CAOP Medication Safety and Quality Improvement 2

Question 1

According to ISMP's hierarchy of error-reduction strategies, which intervention is considered MOST effective?

Accepted Answer

Forcing functions and constraints

Answer

Forcing functions physically prevent the error, making them stronger than people-dependent strategies like education or checklists.

Question 2

In Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), the Risk Priority Number (RPN) is calculated by multiplying which three factors?

Accepted Answer

Severity, occurrence, and detectability

Answer

RPN = severity x occurrence (likelihood) x detectability, used to prioritize failure modes.

Question 3

Under the Just Culture model, how should a pharmacist's at-risk behavior (e.g., routinely bypassing a barcode scan to save time) be managed?

Accepted Answer

Coaching to understand and remove the incentive for the drift

Answer

At-risk behavior is managed with coaching, human error with consoling, and reckless behavior with remedial or disciplinary action.

Question 4

Which NCC MERP category describes a medication error that reached the patient and caused temporary harm requiring intervention?

Accepted Answer

Category E

Answer

Category E is temporary harm requiring intervention; C and D reached the patient without harm.

Question 5

A run chart shows 6 consecutive data points above the median after a dispensing workflow change. What does this pattern indicate?

Accepted Answer

A shift suggesting a non-random signal

Answer

Six or more consecutive points on one side of the median is a shift, a non-random signal of change.

CAOP - Competency Assessment of Overseas Pharmacist Practice Test