NURS 704 — QUALITY AND PATIENT SAFETY IN ADVANCED NURSING PRACTICE — PRACTICE EXAM MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY — DNP PROGRAM 2026/2027 COMPLETE (100) CURRENT TESTING QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES

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NURS 704 — QUALITY AND PATIENT SAFETY IN
ADVANCED NURSING PRACTICE — PRACTICE EXAM
MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY — DNP PROGRAM 2026/2027
COMPLETE (100) CURRENT TESTING QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES.
NURS
Prepare for the NURS 704 Exam – Maryville University with a focused study resource
designed to reinforce quality improvement and patient safety concepts in advanced
nursing practice. It supports review of process improvement, quality improvement,
evidence-based practice, change management, systems thinking, patient safety, and
strategies for improving healthcare outcomes. Use the practice material to strengthen
critical thinking, apply quality and safety concepts to clinical scenarios, and identify
areas that may require additional review before the exam. This resource is best suited
for Maryville University NURS 704 students, DNP learners, and graduate nursing
students preparing for Quality and Patient Safety in Advanced Nursing Practice
assessments.



MULTIPLE CHOICE.
SECTION 1: QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENT
CONCEPTS (Questions 1–25)
Question 1:
According to NURS 704 course objectives, which of the following best
describes the primary focus of the course?
A) Developing clinical assessment skills for advanced nursing practice
B) Providing students with the foundation of process improvement (PI) and
quality improvement (QI) concepts
C) Teaching advanced pharmacology for prescriptive practice
D) Exploring leadership theories in healthcare organizations
Answer: B) Providing students with the foundation of process
improvement (PI) and quality improvement (QI) concepts

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Rationale: NURS 704 is designed to provide students with the foundation
of process improvement (PI) and quality improvement (QI) concepts. The
course integrates evidence-based practice and change management with
PI and QI, emphasizing systems thinking.


Question 2:
Which of the following is integrated with process improvement (PI) and quality
improvement (QI) concepts in NURS 704?
A) Financial management and budgeting
B) Evidence-based practice and change management
C) Health policy and advocacy
D) Advanced physical assessment
Answer: B) Evidence-based practice and change management
Rationale: Evidence-based practice and change management are
integrated with concepts of PI and QI in NURS 704. Systems thinking is
emphasized throughout the course.


Question 3:
The Model for Improvement, developed by Associates in Process
Improvement, includes which three fundamental questions? (Select all that
apply)
A) What are we trying to accomplish?
B) How will we know that a change is an improvement?
C) What changes can we make that will result in improvement?
D) Who is responsible for the improvement?
Answer: A, B, and C
Rationale: The Model for Improvement is based on three fundamental
questions: (1) What are we trying to accomplish? (2) How will we know
that a change is an improvement? (3) What changes can we make that will
result in improvement? These questions guide the Plan-Do-Study-Act
(PDSA) cycle for quality improvement.

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Question 4:
The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle is a framework for:
A) Conducting a literature review
B) Testing and implementing changes in quality improvement
C) Developing a research proposal
D) Analyzing financial data
Answer: B) Testing and implementing changes in quality improvement
Rationale: The PDSA cycle is a framework for testing and implementing
changes in quality improvement. It involves planning a change,
implementing it, studying the results, and acting on what is learned.


Question 5:
Which of the following is a key component of the "Plan" phase of the PDSA
cycle?
A) Implementing the change
B) Analyzing the results
C) Identifying the problem and developing a plan for change
D) Sustaining the improvement
Answer: C) Identifying the problem and developing a plan for change
Rationale: The "Plan" phase involves identifying the problem, analyzing
the current process, and developing a plan for change. The "Do" phase (A)
involves implementation; the "Study" phase (B) involves analysis; the
"Act" phase (D) involves sustaining the improvement.


Question 6:
A healthcare organization is implementing a quality improvement project to
reduce hospital readmissions. Which of the following is an example of a
process measure?
A) 30-day readmission rate
B) Percentage of patients who received discharge instructions

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C) Patient satisfaction scores
D) Mortality rate
Answer: B) Percentage of patients who received discharge instructions
Rationale: Process measures evaluate whether specific activities or
processes are being performed correctly. Outcome measures (A, C, D)
evaluate the results of care. Discharge instruction completion is a
process measure that may influence readmission rates.


Question 7:
Which of the following is an example of an outcome measure in quality
improvement?
A) Number of hand hygiene observations completed
B) Percentage of patients who received appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis
C) Surgical site infection rate
D) Staff satisfaction with the new protocol
Answer: C) Surgical site infection rate
Rationale: Outcome measures assess the results of care, such as
infection rates, mortality, and readmission rates. Process measures (A, B)
assess whether specific processes are performed; staff satisfaction (D) is
a balancing measure.


Question 8:
A hospital is implementing a quality improvement initiative to reduce
catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). Which of the following
is a balancing measure for this initiative?
A) CAUTI rate
B) Catheter utilization rate
C) Staff satisfaction with the new protocol
D) Patient satisfaction scores
Answer: C) Staff satisfaction with the new protocol