SMQT |1
SMQT SURVEYOR MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
TEST | STUDY GUIDE | LATEST UPDATE 2026/2027 |
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | EXAM
REVIEW
Table of Contents
1. Federal Regulations and Legislative Framework
2. Survey Process and Methodology
3. Resident Rights and Quality of Life
4. Clinical Care Standards
5. Medication Administration and Management
6. Infection Control and Prevention
7. Food Service and Nutrition
8. Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation
9. Severity and Scope Determination
10. Surveyor Qualifications and Professional Responsibilities
, SMQT |2
Question 1: What federal legislation mandated the creation of the Surveyor Minimum
Qualifications Test (SMQT)?
A. The Affordable Care Act of 2010
B. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1987
C. The Social Security Act of 1965
D. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
Correct Answer: B. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1987
OBRA 1987 and the Social Security Act require that individual members of long-term care
survey teams meet minimum qualifications established by the Secretary, including
successfully completing a training and testing program. The SMQT was developed in
response to this mandate to ensure surveyors possess the necessary knowledge and skills to
conduct effective surveys.
Question 2: Which federal agency is responsible for the SMQT?
A. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
B. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
C. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
D. National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Correct Answer: B. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
CMS, through its Survey & Certification Group, developed and administers the SMQT. The
test was developed with the assistance of State Agency Directors, Federal survey personnel,
and experts in test development to ensure it accurately measures the knowledge, skills, and
abilities needed for effective surveying.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of the SMQT?
A. To license healthcare administrators
B. To ensure surveyors have the minimum qualifications necessary to evaluate compliance of
LTC facilities with Federal requirements
C. To certify nursing home residents
D. To accredit hospitals
Correct Answer: B. To ensure surveyors have the minimum qualifications necessary to
evaluate compliance of LTC facilities with Federal requirements
The purpose of the SMQT program is to ensure that surveyors have the minimum
qualifications necessary to evaluate the compliance of long-term care facilities with Federal
, SMQT |3
requirements. Successful completion of the SMQT is required for a surveyor to survey
independently.
Question 4: How many questions are on the regular version of the SMQT?
A. 100 questions
B. 120 questions
C. 140 questions
D. 200 questions
Correct Answer: C. 140 questions
The regular version of the SMQT contains 140 questions. The test is a one-day, four-hour
automated test that focuses on the LTC facility, the survey process, related laws, regulations,
and guidelines. Some questions may be unscored field-test questions.
Question 5: What is the passing requirement for the LTC Basic Training posttest?
A. 70%
B. 75%
C. 80%
D. 85%
Correct Answer: C. 80%
To pass the LTC Basic Training, surveyors must score a minimum of 80% on the training
posttest. The training includes a mandatory pretest, eight learning modules, a mandatory
posttest, and a CMS-approved training evaluation.
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT a focus area of the SMQT?
A. Environmental quality and sanitation
B. Resident assessment and care plans
C. Automotive repair standards
D. Medicine and nursing
Correct Answer: C. Automotive repair standards
The SMQT focuses on the LTC facility, survey process, related laws, regulations, guidelines,
environmental quality, sanitation, resident assessment and care plans, facility records,
medicine, nursing, rehabilitation, gerontology, disability, chronic disease, resident rights,
quality of life, nutrition, pharmacy, and infection control.
, SMQT |4
Question 7: Under which circumstance may a surveyor participate in a survey team without
having passed the SMQT?
A. Never
B. When accompanied by a surveyor who has successfully completed the training and testing
program
C. When the facility has no deficiencies
D. When the survey is abbreviated
Correct Answer: B. When accompanied by a surveyor who has successfully completed
the training and testing program
A surveyor can serve as a member of a survey team with at least one surveyor who has
successfully completed the required training, but cannot survey independently until the
surveyor has successfully completed the SMQT.
Question 8: What happens if a surveyor fails to successfully complete the SMQT?
A. The surveyor is immediately terminated
B. The State Survey Agency must develop an Individual Training Plan (ITP) for the surveyor
C. The surveyor can survey independently anyway
D. The surveyor is promoted to supervisor
Correct Answer: B. The State Survey Agency must develop an Individual Training Plan
(ITP) for the surveyor
If a surveyor fails to successfully complete the SMQT, the State Survey Agency (or the RO for
federal surveyors) must develop an Individual Training Plan (ITP) for the surveyor to correct
deficiencies. During this period, the surveyor may participate in surveys as a trainee.
