CPPS Terms Blue Sheet UPDATED
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORECT
Answers
Active Error (or Active Failure) - CORRECT ANSWER -An error that occurs at the point
of contact. Active errors are generally readily apparent (e.g., pushing an incorrect button,
ignoring a warning light) and almost always involve someone at the front line. Active failures are
sometimes referred to as errors at the sharp end. Failures can be due to "latent" or system failures
or can be due to "active" or human failures.
Accreditation - CORRECT ANSWER -One form of external review. The word technically
means to certify or credential, and in the realm of health care, it generally means that a delivery
system has met certain established standards that represent a minimally acceptable level of
performance. Accreditation of a health care system, hospital, ambulatory surgery center and
other care locations is considered by many to be a seal of approval on which purchasers and
consumers can base decisions about the quality and safety of care provided.
ADE - Adverse Drug Event - CORRECT ANSWER -An adverse event involving the use
of medications or the failure to use appropriate medications when indicated.
Administration Error - CORRECT ANSWER -An error in the phase of the medication use
process where the drug product and patient interface.
ADR - Adverse Drug Reaction - CORRECT ANSWER -An adverse drug reaction (ADR)
is an unwanted, undesirable effect of a medication that occurs during usual clinical use. An ADR
is an adverse effect produced by the use of a medication in the recommended manner and may
range from "nuisance effects" (e.g. dry mouth with anticholinergic medications) to severe
reactions, such as anaphylaxis to penicillin. ADR information is frequently provided by the
Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) in cooperation with the FDA's MedWatch
program.
AE - Adverse Event - CORRECT ANSWER -an event, preventable or unpreventable, that
caused harm to a patient as a result of medical care. This includes never events; hospital-acquired
conditions; events that required life- sustaining intervention; and events that caused prolonged
,hospital stays, permanent harm, or death. Any injury caused by medical care. An adverse event
does not imply error, negligence or poor quality care, but indicates that an undesirable clinical
outcome resulted from some aspect of diagnosis or therapy, not an underlying disease process.
(also see Serious Adverse Event)
AHRQ-Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality - CORRECT ANSWER -The
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is one of twelve agencies within the United States
Department of Health and Human Services. It is the lead Federal agency charged with improving
the safety and quality of America's health care system. AHRQ develops the knowledge, tools,
and data needed to improve the health care system and help Americans, health care
professionals, and policymakers make informed health decisions. www.ahrq.gov
Bar Code - CORRECT ANSWER -Graphic representation of data (alpha, numeric, or
both) that is machine readable; a method of encoding numbers or alphabetic characters using
wide and narrow bars and spaces according to a set of rules called symbols. Scanning of a bar
code gives instant access to information in an associated database.
Benchmark - CORRECT ANSWER -Healthcare benchmarking is taking an organization's
performance metrics and comparing those to a standard developed using data from other similar
organizations. The practice has been around in healthcare since roughly 1985. Leaders use
benchmarking to learn where an organization is performing well against its peers, and where it
needs improvement. In healthcare, a benchmark is the best in industry measurement that can
drive improvement efforts to superior performance.
Blunt End - CORRECT ANSWER -The "blunt end" refers to the many layers of the health
care system not in direct contact with patients, but which influence the personnel and equipment
at the point of patient contact, the "sharp end". The blunt end refers to those who set policy,
manage health care institutions, design medical devices, and other people and forces, which,
though removed from direct patient care, affect how care is delivered.
Call out - CORRECT ANSWER -A call-out is a communication tactic used to related
critical information during an emergent event. Critical information called out in these situations
helps the team anticipate and prepare for vital next steps in patient care. It also benefits a
recorder when present during a code or emergent event. One important aspect of a call-out is
directing the information to a specific individual. Call-out technique is taught during
TeamSTEPPS® training.
, Check-Back - CORRECT ANSWER -A process of using closed-loop communication to
ensure that information conveyed by the sender is understood by the receiver as intended.
Close Call - CORRECT ANSWER -An event or situation that did not produce patient
injury, but only because of chance. The close call may be attributed to the robustness of the
patient or a fortuitous, timely intervention. Close calls are also called "near miss" incidents.
Competency - CORRECT ANSWER -A competency is the capability to apply or use a set
of related knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform "critical work
functions" or tasks in a defined work setting.
Complexity Science (or Complexity Theory) - CORRECT ANSWER -An approach to
understanding the behavior of systems that exhibit non-linear dynamics, or the ways in which
some Adaptive systems produce novel behavior not expected from the properties of their
individual components. Such behaviors emerge as a result of interactions between agents at a
local level in the complex system and between the system and its environment.
CPOE (Computerized Physician Order Entry) - CORRECT ANSWER -A computer based
system for ordering medications and/or other tests in which physicians directly enter orders into
a computer system.
Crew Resource Management (CRM) - CORRECT ANSWER -A range of approaches to
training groups, originally developed in aviation, to function as teams, rather than as collections
of individuals that emphasizes the role of "human factors" and the impact of different
management styles and organizational cultures in high-stress, high-risk environments. Also
referred to as Crisis Resource Management.
Critical Incidents - CORRECT ANSWER -Significant or pivotal occurrences in which
significant harm or potential for harm occurred and have the potential to reveal important
hazards in the organization and individual that can be remedied to prevent similar incidents in
the future.
