Quality Improvement & Patient Safety Flashcards
7 cards from real CPE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Quality Improvement & Patient Safety flashcards as text
A hospital implements a mandatory timeout before central line insertion. After three months, CLABSI rates remain unchanged. What is the MOST likely explanation?
Answer: The timeout is being performed but other bundle elements are inconsistently applied
CLABSI prevention requires consistent application of all bundle elements (hand hygiene, maximal barrier precautions, chlorhexidine prep, optimal site selection, daily review); a single element alone is insufficient.
Which type of FMEA is most commonly used proactively in healthcare to evaluate new processes before implementation?
Answer: Healthcare FMEA (HFMEA) developed by the VA and NCPS
The VA/NCPS Healthcare FMEA (HFMEA) is the standard proactive tool for healthcare, adapted from industrial FMEA to identify and mitigate failure modes before a process goes live.
A physician executive reviews HCAHPS results showing low scores on 'communication about medications.' The MOST targeted intervention would be:
Answer: Implementing structured teach-back conversations at medication administration
Teach-back at the point of medication administration directly addresses the communication deficit and confirms patient understanding, which drives HCAHPS communication scores.
In statistical process control (SPC), a run chart showing 8 consecutive data points above the median indicates:
Answer: A special cause signal requiring investigation
By run chart rules, 8 or more consecutive points on the same side of the median is a non-random (special cause) signal suggesting a meaningful shift in the process.
A hospital wants to reduce 30-day readmissions for heart failure patients. Which intervention has the strongest evidence base?
Answer: Implementing a structured transitional care program with post-discharge phone calls and early follow-up
Structured transitional care programs including discharge education, medication reconciliation, care coordination, and timely follow-up have the strongest evidence for reducing HF readmissions.
The concept of 'psychological safety' in healthcare teams is BEST defined as:
Answer: A team climate where members feel safe to speak up, ask questions, and report errors without fear of reprisal
Amy Edmondson's concept of psychological safety describes interpersonal risk-taking freedom within teams, which is foundational for error reporting, innovation, and quality improvement.
A physician executive is analyzing a sustained improvement in OR turnover time after a QI project. The BEST way to confirm the improvement is due to the intervention and not random variation is to use:
Answer: A statistical process control chart with control limits
SPC charts distinguish special cause variation (the intervention's effect) from common cause variation, providing statistical evidence that a true process change occurred.