EPIC CLN251/252 Inpatient Nursing
Certification Examination 2026–2027 |
Epic Hyperspace Workflow & Clinical
Informatics Competency Assessment |
75 Questions
1. Question: What is Chronicles, and how is data organized
within it?
Answer: Chronicles is Epic's proprietary hierarchical database
management system. Data is organized into master files (like
drawers), each containing specific records (like file folders).
Each record can have multiple date-specific contacts (like
sheets of paper), which hold items (like questions) and their
corresponding values (like answers).
2. Question: What does each master file store, and what is its
abbreviated identifier?
Answer: A master file stores all the data about one type of
thing (e.g., patients, providers, medications). Each master file
has a three-character abbreviated name called its INI. For
instance, the patient master file has the INI EPT.
3. Question: In the Epic database analogy, what are master
files, records, contacts, items, and values?
Answer: They are organizational levels in Chronicles:
o Master Files (Drawers): Store a category of data (e.g.,
Patients EPT).
,o Records (File Folders): Represent one specific entity within a
master file (e.g., Patient John Smith).
o Contacts (Sheets of Paper): Are date-specific snapshots
within a record (e.g., John Smith's hospital stay from June 1–
5).
o Items (Questions): Are prompts on a form (e.g., "Chief
Complaint").
o Values (Answers): Are the responses to the prompts.
4. Question: What is the difference between a record ID and
a record name?
Answer: A record ID must be a unique identifier for every
record within a master file, ensuring no duplicates. The
record name is a descriptive label that can be the same for
multiple records within a master file.
5. Question: What are the two main types of master files, and
how are they different?
Answer: The two types are:
o Administrative (Static) Master Files: Built and managed by
system builders/analysts (e.g., the Medication Master File).
o Dynamic Master Files: Grow and change as users document
care, because they store patient data (e.g., the Patient Master
File).
6. Question: True or False: Master file records cannot link or
network to one another.
Answer: False. Records from different master files can link to
one another. This relational network is fundamental to
Chronicles, allowing connected data (e.g., connecting a
patient record to their specific encounter record).
7. Question: You are viewing the main Record Viewer
workspace for a patient. The screen is split into two columns.
, What do the left and right columns represent?
Answer: The left shaded column represents the items (data
fields), which are the same for every record in that master file.
The right column displays the values (data entries), which are
unique to that specific record.
8. Question: In Chronicles, what is a "contact"?
Answer: A contact is a date-specific snapshot of data within
a record. It allows a single record to have a history of changes
by documenting multiple contacts over time. In
administrative master files, a contact represents a dated
change to a record's settings. In patient records, a contact
often represents a specific encounter, like a hospital visit or
appointment.
9. Question: What is the primary purpose of using contacts in a
record?
Answer: The purpose is to make a change to a record that
becomes effective on a specific date. Before that effective
date, old values are used; on and after that date, new values
are used. This allows you to track a patient's changing
condition or a medication's history over time.
10.Question: In Epic’s text interface, how do you navigate to
the Clinical Administration menu from a menu prompt?
Answer: Type opt at a menu prompt to return to the main
Clinical Administration menu.
11.Question: Your coworker is using the text interface and
needs to go back to the previous screen within a record.
What key should they press?
Answer: Press Page Up. The Page Down key moves to the
next screen within a record.
, 12.Question: How does a builder navigate to the next field and
the previous field in a record in the text interface?
Answer: Press Tab to move to the next field and the Left
Arrow key to move to the previous field in a record.
13.Question: When prompted for a master file name in the text
interface, what should you type to see a list of valid choices?
Answer: Type a question mark ? at the prompt. This will
display a list of available master files you can select from.
14.Question: In the text interface, how can you access help text
for a specific data item?
Answer: Press Shift + F5. This combination will display a
list of choices or help text for that item.
15.Question: You are deep within a record and want to exit it
immediately, no matter what screen you are on. What
keyboard shortcut should you use in the text interface?
Answer: Press Shift + F7. This command instantly exits the
current record and returns you to the master file prompt.
16.Question: What keyboard shortcut is used to go back into a
record you just exited in the text interface?
Answer: Type the equals sign (=) at the prompt to reopen
the most recently accessed record.
17.Question: You need to delete a value for a specific item in
the text interface. What function key should you press?
Answer: Press F1. This function key is the command to delete
the value in the currently highlighted data field.
18.Question: In the text interface, how do you move to the next
screen within a record?
Answer: Press the Page Down key. To move back to the
previous screen, press Page Up.
