CPSA CPSA MCQ 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is a correct statement about high-reliability organizations (HROs) in healthcare?
- They aim to eliminate all human errors through strict penalties
- They rely on individual vigilance rather than system design
- They maintain a preoccupation with failure and sensitivity to operations (Correct answer)
- They prioritize efficiency over safety in day-to-day decisions
Correct answer: They maintain a preoccupation with failure and sensitivity to operations
HROs are characterized by five principles including preoccupation with failure, reluctance to simplify, sensitivity to operations, commitment to resilience, and deference to expertise.
Question 2: The National Patient Safety Goals (NPSGs) are published annually by which organization?
- Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
- The Joint Commission (TJC) (Correct answer)
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Correct answer: The Joint Commission (TJC)
The Joint Commission publishes National Patient Safety Goals annually to help accredited organizations address specific areas of concern in patient safety.
Question 3: Which strategy is MOST effective for reducing wrong-site surgery?
- Relying on the operating surgeon's memory
- Using a universal protocol including site marking and time-out (Correct answer)
- Asking the patient to confirm the site only in pre-op
- Having the charge nurse verify the chart pre-operatively
Correct answer: Using a universal protocol including site marking and time-out
The Universal Protocol, developed by The Joint Commission, requires pre-procedure verification, site marking, and a time-out to prevent wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-patient surgery.
Question 4: A medication reconciliation process is MOST critical during which patient care transition?
- Shift change for nursing staff
- Transfer from ICU to a medical floor (Correct answer)
- Change of the attending physician
- Annual patient wellness visit
Correct answer: Transfer from ICU to a medical floor
Medication reconciliation is especially critical during care transitions such as admission, transfer, and discharge, where medication discrepancies most frequently occur.
Question 5: Which of the following BEST describes 'psychological safety' in a patient safety context?
- The absence of mental health disorders among staff
- A climate where staff feel safe to speak up about errors without fear of punishment (Correct answer)
- Ensuring patients feel emotionally comfortable during procedures
- Staff training in cognitive bias reduction
Correct answer: A climate where staff feel safe to speak up about errors without fear of punishment
Psychological safety is a team climate where members believe they can speak up, report errors, and raise concerns without fear of retribution or ridicule.
Question 6: Which type of harm event reporting is MANDATORY in most US states?
- Near misses
- Sentinel events involving serious injury or death (Correct answer)
- All adverse drug events
- Staff-to-staff conflicts affecting patient care
Correct answer: Sentinel events involving serious injury or death
Most US states legally require reporting of sentinel events—those involving unexpected death or serious physical or psychological injury—to state health authorities.
Question 7: An interprofessional team conducts a 'huddle' at the start of each shift. This practice PRIMARILY supports patient safety by:
- Reducing overtime costs
- Ensuring staff compliance with dress codes
- Improving situational awareness and early identification of risks (Correct answer)
- Replacing formal incident reporting
Correct answer: Improving situational awareness and early identification of risks
Daily safety huddles improve situational awareness by sharing information about current patient risks, anticipated challenges, and staff concerns before harm occurs.
CPSA CPSA MCQ 3
Which of the following is a correct statement about high-reliability organizations (HROs) in healthcare?