CAHIMS Exam Review Test Bank 3
Certified Associate in Healthcare Information and
Management Systems (CAHIMS)
500 Actual Questions & Correct Answers With Rationales|
CAHIMS Certification Exam Prep 2026-2027
SECTION 1: HUMAN FACTORS AND USABILITY (Questions 1-50)
1. Which of the following is a process that cognitive task analysis (CTA) uses to gauge
the complexity of a system?
A) Eliciting the opinions of experts
B) Breaking a task into subtasks
C) Classifying only the cognitive processes that result in observable physical actions
D) Using real-time analysis
Correct Answer: B) Breaking a task into subtasks
Rationale: Cognitive task analysis involves decomposing complex tasks into smaller,
more manageable subtasks to understand the cognitive demands, decision points,
and information requirements. This hierarchical decomposition helps identify
where errors are likely to occur and how the system can be improved to support
cognitive processes.
2. Humans perceive more stimuli than they can possibly process. Which of the
following is not a mechanism that affects their attention?
A) Effort
B) Salience
C) Cognition
D) Expectancy and value
Correct Answer: C) Cognition
Rationale: Cognition is a broad term encompassing all mental processes and is not a
specific attention mechanism. Specific mechanisms that affect attention include
salience (stimulus stands out), effort (mental workload required), and
1
,expectancy/value (how relevant or important the stimulus is). Cognition is too
general an answer in this context.
3. True or false? Bias can be a contributing factor to rule-based mistakes.
Correct Answer: False
Rationale: Bias is more commonly associated with knowledge-based mistakes,
where individuals apply incorrect heuristics or assumptions when facing novel
situations. Rule-based mistakes occur when a person applies the wrong rule or
misapplies a correct rule, often due to memory lapses or misidentification, not bias.
4. True or false? Medical devices are mechanical or electromechanical. Simple
devices, such as a tongue depressor, are not considered medical devices.
Correct Answer: False
Rationale: Medical devices encompass a wide spectrum, from very simple
instruments like tongue depressors and thermometers to highly complex machines
like MRI scanners and robotic surgical systems. The FDA defines a medical device as
any instrument, apparatus, implement, machine, contrivance, implant, or similar
article intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of
disease.
5. Physical ergonomics is most often associated with which of the following?
A) The workplace
B) The work-rest cycle
C) Cognitive capacity
D) Effort
Correct Answer: A) The workplace
Rationale: Physical ergonomics focuses on the physical aspects of the work
environment, including posture, manual handling, repetitive movements, and
workstation design. While work-rest cycles and effort are related concepts, they are
sub-components of the broader physical workplace design. Cognitive capacity is
associated with cognitive ergonomics.
2
,6. Which of the following is the biggest impediment in involving a hospital's
healthcare professionals in the user-centered design process?
A) They are not familiar with healthcare systems design.
B) They are not familiar with the UCD process.
C) Their skill sets are generally better suited to testing than to developing the
system.
D) They have limited amounts of time to dedicate to the development process.
Correct Answer: D) They have limited amounts of time to dedicate to the
development process.
Rationale: Healthcare professionals face significant time constraints due to patient
care responsibilities. While lack of familiarity with UCD or system design may be
barriers, the most critical impediment is the limited availability of clinicians to
participate in design activities. Their primary role is patient care, making it difficult
to allocate time for system development.
7. Gracie Ambrose is a critical care nurse in a suburban acute care hospital. She was
recently hired and has gone through an extensive orientation process, including
instruction on the hospital's EMR system. However, Gracie feels she is in
"information overload" mode because she has so many new things to remember. She
has just changed the rate on an infusion pump (IV) for one of her patients. When she
documents the rate change, she accidentally enters a much higher rate than what she
actually set the pump to. She realizes this after she clicks the check mark on the
screen that finalizes the change. She tries to modify the rate by right-clicking and
double-clicking. Nothing she tries gives her an option for modifying the rate change.
The software Gracie is using seems to lack which of the following usability aspects?
A) Naturalness
B) Forgiveness
C) Sustainability
D) Efficient interactions
Correct Answer: B) Forgiveness
Rationale: Forgiveness in usability refers to the system's ability to allow users to
recover from errors easily. Gracie cannot correct her data entry mistake, indicating
the system lacks forgiving features such as undo, edit, or confirmation dialogs.
Naturalness refers to how intuitive the interface feels. Sustainability is not a
standard usability heuristic. Efficient interactions refer to speed and productivity,
not error recovery.
3
, 8. True or false? Stress diminishes the physical and mental resources to perform
effectively.
Correct Answer: True
Rationale: Stress activates the body's fight-or-flight response, which can deplete
cognitive resources, impair decision-making, reduce working memory capacity, and
increase error rates. Chronic stress particularly affects attention, concentration, and
the ability to process complex information, all of which are critical in healthcare
settings.
9. Identify which of the following purposes are important in human factors research.
Select Yes or No for each option.
- An increased emphasis on quality control
- Greater use of technology by many different categories of users
- A growing emphasis on safety
- An emphasis on original designs
- The damage to humans from technology errors
Correct Answers:
- Quality control: Yes
- Greater use of technology by many different categories of users: Yes
- Growing emphasis on safety: Yes
- Emphasis on original designs: No
- Damage to humans from technology errors: Yes
Rationale: Human factors research focuses on improving safety, quality, and
usability, especially as technology is adopted by diverse user groups. Original
designs are not a primary purpose; rather, human factors emphasize iterative
improvement and user-centered adaptation. Understanding and preventing harm
from technology errors is a core concern.
10. Human factors is a field of study that is directed by concepts and principles from
engineering and what other field?
