Certified Professional In Patient Safety (CPPS) Exam
Question And Correct Answer| Latest Update with rational
A patient experienced cardiac arrest while undergoing surgery. During resuscitation, the code
team was unable to administer a shock because the defibrillator pads and the defibrillator itself
could not be connected. Upon investigation, the patient safety professional discovered that
multiple brands of defibrillators existed in the hospital, and they differed in appearance and
functionality.
What human factors engineering solution should have been implemented?
A.) Resilience
B.) Forcing functions
C.) Usability tests
D.) Standardization
Accurate Answer: D.
An axiom of human factors engineering is that equipment and processes should be standardized
whenever possible, in order to increase reliability, improve information flow, and minimize
cross-training needs. Standardizing equipment across clinical settings, as in this defibrillator
scenario, is one basic example.
Shortly after the introduction of a new barcode reader, a nurse made an error during
medication administration. In the organization's reporting tool, the cause of the error was
documented as "the unit was short staffed." A root cause analysis was performed and revealed
that there was a failure of the barcode reader that contributed to the nurse bypassing the
barcode process.
Which high-reliability principle was applied in identifying the cause of error?
A.) Resiliency
B.) Reluctance to accept simple explanations
,C.) Deference to expertise
D.) Sensitivity to operations
Accurate Answer: B.
A staff member discovered a medication with an incorrect label. The staff immediately notified
the pharmacist and the correct label was sent prior to medication administration. Then, the
staff completed an event report through the organization's reporting tool.
Which of the following actions should the unit manager take in response to this event?
A.) Document the incident in the employee's performance review.
B.) Investigate system failures and recognize the employee for reporting a near-miss event.
C.) Notify the director of pharmacy about the pharmacist's error.
D.) No action, since the incident did not cause patient harm.
Accurate Answer: B.
You are educating clinical managers in your health care facility on how to identify appropriate
events for conducting a root cause analysis (RCA). Which event provides the BEST opportunity
for an RCA?
A.) A post-operative patient removes his own IV, causing a skin tear from the tape.
B.) A patient with no known allergies experiences an anaphylactic reaction to an antibiotic,
requiring transfer to ICU.
C.) The biopsy samples from a colonoscopy are never received by pathology after the
procedure.
D.) In the last four months, there have been three occurrences of depressed respirations related
to sedation in the same department.
Accurate Answer: C.
,A hospital is using the AHRQ Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture. There were 80
employees who responded. Responses to the survey item that states "we have patient safety
problems in this unit" were as follows:
Strongly Agree: 16
Agree: 32
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 12
Disagree: 17
Strongly Disagree: 3
A.) 75%
B.) 60%
C.) 25%
D.) 20%
Accurate Answer: C.) 25%The AHRQ Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture User Guide
scoring guidance says to use the "Strongly Agree/Agree" response sum, or, for negatively
worded items—such as this one—use the "Strongly Disagree/Disagree" sum.
In this example, 17+3 gives us the response sum (i.e., 20), which we divide by total number of
respondents (i.e., 80): 20/80 = 25%.
What is one example of a communication technique providers can use to improve
communication with patients?
A.) SBAR
B.) Teach-back
C.) CUSP
D.) Two-Challenge Rule
Accurate Answer: B
The Impact of Organizational Change on Safety
, What are the three steps to managing patient safety through organizational change?
A.) Monitor change, identify potential safety implications, and employ countermeasures to
mitigate any anticipated risks
B.) Employ countermeasures to mitigate any anticipated risks, monitor change
C.) Identify potential safety implications, employ countermeasures to mitigate any anticipated
risks, and monitor the change
D.) None of the above
Accurate Answer: C.
What is the term which describes the belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for
speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes?
Psychological safety
A safety-supportive system of shared accountability in which: 1.) Healthcare institutions are
accountable for safe systems design and for encouraging safe choices of clinicians and staff
(clear expectations set the tone to create environment of mutual respect)
2.) Clinicians and staff are accountable for the quality of their choices (i.e. striving to make the
best possible choices as professionals)
Just Culture
At the conclusion of a surgical procedure at your hospital, the instrument count is incorrect. The
hospital policy does not stipulate that the surgeon must remain on the premises until an x-ray is
obtained to check for retained foreign objects. By the time the x-ray results come in to reveal
that there is, in fact, a retained instrument, the original surgeon has left the hospital to catch a
flight. Another surgeon is contacted to remove the retained instrument.
