IHI: QI 102 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1) The Model for Improvement begins with three questions designed to clarify the
following concepts:
a) Plan, do, act
b) Mission, goal, strategy
c) Aims, measures, changes
d) Will, ideas, and execution - Answers- c) Aims, measures, changes
An orthopedic clinic in a busy metropolitan area would like to improve its patient
scheduling process. More specifically, the clinic wants to improve its efficiency and the
satisfaction of its patients.
2) Applying the Model for Improvement to the clinic's improvement goal, which of the
following is the most reasonable aim statement?
a) Implement two PDSA cycles within six months of beginning the project.
b) Increase the number of patients reporting they are "very satisfied" with the clinic's
scheduling by 50 percent within six months.
c) Modify the scheduling process to allow both front desk staff AND nurses to directly
schedule appointments.
d) Create an efficient process for scheduling return appointments at the time of
checkout. - Answers- b) Increase the number of patients reporting they are "very
satisfied" with the clinic's scheduling by 50 percent within six months.
After assembling a team and working through the three questions of the Model for
Improvement, the orthopedic clinic decides to implement an automated reminder phone
call 24 hours prior to each clinical appointment. The clinic's improvement team hopes
that this small change will improve scheduling.
3) What is the team's next step?
a) Take a well-deserved break.
b) Develop their project-level measures.
c) Test their change plan using the PDSA cycle.
d) Report their results to clinic leadership and prepare a poster for a national meeting. -
Answers- c) Test their change plan using the PDSA cycle.
4) The orthopedic clinic plans the change to improve scheduling, and then it carries out
a small test of change with three patients on Tuesday morning. What's the next thing the
clinic's improvement team should do?
a) Change their measures.
b) Measure to see if the change led to improvement.
c) Report their results to the clinic leadership and prepare a poster for a national
meeting.
, d) Implement the new scheduling process based upon their initial impressions of how
everything is working. - Answers- b) Measure to see if the change led to improvement.
5) When trying to improve a process, one reason to use PDSA cycles rather than a
more traditional version of the scientific method (such as a randomized, controlled trial)
is that:
a) PDSA cycles are easier to run with a large team of people.
b) The results of PDSA cycles are more generalizable than other methods.
c) PDSA cycles are simpler to use than other methods.
d) PDSA cycles provide a mechanism to adjust improvement ideas as the project
progresses.
e) Both C and D - Answers- e) Both C and D
1) Having a clear aim statement is important in quality improvement work because:
a) Aim statements provide a clear and specific goal for the organization to reach.
b) All grant agencies require clear aim statements when they are considering funding
requests.
c) Aim statements remove all obstacles from quality improvement projects.
d) The leaders of all organizations expect to see these types of goals. - Answers- a)
Aim statements provide a clear and specific goal for the organization to reach.
3) Which of the following is the most effective aim statement for this project?
a) Within one month, 95 percent of physicians will tell nurses when a pain medication is
ordered on emergency room patients.
b) Within three months, the emergency department will administer all pain medications
within 45 minutes of order time.
c) Within two months, improve the timeliness of pain medication delivery by allowing
nurses to stock the most commonly used medications in the emergency unit
d) Within three months, the emergency department will improve the timeliness of pain
medication delivery to 100 percent of patients. - Answers- b) Within three months, the
emergency department will administer all pain medications within 45 minutes of order
time.
4) The charge nurse in the emergency room asks Brenda to assemble a team to
improve the delivery of pain medication. As she considers who to place on the team,
Brenda should:
a) Review the aim statement to make sure the team includes representatives of all
processes affected by the team's aim.
b) Create a team of volunteers.
c) Create a team of managers and administrators.
d) Make sure only nurses are on the team, as they are the most likely to help her
achieve her aim. - Answers- a) Review the aim statement to make sure the team
includes representatives of all processes affected by the team's aim.
1) The Model for Improvement begins with three questions designed to clarify the
following concepts:
a) Plan, do, act
b) Mission, goal, strategy
c) Aims, measures, changes
d) Will, ideas, and execution - Answers- c) Aims, measures, changes
An orthopedic clinic in a busy metropolitan area would like to improve its patient
scheduling process. More specifically, the clinic wants to improve its efficiency and the
satisfaction of its patients.
2) Applying the Model for Improvement to the clinic's improvement goal, which of the
following is the most reasonable aim statement?
a) Implement two PDSA cycles within six months of beginning the project.
b) Increase the number of patients reporting they are "very satisfied" with the clinic's
scheduling by 50 percent within six months.
c) Modify the scheduling process to allow both front desk staff AND nurses to directly
schedule appointments.
d) Create an efficient process for scheduling return appointments at the time of
checkout. - Answers- b) Increase the number of patients reporting they are "very
satisfied" with the clinic's scheduling by 50 percent within six months.
After assembling a team and working through the three questions of the Model for
Improvement, the orthopedic clinic decides to implement an automated reminder phone
call 24 hours prior to each clinical appointment. The clinic's improvement team hopes
that this small change will improve scheduling.
3) What is the team's next step?
a) Take a well-deserved break.
b) Develop their project-level measures.
c) Test their change plan using the PDSA cycle.
d) Report their results to clinic leadership and prepare a poster for a national meeting. -
Answers- c) Test their change plan using the PDSA cycle.
4) The orthopedic clinic plans the change to improve scheduling, and then it carries out
a small test of change with three patients on Tuesday morning. What's the next thing the
clinic's improvement team should do?
a) Change their measures.
b) Measure to see if the change led to improvement.
c) Report their results to the clinic leadership and prepare a poster for a national
meeting.
, d) Implement the new scheduling process based upon their initial impressions of how
everything is working. - Answers- b) Measure to see if the change led to improvement.
5) When trying to improve a process, one reason to use PDSA cycles rather than a
more traditional version of the scientific method (such as a randomized, controlled trial)
is that:
a) PDSA cycles are easier to run with a large team of people.
b) The results of PDSA cycles are more generalizable than other methods.
c) PDSA cycles are simpler to use than other methods.
d) PDSA cycles provide a mechanism to adjust improvement ideas as the project
progresses.
e) Both C and D - Answers- e) Both C and D
1) Having a clear aim statement is important in quality improvement work because:
a) Aim statements provide a clear and specific goal for the organization to reach.
b) All grant agencies require clear aim statements when they are considering funding
requests.
c) Aim statements remove all obstacles from quality improvement projects.
d) The leaders of all organizations expect to see these types of goals. - Answers- a)
Aim statements provide a clear and specific goal for the organization to reach.
3) Which of the following is the most effective aim statement for this project?
a) Within one month, 95 percent of physicians will tell nurses when a pain medication is
ordered on emergency room patients.
b) Within three months, the emergency department will administer all pain medications
within 45 minutes of order time.
c) Within two months, improve the timeliness of pain medication delivery by allowing
nurses to stock the most commonly used medications in the emergency unit
d) Within three months, the emergency department will improve the timeliness of pain
medication delivery to 100 percent of patients. - Answers- b) Within three months, the
emergency department will administer all pain medications within 45 minutes of order
time.
4) The charge nurse in the emergency room asks Brenda to assemble a team to
improve the delivery of pain medication. As she considers who to place on the team,
Brenda should:
a) Review the aim statement to make sure the team includes representatives of all
processes affected by the team's aim.
b) Create a team of volunteers.
c) Create a team of managers and administrators.
d) Make sure only nurses are on the team, as they are the most likely to help her
achieve her aim. - Answers- a) Review the aim statement to make sure the team
includes representatives of all processes affected by the team's aim.
