Page 1 of 57
SMQT (SURVEYOR MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS TEST) EXAM PREP 2026
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS DETAILED RATIONALES GRADED
A+
Part I: Survey Process and Legal Authority (Questions 1–20)
1. The SMQT was developed by CMS in direct response to which legislative
mandate requiring LTC surveyors to meet minimum qualifications and complete a
training and testing program?
A. The Affordable Care Act of 2010
B. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA '87)
C. The Social Security Act Amendments of 1994
D. The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
Rationale: The SMQT is CMS' response to OBRA '87's requirement that LTC facility
surveyors meet minimum qualifications and successfully complete a training and
testing program.
2. The regular version of the SMQT contains how many multiple-choice questions?
A. 100
B. 140
C. 200
D. 250
Rationale: The regular version of the SMQT contains 140 multiple-choice
questions administered as a one-day, four-hour automated test.
3. Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of the SMQT?
1|Page
,Page 2 of 57
A. To license nursing home administrators
B. To assess core knowledge required to independently survey LTC facilities for
compliance with federal requirements
C. To certify dietary managers
D. To credential pharmacy consultants
Rationale: The SMQT assesses the core knowledge needed by surveyors to
evaluate LTC facilities against federal requirements under CMS.
4. A surveyor who has not yet received a passing score on the SMQT may survey
only under which condition?
A. With a signed waiver from the facility
B. Under the supervision of an SMQT-qualified surveyor
C. During evening shifts only
D. With the administrator's consent
Rationale: Newly hired surveyors must pass the SMQT to survey independently;
before passing, they survey under supervision of an SMQT-qualified surveyor.
5. The SMQT is administered through which platform?
A. A paper-and-pencil format at state offices
B. The Quality, Safety & Education Portal (QSEP)
C. A mailed correspondence booklet
D. A local community college testing center only
Rationale: The SMQT is an online exam available in the Quality, Safety &
Education Portal (QSEP).
6. Which of the following is a core content area assessed on the SMQT?
A. Only dietary services
B. The survey process, related laws, regulations, and guidelines
C. Only financial auditing
D. Only building construction codes
2|Page
,Page 3 of 57
Rationale: The SMQT focuses on the LTC facility, the survey process, related laws,
regulations, and guidelines, environmental quality, sanitation, resident assessment
and care plans, and documentation skills.
7. A surveyor identifies a deficiency and must determine its scope and severity.
Which framework is used to make this determination?
A. The Minimum Data Set (MDS)
B. The scope and severity grid
C. The Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI)
D. The Quality Indicator Survey (QIS)
Rationale: Deficiencies are classified using the scope and severity grid, which
combines the frequency of the deficient practice with the degree of harm.
8. Which of the following best describes an "exit conference" in the survey
process?
A. A meeting held only when no deficiencies are found
B. A meeting with facility leadership to review preliminary findings before the
survey concludes
C. A hearing before an administrative law judge
D. A meeting between the surveyor and the resident council only
Rationale: The exit conference communicates preliminary findings to facility
leadership and allows clarification before the statement of deficiencies is finalized.
9. An Informal Dispute Resolution (IDR) process allows a facility to do which of the
following?
A. Appeal a deficiency directly to the federal court
B. Challenge the accuracy of cited deficiencies through a structured
administrative process
C. Refuse all surveys
D. Avoid correcting deficiencies permanently
Rationale: IDR provides a mechanism for facilities to dispute the accuracy of cited
deficiencies before formal appeals.
3|Page
, Page 4 of 57
10. Which survey type is conducted in response to a specific complaint or
incident?
A. Standard survey
B. Complaint survey
C. Life Safety Code survey
D. Initial certification survey
Rationale: Complaint surveys investigate specific allegations and may focus on
particular concerns rather than the full survey scope.
11. The Life Safety Code survey primarily evaluates which of the following?
A. Resident dietary preferences
B. Fire safety, exits, and environmental hazards
C. Medication administration accuracy
D. Care plan timeliness
Rationale: Life Safety Code surveys assess compliance with fire safety and
environmental requirements that protect residents and staff.
12. A surveyor must cite the specific regulatory tag associated with a deficiency.
These tags are found in which CMS publication?
A. The MDS 3.0 Manual
B. The State Operations Manual (SOM), Appendix PP
C. The RAI User's Manual
D. The QIS Training Manual
Rationale: Appendix PP of the State Operations Manual contains the interpretive
guidelines and F-tags used for LTC survey citations.