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORECT
Answers
Active Error (or Active Failure) - CORRECT ANSWER -An error that occurs at the point
of contact. Active errors are generally readily apparent (e.g., pushing an incorrect button,
ignoring a warning light) and almost always involve someone at the front line. Active failures are
sometimes referred to as errors at the sharp end. Failures can be due to "latent" or system failures
or can be due to "active" or human failures.
Accreditation - CORRECT ANSWER -One form of external review. The word technically
means to certify or credential, and in the realm of health care, it generally means that a delivery
system has met certain established standards that represent a minimally acceptable level of
performance. Accreditation of a health care system, hospital, ambulatory surgery center and
other care locations is considered by many to be a seal of approval on which purchasers and
consumers can base decisions about the quality and safety of care provided.
ADE - Adverse Drug Event - CORRECT ANSWER -An adverse event involving the use
of medications or the failure to use appropriate medications when indicated.
Administration Error - CORRECT ANSWER -An error in the phase of the medication use
process where the drug product and patient interface.
ADR - Adverse Drug Reaction - CORRECT ANSWER -An adverse drug reaction (ADR)
is an unwanted, undesirable effect of a medication that occurs during usual clinical use. An ADR
is an adverse effect produced by the use of a medication in the recommended manner and may
range from "nuisance effects" (e.g. dry mouth with anticholinergic medications) to severe
reactions, such as anaphylaxis to penicillin. ADR information is frequently provided by the
Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) in cooperation with the FDA's MedWatch
program.
AE - Adverse Event - CORRECT ANSWER -an event, preventable or unpreventable, that
caused harm to a patient as a result of medical care. This includes never events; hospital-acquired
conditions; events that required life- sustaining intervention; and events that caused prolonged
,hospital stays, permanent harm, or death. Any injury caused by medical care. An adverse event
does not imply error, negligence or poor quality care, but indicates that an undesirable clinical
outcome resulted from some aspect of diagnosis or therapy, not an underlying disease process.
(also see Serious Adverse Event)
AHRQ-Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality - CORRECT ANSWER -The
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is one of twelve agencies within the United States
Department of Health and Human Services. It is the lead Federal agency charged with improving
the safety and quality of America's health care system. AHRQ develops the knowledge, tools,
and data needed to improve the health care system and help Americans, health care
professionals, and policymakers make informed health decisions. www.ahrq.gov
Bar Code - CORRECT ANSWER -Graphic representation of data (alpha, numeric, or
both) that is machine readable; a method of encoding numbers or alphabetic characters using
wide and narrow bars and spaces according to a set of rules called symbols. Scanning of a bar
code gives instant access to information in an associated database.
Benchmark - CORRECT ANSWER -Healthcare benchmarking is taking an organization's
performance metrics and comparing those to a standard developed using data from other similar
organizations. The practice has been around in healthcare since roughly 1985. Leaders use
benchmarking to learn where an organization is performing well against its peers, and where it
needs improvement. In healthcare, a benchmark is the best in industry measurement that can
drive improvement efforts to superior performance.
Blunt End - CORRECT ANSWER -The "blunt end" refers to the many layers of the health
care system not in direct contact with patients, but which influence the personnel and equipment
at the point of patient contact, the "sharp end". The blunt end refers to those who set policy,
manage health care institutions, design medical devices, and other people and forces, which,
though removed from direct patient care, affect how care is delivered.
Call out - CORRECT ANSWER -A call-out is a communication tactic used to related
critical information during an emergent event. Critical information called out in these situations
helps the team anticipate and prepare for vital next steps in patient care. It also benefits a
recorder when present during a code or emergent event. One important aspect of a call-out is
directing the information to a specific individual. Call-out technique is taught during
TeamSTEPPS® training.
, Check-Back - CORRECT ANSWER -A process of using closed-loop communication to
ensure that information conveyed by the sender is understood by the receiver as intended.
Close Call - CORRECT ANSWER -An event or situation that did not produce patient
injury, but only because of chance. The close call may be attributed to the robustness of the
patient or a fortuitous, timely intervention. Close calls are also called "near miss" incidents.
Competency - CORRECT ANSWER -A competency is the capability to apply or use a set
of related knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform "critical work
functions" or tasks in a defined work setting.
Complexity Science (or Complexity Theory) - CORRECT ANSWER -An approach to
understanding the behavior of systems that exhibit non-linear dynamics, or the ways in which
some Adaptive systems produce novel behavior not expected from the properties of their
individual components. Such behaviors emerge as a result of interactions between agents at a
local level in the complex system and between the system and its environment.
CPOE (Computerized Physician Order Entry) - CORRECT ANSWER -A computer based
system for ordering medications and/or other tests in which physicians directly enter orders into
a computer system.
Crew Resource Management (CRM) - CORRECT ANSWER -A range of approaches to
training groups, originally developed in aviation, to function as teams, rather than as collections
of individuals that emphasizes the role of "human factors" and the impact of different
management styles and organizational cultures in high-stress, high-risk environments. Also
referred to as Crisis Resource Management.
Critical Incidents - CORRECT ANSWER -Significant or pivotal occurrences in which
significant harm or potential for harm occurred and have the potential to reveal important
hazards in the organization and individual that can be remedied to prevent similar incidents in
the future.
