CRE Quality Assurance & Improvement 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which element is essential when writing a measurable QI objective for a respiratory education program?
- A vague aspirational statement
- A specific, time-bound, and quantifiable target (Correct answer)
- Staff opinions about desired outcomes
- A list of educational materials to be used
Correct answer: A specific, time-bound, and quantifiable target
Measurable QI objectives must be specific, time-bound, and quantifiable so that achievement can be objectively assessed.
Question 2: A respiratory educator wants to assess whether a new COPD education module improved patient self-management. Which study design provides the strongest evidence?
- Case report
- Cross-sectional survey
- Randomized controlled trial (Correct answer)
- Expert opinion
Correct answer: Randomized controlled trial
A randomized controlled trial (RCT) is the gold standard for determining causal relationships between an intervention and its outcomes.
Question 3: When a control chart shows eight consecutive data points on the same side of the centerline, this is called:
- Common cause variation
- A run, indicating a special cause (Correct answer)
- Random variation
- Acceptable statistical noise
Correct answer: A run, indicating a special cause
Eight or more consecutive points on one side of the centerline is a 'run rule' violation, signaling a special cause that warrants investigation.
Question 4: In Donabedian's quality framework, which component encompasses policies, staffing ratios, and equipment availability in a respiratory education department?
- Process
- Outcome
- Structure (Correct answer)
- System
Correct answer: Structure
Structure refers to the conditions under which care is provided, including physical resources, organizational characteristics, and staff qualifications.
Question 5: A respiratory educator collects pre- and post-test scores from 30 patients. Which statistical test is MOST appropriate to determine if education significantly improved knowledge scores?
- Chi-square test
- Independent samples t-test
- Paired samples t-test (Correct answer)
- ANOVA
Correct answer: Paired samples t-test
A paired samples t-test compares means from the same group measured at two time points, making it ideal for pre/post education assessments.
Question 6: Which accreditation body specifically evaluates respiratory therapy education programs for clinical and didactic quality standards in the United States?
- The Joint Commission (TJC)
- Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) (Correct answer)
- National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)
- Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)
Correct answer: Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)
CoARC is the accrediting body for respiratory therapy education programs in the U.S., setting standards for curriculum, clinical training, and outcomes.
Question 7: A 'near miss' event in a respiratory education setting should be:
- Ignored because no patient was harmed
- Reported and analyzed to prevent future errors (Correct answer)
- Kept confidential and not documented
- Only reported if it occurs more than three times
Correct answer: Reported and analyzed to prevent future errors
Near misses provide valuable learning opportunities to identify system vulnerabilities before actual harm occurs and should always be reported and analyzed.
CRE Quality Assurance & Improvement 3
Which element is essential when writing a measurable QI objective for a respiratory education program?