Question And Correct Answer| Latest Update with rational
A patient experienced cardiac arrest while undergoing surgery. During resuscitation, the code
team was unable to administer a shock because the defibrillator pads and the defibrillator itself
could not be connected. Upon investigation, the patient safety professional discovered that
multiple brands of defibrillators existed in the hospital, and they differed in appearance and
functionality.
What human factors engineering solution should have been implemented?
A.) Resilience
B.) Forcing functions
C.) Usability tests
D.) Standardization
Accurate Answer: D.
An axiom of human factors engineering is that equipment and processes should be standardized
whenever possible, in order to increase reliability, improve information flow, and minimize
cross-training needs. Standardizing equipment across clinical settings, as in this defibrillator
scenario, is one basic example.
Shortly after the introduction of a new barcode reader, a nurse made an error during
medication administration. In the organization's reporting tool, the cause of the error was
documented as "the unit was short staffed." A root cause analysis was performed and revealed
that there was a failure of the barcode reader that contributed to the nurse bypassing the
barcode process.
Which high-reliability principle was applied in identifying the cause of error?
A.) Resiliency
B.) Reluctance to accept simple explanations
,C.) Deference to expertise
D.) Sensitivity to operations
Accurate Answer: B.
A staff member discovered a medication with an incorrect label. The staff immediately notified
the pharmacist and the correct label was sent prior to medication administration. Then, the
staff completed an event report through the organization's reporting tool.
Which of the following actions should the unit manager take in response to this event?
A.) Document the incident in the employee's performance review.
B.) Investigate system failures and recognize the employee for reporting a near-miss event.
C.) Notify the director of pharmacy about the pharmacist's error.
D.) No action, since the incident did not cause patient harm.
Accurate Answer: B.
You are educating clinical managers in your health care facility on how to identify appropriate
events for conducting a root cause analysis (RCA). Which event provides the BEST opportunity
for an RCA?
A.) A post-operative patient removes his own IV, causing a skin tear from the tape.
B.) A patient with no known allergies experiences an anaphylactic reaction to an antibiotic,
requiring transfer to ICU.
C.) The biopsy samples from a colonoscopy are never received by pathology after the
procedure.
D.) In the last four months, there have been three occurrences of depressed respirations related
to sedation in the same department.
Accurate Answer: C.
,A hospital is using the AHRQ Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture. There were 80
employees who responded. Responses to the survey item that states "we have patient safety
problems in this unit" were as follows:
Strongly Agree: 16
Agree: 32
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 12
Disagree: 17
Strongly Disagree: 3
A.) 75%
B.) 60%
C.) 25%
D.) 20%
Accurate Answer: C.) 25%The AHRQ Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture User Guide
scoring guidance says to use the "Strongly Agree/Agree" response sum, or, for negatively
worded items—such as this one—use the "Strongly Disagree/Disagree" sum.
In this example, 17+3 gives us the response sum (i.e., 20), which we divide by total number of
respondents (i.e., 80): 20/80 = 25%.
What is one example of a communication technique providers can use to improve
communication with patients?
A.) SBAR
B.) Teach-back
C.) CUSP
D.) Two-Challenge Rule
Accurate Answer: B
The Impact of Organizational Change on Safety
, What are the three steps to managing patient safety through organizational change?
A.) Monitor change, identify potential safety implications, and employ countermeasures to
mitigate any anticipated risks
B.) Employ countermeasures to mitigate any anticipated risks, monitor change
C.) Identify potential safety implications, employ countermeasures to mitigate any anticipated
risks, and monitor the change
D.) None of the above
Accurate Answer: C.
What is the term which describes the belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for
speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes?
Psychological safety
A safety-supportive system of shared accountability in which: 1.) Healthcare institutions are
accountable for safe systems design and for encouraging safe choices of clinicians and staff
(clear expectations set the tone to create environment of mutual respect)
2.) Clinicians and staff are accountable for the quality of their choices (i.e. striving to make the
best possible choices as professionals)
Just Culture
At the conclusion of a surgical procedure at your hospital, the instrument count is incorrect. The
hospital policy does not stipulate that the surgeon must remain on the premises until an x-ray is
obtained to check for retained foreign objects. By the time the x-ray results come in to reveal
that there is, in fact, a retained instrument, the original surgeon has left the hospital to catch a
flight. Another surgeon is contacted to remove the retained instrument.
