision. The most sustainable solution is building a psychological safety culture where
hierarchical barriers are lowered, and all staff feel responsible and empowered to double-check
and speak up to prevent patient harm.
5. When a preventable medical error leads to patient harm, who is typically affected by the event?
A) The patient and their family
B) The involved healthcare providers
C) The supporting staff and the care unit
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