A) Industrial psychology
B) Operations research
C) Cognitive psychology
D) Human decision making
4
Certified Associate in Healthcare Information and
Management Systems (CAHIMS)
500 Actual Questions & Correct Answers With Rationales|
CAHIMS Certification Exam Prep 2026-2027
SECTION 1: HUMAN FACTORS AND USABILITY (Questions 1-50)
1. Which of the following is a process that cognitive task analysis (CTA) uses to gauge
the complexity of a system?
A) Eliciting the opinions of experts
B) Breaking a task into subtasks
C) Classifying only the cognitive processes that result in observable physical actions
D) Using real-time analysis
Correct Answer: B) Breaking a task into subtasks
Rationale: Cognitive task analysis involves decomposing complex tasks into smaller,
more manageable subtasks to understand the cognitive demands, decision points,
and information requirements. This hierarchical decomposition helps identify
where errors are likely to occur and how the system can be improved to support
cognitive processes.
2. Humans perceive more stimuli than they can possibly process. Which of the
following is not a mechanism that affects their attention?
A) Effort
B) Salience
C) Cognition
D) Expectancy and value
Correct Answer: C) Cognition
Rationale: Cognition is a broad term encompassing all mental processes and is not a
specific attention mechanism. Specific mechanisms that affect attention include
salience (stimulus stands out), effort (mental workload required), and
1
,expectancy/value (how relevant or important the stimulus is). Cognition is too
general an answer in this context.
3. True or false? Bias can be a contributing factor to rule-based mistakes.
Correct Answer: False
Rationale: Bias is more commonly associated with knowledge-based mistakes,
where individuals apply incorrect heuristics or assumptions when facing novel
situations. Rule-based mistakes occur when a person applies the wrong rule or
misapplies a correct rule, often due to memory lapses or misidentification, not bias.
4. True or false? Medical devices are mechanical or electromechanical. Simple
devices, such as a tongue depressor, are not considered medical devices.
Correct Answer: False
Rationale: Medical devices encompass a wide spectrum, from very simple
instruments like tongue depressors and thermometers to highly complex machines
like MRI scanners and robotic surgical systems. The FDA defines a medical device as
any instrument, apparatus, implement, machine, contrivance, implant, or similar
article intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of
disease.
5. Physical ergonomics is most often associated with which of the following?
A) The workplace
B) The work-rest cycle
C) Cognitive capacity
D) Effort
Correct Answer: A) The workplace
Rationale: Physical ergonomics focuses on the physical aspects of the work
environment, including posture, manual handling, repetitive movements, and
workstation design. While work-rest cycles and effort are related concepts, they are
sub-components of the broader physical workplace design. Cognitive capacity is
associated with cognitive ergonomics.
2
,6. Which of the following is the biggest impediment in involving a hospital's
healthcare professionals in the user-centered design process?
A) They are not familiar with healthcare systems design.
B) They are not familiar with the UCD process.
C) Their skill sets are generally better suited to testing than to developing the
system.
D) They have limited amounts of time to dedicate to the development process.
Correct Answer: D) They have limited amounts of time to dedicate to the
development process.
Rationale: Healthcare professionals face significant time constraints due to patient
care responsibilities. While lack of familiarity with UCD or system design may be
barriers, the most critical impediment is the limited availability of clinicians to
participate in design activities. Their primary role is patient care, making it difficult
to allocate time for system development.
7. Gracie Ambrose is a critical care nurse in a suburban acute care hospital. She was
recently hired and has gone through an extensive orientation process, including
instruction on the hospital's EMR system. However, Gracie feels she is in
"information overload" mode because she has so many new things to remember. She
has just changed the rate on an infusion pump (IV) for one of her patients. When she
documents the rate change, she accidentally enters a much higher rate than what she
actually set the pump to. She realizes this after she clicks the check mark on the
screen that finalizes the change. She tries to modify the rate by right-clicking and
double-clicking. Nothing she tries gives her an option for modifying the rate change.
The software Gracie is using seems to lack which of the following usability aspects?
A) Naturalness
B) Forgiveness
C) Sustainability
D) Efficient interactions
Correct Answer: B) Forgiveness
Rationale: Forgiveness in usability refers to the system's ability to allow users to
recover from errors easily. Gracie cannot correct her data entry mistake, indicating
the system lacks forgiving features such as undo, edit, or confirmation dialogs.
Naturalness refers to how intuitive the interface feels. Sustainability is not a
standard usability heuristic. Efficient interactions refer to speed and productivity,
not error recovery.
3
, 8. True or false? Stress diminishes the physical and mental resources to perform
effectively.
Correct Answer: True
Rationale: Stress activates the body's fight-or-flight response, which can deplete
cognitive resources, impair decision-making, reduce working memory capacity, and
increase error rates. Chronic stress particularly affects attention, concentration, and
the ability to process complex information, all of which are critical in healthcare
settings.
9. Identify which of the following purposes are important in human factors research.
Select Yes or No for each option.
- An increased emphasis on quality control
- Greater use of technology by many different categories of users
- A growing emphasis on safety
- An emphasis on original designs
- The damage to humans from technology errors
Correct Answers:
- Quality control: Yes
- Greater use of technology by many different categories of users: Yes
- Growing emphasis on safety: Yes
- Emphasis on original designs: No
- Damage to humans from technology errors: Yes
Rationale: Human factors research focuses on improving safety, quality, and
usability, especially as technology is adopted by diverse user groups. Original
designs are not a primary purpose; rather, human factors emphasize iterative
improvement and user-centered adaptation. Understanding and preventing harm
from technology errors is a core concern.
10. Human factors is a field of study that is directed by concepts and principles from
engineering and what other field?
A) Industrial psychology
B) Operations research
C) Cognitive psychology
D) Human decision making
4
