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CPPS Certified Professional in Patient Safety Exam
ACTUAL EXAM ALL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR
CPPS Practice Exam – 2026–2027
FINAL EXAMINATION
Academic Year: 2026–2027
Exam Title: Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) Practice Exam
Edition: Latest Update This Year
Content: All Questions with Verified Correct Answers
EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
This examination evaluates knowledge and competency in patient safety, including: event
reporting, root cause analysis, patient safety culture, communication techniques, organizational
change, accountability, and safety-supportive systems.
Each question has one correct answer unless otherwise indicated.
Rationales are based on CPPS guidelines, AHRQ resources, and evidence-based patient safety
practices.
EXAM COVERAGE
• Event reporting and near-miss management
• Root cause analysis (RCA) selection and application
• Patient safety culture measurement
• Communication techniques to enhance patient safety
• Organizational change and safety risk management
• Psychological safety and Just Culture principles
• Accountability in clinical practice
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• Professionalism and shared responsibility
EXAM QUESTIONS
Question 1
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
Correct Answer:
B) Investigate system failures and recognize the employee for reporting a near-miss event
Rationale:
Near-miss events should be used as learning opportunities to identify system improvements
while recognizing proactive reporting behaviors.
Question 2
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You are educating clinical managers 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 ICU transfer
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
Correct Answer:
C) The biopsy samples from a colonoscopy are never received by pathology after the procedure
Rationale:
RCAs are best conducted for events that indicate a system failure rather than individual errors.
Missing biopsy samples reflect a process/system issue suitable for RCA.
Question 3
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
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• Agree: 32
• Neither Agree nor Disagree: 12
• Disagree: 17
• Strongly Disagree: 3
What percentage of staff perceive no patient safety problems?
A) 75%
B) 60%
C) 25%
D) 20%
Correct Answer:
C) 25%
Rationale:
For negatively worded survey items, the response sum is calculated from Strongly Disagree +
Disagree (17+3=20). Divide by total respondents: 20/80 = 25%.
Question 4
What is one example of a communication technique providers can use to improve
communication with patients?
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CPPS Certified Professional in Patient Safety Exam
ACTUAL EXAM ALL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR
CPPS Practice Exam – 2026–2027
FINAL EXAMINATION
Academic Year: 2026–2027
Exam Title: Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) Practice Exam
Edition: Latest Update This Year
Content: All Questions with Verified Correct Answers
EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
This examination evaluates knowledge and competency in patient safety, including: event
reporting, root cause analysis, patient safety culture, communication techniques, organizational
change, accountability, and safety-supportive systems.
Each question has one correct answer unless otherwise indicated.
Rationales are based on CPPS guidelines, AHRQ resources, and evidence-based patient safety
practices.
EXAM COVERAGE
• Event reporting and near-miss management
• Root cause analysis (RCA) selection and application
• Patient safety culture measurement
• Communication techniques to enhance patient safety
• Organizational change and safety risk management
• Psychological safety and Just Culture principles
• Accountability in clinical practice
1
, Page 2 of 80
• Professionalism and shared responsibility
EXAM QUESTIONS
Question 1
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
Correct Answer:
B) Investigate system failures and recognize the employee for reporting a near-miss event
Rationale:
Near-miss events should be used as learning opportunities to identify system improvements
while recognizing proactive reporting behaviors.
Question 2
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You are educating clinical managers 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 ICU transfer
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
Correct Answer:
C) The biopsy samples from a colonoscopy are never received by pathology after the procedure
Rationale:
RCAs are best conducted for events that indicate a system failure rather than individual errors.
Missing biopsy samples reflect a process/system issue suitable for RCA.
Question 3
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
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• Agree: 32
• Neither Agree nor Disagree: 12
• Disagree: 17
• Strongly Disagree: 3
What percentage of staff perceive no patient safety problems?
A) 75%
B) 60%
C) 25%
D) 20%
Correct Answer:
C) 25%
Rationale:
For negatively worded survey items, the response sum is calculated from Strongly Disagree +
Disagree (17+3=20). Divide by total respondents: 20/80 = 25%.
Question 4
What is one example of a communication technique providers can use to improve
communication with patients?
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