Question 9: What is the maximum number of attempts a highly qualified LTC surveyor may
make before the State may petition for an exception?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Five
Correct Answer: C. Three
If the SA considers an individual to be a highly qualified LTC surveyor and that individual
does not successfully complete the SMQT after three attempts, the State Survey and
SMQT SURVEYOR MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
TEST | STUDY GUIDE | LATEST UPDATE 2026/2027 |
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | EXAM
REVIEW
Table of Contents
1. Federal Regulations and Legislative Framework
2. Survey Process and Methodology
3. Resident Rights and Quality of Life
4. Clinical Care Standards
5. Medication Administration and Management
6. Infection Control and Prevention
7. Food Service and Nutrition
8. Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation
9. Severity and Scope Determination
10. Surveyor Qualifications and Professional Responsibilities
, SMQT |2
Question 1: What federal legislation mandated the creation of the Surveyor Minimum
Qualifications Test (SMQT)?
A. The Affordable Care Act of 2010
B. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1987
C. The Social Security Act of 1965
D. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
Correct Answer: B. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1987
OBRA 1987 and the Social Security Act require that individual members of long-term care
survey teams meet minimum qualifications established by the Secretary, including
successfully completing a training and testing program. The SMQT was developed in
response to this mandate to ensure surveyors possess the necessary knowledge and skills to
conduct effective surveys.
Question 2: Which federal agency is responsible for the SMQT?
A. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
B. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
C. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
D. National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Correct Answer: B. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
CMS, through its Survey & Certification Group, developed and administers the SMQT. The
test was developed with the assistance of State Agency Directors, Federal survey personnel,
and experts in test development to ensure it accurately measures the knowledge, skills, and
abilities needed for effective surveying.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of the SMQT?
A. To license healthcare administrators
B. To ensure surveyors have the minimum qualifications necessary to evaluate compliance of
LTC facilities with Federal requirements
C. To certify nursing home residents
D. To accredit hospitals
Correct Answer: B. To ensure surveyors have the minimum qualifications necessary to
evaluate compliance of LTC facilities with Federal requirements
The purpose of the SMQT program is to ensure that surveyors have the minimum
qualifications necessary to evaluate the compliance of long-term care facilities with Federal
, SMQT |3
requirements. Successful completion of the SMQT is required for a surveyor to survey
independently.
Question 4: How many questions are on the regular version of the SMQT?
A. 100 questions
B. 120 questions
C. 140 questions
D. 200 questions
Correct Answer: C. 140 questions
The regular version of the SMQT contains 140 questions. The test is a one-day, four-hour
automated test that focuses on the LTC facility, the survey process, related laws, regulations,
and guidelines. Some questions may be unscored field-test questions.
Question 5: What is the passing requirement for the LTC Basic Training posttest?
A. 70%
B. 75%
C. 80%
D. 85%
Correct Answer: C. 80%
To pass the LTC Basic Training, surveyors must score a minimum of 80% on the training
posttest. The training includes a mandatory pretest, eight learning modules, a mandatory
posttest, and a CMS-approved training evaluation.
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT a focus area of the SMQT?
A. Environmental quality and sanitation
B. Resident assessment and care plans
C. Automotive repair standards
D. Medicine and nursing
Correct Answer: C. Automotive repair standards
The SMQT focuses on the LTC facility, survey process, related laws, regulations, guidelines,
environmental quality, sanitation, resident assessment and care plans, facility records,
medicine, nursing, rehabilitation, gerontology, disability, chronic disease, resident rights,
quality of life, nutrition, pharmacy, and infection control.
, SMQT |4
Question 7: Under which circumstance may a surveyor participate in a survey team without
having passed the SMQT?
A. Never
B. When accompanied by a surveyor who has successfully completed the training and testing
program
C. When the facility has no deficiencies
D. When the survey is abbreviated
Correct Answer: B. When accompanied by a surveyor who has successfully completed
the training and testing program
A surveyor can serve as a member of a survey team with at least one surveyor who has
successfully completed the required training, but cannot survey independently until the
surveyor has successfully completed the SMQT.
Question 8: What happens if a surveyor fails to successfully complete the SMQT?
A. The surveyor is immediately terminated
B. The State Survey Agency must develop an Individual Training Plan (ITP) for the surveyor
C. The surveyor can survey independently anyway
D. The surveyor is promoted to supervisor
Correct Answer: B. The State Survey Agency must develop an Individual Training Plan
(ITP) for the surveyor
If a surveyor fails to successfully complete the SMQT, the State Survey Agency (or the RO for
federal surveyors) must develop an Individual Training Plan (ITP) for the surveyor to correct
deficiencies. During this period, the surveyor may participate in surveys as a trainee.
Question 9: What is the maximum number of attempts a highly qualified LTC surveyor may
make before the State may petition for an exception?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Five
Correct Answer: C. Three
If the SA considers an individual to be a highly qualified LTC surveyor and that individual
does not successfully complete the SMQT after three attempts, the State Survey and
