CIR CIR Quality Improvement & Patient Safety

Question 1

In a cardiac catheterization lab, a 'time-out' performed immediately before a procedure primarily serves to:

Accepted Answer

Verify correct patient identity, procedure, site, and implant availability

Answer

Calculate the patient's estimated radiation dose for the case

Answer

Confirm anticoagulation has been administered

Answer

Review the patient's prior angiographic images

Question 2

Which metric is most commonly used to benchmark door-to-balloon (D2B) time quality in STEMI care?

Accepted Answer

Mean D2B time ≤ 90 minutes for ≥ 75% of eligible patients

Answer

Median D2B time ≤ 60 minutes

Answer

90th-percentile D2B time ≤ 120 minutes

Answer

Zero cases exceeding 60 minutes per quarter

Question 3

A near-miss event in the cath lab is best defined as:

Accepted Answer

An unplanned event that did not reach the patient but had the potential to cause harm

Answer

An adverse event that results in permanent patient injury

Answer

Any deviation from the standard procedure protocol

Answer

Equipment failure that required the case to be aborted

Question 4

Root cause analysis (RCA) in cath lab quality improvement is triggered primarily by:

Accepted Answer

Sentinel events, serious adverse events, or significant near-misses

Answer

Any procedure lasting longer than three hours

Answer

Quarterly audits of contrast utilization rates

Answer

Cases requiring unplanned intensivist consultation

Question 5

Which quality indicator specifically tracks unplanned coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) following percutaneous coronary intervention?

Accepted Answer

Emergency CABG rate post-PCI

Answer

Contrast-induced nephropathy rate

Answer

Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) at 30 days

Answer

Stent thrombosis rate at 12 months

Question 6

The ALARA principle in cath lab radiation safety stands for:

Accepted Answer

As Low As Reasonably Achievable

Answer

All Labs Are Responsible for Accountability

Answer

Accurate Limit And Radiation Adjustment

Answer

Automated Low-dose Acquisition and Recording Algorithm