CPPS PRACTICE EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS 2025
You are educating clinical managers in your healthcare facility on how to identify appropriate events f
or conducting a Root Cause Analysis. Which event provides the best opportunity for an RCA?
a. A post-op 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 tra
nsfer to ICU.
c. The biopsy samples from a colonoscopy are never received by pathology after the procedure
d. There have been 3 occurrences of depressed respirations in the same department in the last 4 months
related to sedation
-VCORRECTVANSWERV-
The answer is C. The biopsy samples from a colonoscopy are never received by pathology after the pr
ocedure
The instrument count is incorrect at the conclusion of a surgical procedure. The hospital policy does n
ot stipulate that the surgeon remain on the premises until an x-
ray is obtained. The surgeon leaves the hospital to catch a flight. The x-
ray reveals a retained instrument. Another surgeon is contacted to remove the retained instrument. Wha
t should leadership do next?
a. Create a process map of how instruments are managed during surgery looking for latent flaws
b. Revise the hospital policy to make it clear that surgeons must stay in the ORVuntil instrument count
issues are resolved
c. Counsel the surgeon about customary clinical standards for a surgeon using appropriate accountabilit
y system
d. Reeducate the OR nursing staff on keeping track of instruments on the sterile field
-VCORRECTVANSWERV-
The answer is C. Counsel the surgeon about customary clinical standards for a surgeon using appropria
te accountability system
A nurse on a medical-
surgical unit does not comply with barcode medication administration (BCMA) while caring for one of
her patients. What should her supervisor do?
a. Ask staff if there are adequate scanners to meet their needs
b. Counsel the nurse on the importance of following policy
c. Request that the pharmacy run a report of BCMA compliance rates of the unit
d. Ask the nurse what was occurring at the time, and why she chose to bypass the policy
, -VCORRECTVANSWERV-
The answer is D. Ask the nurse what was occurring at the time, and why she chose to bypass the polic
y
The Board of Hospital A wants to know how Hospital A's safety performance in central line associated
blood stream infection (CLABSI) compares to that of other hospitals in their region. Which data displ
ay would best inform them for that decision?
a. Control charts of overall infection rate by quarter for the past two years for each hospital in the regi
on
b. A table indicating the CLABSI infection rates of all hospitals in the region relative to the National
Healthcare Safety Network benchmark for CLABSI infections for the past 2 years
c. A written report summarizing the current CLABSI prevention protocols of each hospital in the regio
n
d. A table showing the number of CLABSI infections in each hospital in the region by quarter for the
past 2 years
-VCORRECTVANSWERV-
The answer is B. A table indicating the CLABSI infection rates of all hospitals in the region relative to
the National Healthcare Safety Network benchmark for CLABSI infections for the past 2
Your organization utilizes a "home grown" electronic safety event reporting system that is no longer m
eeting the needs of the organization. Hospital administration is asking for your opinion for next steps.
What next steps would you take to identify a replacement system?
a. Ask information systems to either fix the old one or build a new one
b. Identify key stakeholders and perform a gap analysis of current state to ideal state
c. Poll colleagues and purchase what they use
d. Purchase the lease expensive software and grow with it
-VCORRECTVANSWERV-
The answer is B. Identify key stakeholders and perform a gap analysis of current state to ideal state
Your organization is preparing to change to a new electronic health record. Many departments have be
en involved with the planning of this huge effort. What would you suggest as part of the preparation st
rategy
a. Conduct a root cause analysis
b. Conduct a failure modes and effects analysis
c. Offer a "plan, do, study, act" session
d. Offer to do a claims analysis for any related errors
-VCORRECTVANSWERV-The answer is b. Conduct a failure modes and effects analysis
CORRECT ANSWERS 2025
You are educating clinical managers in your healthcare facility on how to identify appropriate events f
or conducting a Root Cause Analysis. Which event provides the best opportunity for an RCA?
a. A post-op 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 tra
nsfer to ICU.
c. The biopsy samples from a colonoscopy are never received by pathology after the procedure
d. There have been 3 occurrences of depressed respirations in the same department in the last 4 months
related to sedation
-VCORRECTVANSWERV-
The answer is C. The biopsy samples from a colonoscopy are never received by pathology after the pr
ocedure
The instrument count is incorrect at the conclusion of a surgical procedure. The hospital policy does n
ot stipulate that the surgeon remain on the premises until an x-
ray is obtained. The surgeon leaves the hospital to catch a flight. The x-
ray reveals a retained instrument. Another surgeon is contacted to remove the retained instrument. Wha
t should leadership do next?
a. Create a process map of how instruments are managed during surgery looking for latent flaws
b. Revise the hospital policy to make it clear that surgeons must stay in the ORVuntil instrument count
issues are resolved
c. Counsel the surgeon about customary clinical standards for a surgeon using appropriate accountabilit
y system
d. Reeducate the OR nursing staff on keeping track of instruments on the sterile field
-VCORRECTVANSWERV-
The answer is C. Counsel the surgeon about customary clinical standards for a surgeon using appropria
te accountability system
A nurse on a medical-
surgical unit does not comply with barcode medication administration (BCMA) while caring for one of
her patients. What should her supervisor do?
a. Ask staff if there are adequate scanners to meet their needs
b. Counsel the nurse on the importance of following policy
c. Request that the pharmacy run a report of BCMA compliance rates of the unit
d. Ask the nurse what was occurring at the time, and why she chose to bypass the policy
, -VCORRECTVANSWERV-
The answer is D. Ask the nurse what was occurring at the time, and why she chose to bypass the polic
y
The Board of Hospital A wants to know how Hospital A's safety performance in central line associated
blood stream infection (CLABSI) compares to that of other hospitals in their region. Which data displ
ay would best inform them for that decision?
a. Control charts of overall infection rate by quarter for the past two years for each hospital in the regi
on
b. A table indicating the CLABSI infection rates of all hospitals in the region relative to the National
Healthcare Safety Network benchmark for CLABSI infections for the past 2 years
c. A written report summarizing the current CLABSI prevention protocols of each hospital in the regio
n
d. A table showing the number of CLABSI infections in each hospital in the region by quarter for the
past 2 years
-VCORRECTVANSWERV-
The answer is B. A table indicating the CLABSI infection rates of all hospitals in the region relative to
the National Healthcare Safety Network benchmark for CLABSI infections for the past 2
Your organization utilizes a "home grown" electronic safety event reporting system that is no longer m
eeting the needs of the organization. Hospital administration is asking for your opinion for next steps.
What next steps would you take to identify a replacement system?
a. Ask information systems to either fix the old one or build a new one
b. Identify key stakeholders and perform a gap analysis of current state to ideal state
c. Poll colleagues and purchase what they use
d. Purchase the lease expensive software and grow with it
-VCORRECTVANSWERV-
The answer is B. Identify key stakeholders and perform a gap analysis of current state to ideal state
Your organization is preparing to change to a new electronic health record. Many departments have be
en involved with the planning of this huge effort. What would you suggest as part of the preparation st
rategy
a. Conduct a root cause analysis
b. Conduct a failure modes and effects analysis
c. Offer a "plan, do, study, act" session
d. Offer to do a claims analysis for any related errors
-VCORRECTVANSWERV-The answer is b. Conduct a failure modes and effects analysis