13. Which of the following best describes a "deficiency" in the survey context?
A. Any facility policy that differs from another facility's policy
B. A facility's failure to meet a federal participation requirement
C. A surveyor's personal preference
D. A minor documentation delay
4|Page
SMQT (SURVEYOR MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS TEST) EXAM PREP 2026
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS DETAILED RATIONALES GRADED
A+
Part I: Survey Process and Legal Authority (Questions 1–20)
1. The SMQT was developed by CMS in direct response to which legislative
mandate requiring LTC surveyors to meet minimum qualifications and complete a
training and testing program?
A. The Affordable Care Act of 2010
B. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA '87)
C. The Social Security Act Amendments of 1994
D. The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
Rationale: The SMQT is CMS' response to OBRA '87's requirement that LTC facility
surveyors meet minimum qualifications and successfully complete a training and
testing program.
2. The regular version of the SMQT contains how many multiple-choice questions?
A. 100
B. 140
C. 200
D. 250
Rationale: The regular version of the SMQT contains 140 multiple-choice
questions administered as a one-day, four-hour automated test.
3. Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of the SMQT?
1|Page
,Page 2 of 57
A. To license nursing home administrators
B. To assess core knowledge required to independently survey LTC facilities for
compliance with federal requirements
C. To certify dietary managers
D. To credential pharmacy consultants
Rationale: The SMQT assesses the core knowledge needed by surveyors to
evaluate LTC facilities against federal requirements under CMS.
4. A surveyor who has not yet received a passing score on the SMQT may survey
only under which condition?
A. With a signed waiver from the facility
B. Under the supervision of an SMQT-qualified surveyor
C. During evening shifts only
D. With the administrator's consent
Rationale: Newly hired surveyors must pass the SMQT to survey independently;
before passing, they survey under supervision of an SMQT-qualified surveyor.
5. The SMQT is administered through which platform?
A. A paper-and-pencil format at state offices
B. The Quality, Safety & Education Portal (QSEP)
C. A mailed correspondence booklet
D. A local community college testing center only
Rationale: The SMQT is an online exam available in the Quality, Safety &
Education Portal (QSEP).
6. Which of the following is a core content area assessed on the SMQT?
A. Only dietary services
B. The survey process, related laws, regulations, and guidelines
C. Only financial auditing
D. Only building construction codes
2|Page
,Page 3 of 57
Rationale: The SMQT focuses on the LTC facility, the survey process, related laws,
regulations, and guidelines, environmental quality, sanitation, resident assessment
and care plans, and documentation skills.
7. A surveyor identifies a deficiency and must determine its scope and severity.
Which framework is used to make this determination?
A. The Minimum Data Set (MDS)
B. The scope and severity grid
C. The Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI)
D. The Quality Indicator Survey (QIS)
Rationale: Deficiencies are classified using the scope and severity grid, which
combines the frequency of the deficient practice with the degree of harm.
8. Which of the following best describes an "exit conference" in the survey
process?
A. A meeting held only when no deficiencies are found
B. A meeting with facility leadership to review preliminary findings before the
survey concludes
C. A hearing before an administrative law judge
D. A meeting between the surveyor and the resident council only
Rationale: The exit conference communicates preliminary findings to facility
leadership and allows clarification before the statement of deficiencies is finalized.
9. An Informal Dispute Resolution (IDR) process allows a facility to do which of the
following?
A. Appeal a deficiency directly to the federal court
B. Challenge the accuracy of cited deficiencies through a structured
administrative process
C. Refuse all surveys
D. Avoid correcting deficiencies permanently
Rationale: IDR provides a mechanism for facilities to dispute the accuracy of cited
deficiencies before formal appeals.
3|Page
, Page 4 of 57
10. Which survey type is conducted in response to a specific complaint or
incident?
A. Standard survey
B. Complaint survey
C. Life Safety Code survey
D. Initial certification survey
Rationale: Complaint surveys investigate specific allegations and may focus on
particular concerns rather than the full survey scope.
11. The Life Safety Code survey primarily evaluates which of the following?
A. Resident dietary preferences
B. Fire safety, exits, and environmental hazards
C. Medication administration accuracy
D. Care plan timeliness
Rationale: Life Safety Code surveys assess compliance with fire safety and
environmental requirements that protect residents and staff.
12. A surveyor must cite the specific regulatory tag associated with a deficiency.
These tags are found in which CMS publication?
A. The MDS 3.0 Manual
B. The State Operations Manual (SOM), Appendix PP
C. The RAI User's Manual
D. The QIS Training Manual
Rationale: Appendix PP of the State Operations Manual contains the interpretive
guidelines and F-tags used for LTC survey citations.
13. Which of the following best describes a "deficiency" in the survey context?
A. Any facility policy that differs from another facility's policy
B. A facility's failure to meet a federal participation requirement
C. A surveyor's personal preference
D. A minor documentation delay
4|Page
