Quality Assurance and Improvement Flashcards
7 cards from real FANZCA 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 Assurance and Improvement flashcards as text
In the context of anaesthesia quality improvement, what does the term 'near miss' refer to?
Answer: An unplanned event that did not reach the patient but had potential to cause harm
A near miss is an unplanned event that did not reach the patient but had the potential to cause harm, providing a valuable learning opportunity without patient injury.
Which statistical tool is used in anaesthesia quality monitoring to distinguish between common-cause variation and special-cause variation in process data over time?
Answer: Statistical process control (SPC) chart
Statistical process control charts use upper and lower control limits to distinguish between common-cause (inherent) variation and special-cause variation requiring investigation.
The FANZCA fellowship standard requires participation in quality improvement activities. Which of the following BEST describes a quality improvement project versus a research project?
Answer: QI aims to improve local systems using existing knowledge; research aims to generate new generalizable knowledge
Quality improvement projects apply existing evidence to improve local systems and processes, whereas research is designed to generate new generalizable knowledge.
In a root cause analysis (RCA) following an anaesthetic adverse event, which team composition is MOST appropriate?
Answer: A multidisciplinary team including those involved and process experts, excluding blame-focused individuals
RCA is most effective with a multidisciplinary team including those with direct knowledge of the event and process experts, conducted in a blame-free environment focused on systems.
The Donabedian model for evaluating healthcare quality consists of which three dimensions?
Answer: Structure, process, and outcomes
The Donabedian model evaluates healthcare quality through structure (resources and settings), process (care delivery activities), and outcomes (effects on patients).
When auditing anaesthetic records for compliance with documentation standards, which approach BEST reflects a quality improvement cycle?
Answer: Identify gaps, implement education, re-audit to assess change, and continue the cycle
A quality improvement cycle (Plan-Do-Study-Act) requires re-auditing after interventions to determine if changes led to measurable improvement.
Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of a mortality and morbidity (M&M) conference in anaesthesia departments?
Answer: To provide a structured forum for learning from adverse events and improving systems
M&M conferences are educational forums designed to review adverse events and complications in a blame-free environment to identify system improvements and prevent recurrence.