Certification Examination 2026–2027 |
Epic Hyperspace Workflow & Clinical
Informatics Competency Assessment |
75 Questions
1. Question: What is Chronicles, and how is data organized
within it?
Answer: Chronicles is Epic's proprietary hierarchical database
management system. Data is organized into master files (like
drawers), each containing specific records (like file folders).
Each record can have multiple date-specific contacts (like
sheets of paper), which hold items (like questions) and their
corresponding values (like answers).
2. Question: What does each master file store, and what is its
abbreviated identifier?
Answer: A master file stores all the data about one type of
thing (e.g., patients, providers, medications). Each master file
has a three-character abbreviated name called its INI. For
instance, the patient master file has the INI EPT.
3. Question: In the Epic database analogy, what are master
files, records, contacts, items, and values?
Answer: They are organizational levels in Chronicles:
o Master Files (Drawers): Store a category of data (e.g.,
Patients EPT).
,o Records (File Folders): Represent one specific entity within a
master file (e.g., Patient John Smith).
o Contacts (Sheets of Paper): Are date-specific snapshots
within a record (e.g., John Smith's hospital stay from June 1–
5).
o Items (Questions): Are prompts on a form (e.g., "Chief
Complaint").
o Values (Answers): Are the responses to the prompts.
4. Question: What is the difference between a record ID and
a record name?
Answer: A record ID must be a unique identifier for every
record within a master file, ensuring no duplicates. The
record name is a descriptive label that can be the same for
multiple records within a master file.
5. Question: What are the two main types of master files, and
how are they different?
Answer: The two types are:
o Administrative (Static) Master Files: Built and managed by
system builders/analysts (e.g., the Medication Master File).
o Dynamic Master Files: Grow and change as users document
care, because they store patient data (e.g., the Patient Master
File).
6. Question: True or False: Master file records cannot link or
network to one another.
Answer: False. Records from different master files can link to
one another. This relational network is fundamental to
Chronicles, allowing connected data (e.g., connecting a
patient record to their specific encounter record).
7. Question: You are viewing the main Record Viewer
workspace for a patient. The screen is split into two columns.
, What do the left and right columns represent?
Answer: The left shaded column represents the items (data
fields), which are the same for every record in that master file.
The right column displays the values (data entries), which are
unique to that specific record.
8. Question: In Chronicles, what is a "contact"?
Answer: A contact is a date-specific snapshot of data within
a record. It allows a single record to have a history of changes
by documenting multiple contacts over time. In
administrative master files, a contact represents a dated
change to a record's settings. In patient records, a contact
often represents a specific encounter, like a hospital visit or
appointment.
9. Question: What is the primary purpose of using contacts in a
record?
Answer: The purpose is to make a change to a record that
becomes effective on a specific date. Before that effective
date, old values are used; on and after that date, new values
are used. This allows you to track a patient's changing
condition or a medication's history over time.
10.Question: In Epic’s text interface, how do you navigate to
the Clinical Administration menu from a menu prompt?
Answer: Type opt at a menu prompt to return to the main
Clinical Administration menu.
11.Question: Your coworker is using the text interface and
needs to go back to the previous screen within a record.
What key should they press?
Answer: Press Page Up. The Page Down key moves to the
next screen within a record.
, 12.Question: How does a builder navigate to the next field and
the previous field in a record in the text interface?
Answer: Press Tab to move to the next field and the Left
Arrow key to move to the previous field in a record.
13.Question: When prompted for a master file name in the text
interface, what should you type to see a list of valid choices?
Answer: Type a question mark ? at the prompt. This will
display a list of available master files you can select from.
14.Question: In the text interface, how can you access help text
for a specific data item?
Answer: Press Shift + F5. This combination will display a
list of choices or help text for that item.
15.Question: You are deep within a record and want to exit it
immediately, no matter what screen you are on. What
keyboard shortcut should you use in the text interface?
Answer: Press Shift + F7. This command instantly exits the
current record and returns you to the master file prompt.
16.Question: What keyboard shortcut is used to go back into a
record you just exited in the text interface?
Answer: Type the equals sign (=) at the prompt to reopen
the most recently accessed record.
17.Question: You need to delete a value for a specific item in
the text interface. What function key should you press?
Answer: Press F1. This function key is the command to delete
the value in the currently highlighted data field.
18.Question: In the text interface, how do you move to the next
screen within a record?
Answer: Press the Page Down key. To move back to the
previous screen, press Page Up.
