Relias Safety and Compliance 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes a 'near miss' in healthcare safety terminology?
- An event that caused minor patient harm
- An unsafe condition that has not yet been reported
- An event that could have caused harm but did not reach the patient (Correct answer)
- A medication error that required antidote administration
Correct answer: An event that could have caused harm but did not reach the patient
A near miss is an unplanned event that did not result in injury or harm but had the potential to do so — reporting these helps prevent future incidents.
Question 2: The minimum OSHA-required frequency for conducting fire drills in healthcare facilities is:
- Monthly for all shifts
- Quarterly, covering all shifts annually (Correct answer)
- Annually on each shift
- Only when mandated by The Joint Commission survey
Correct answer: Quarterly, covering all shifts annually
OSHA and The Joint Commission require quarterly fire drills that, over the course of a year, cover all shifts to ensure all staff are prepared.
Question 3: A nurse accidentally administers the wrong dose of a medication. After ensuring patient safety, what is the NEXT required action?
- Inform only the charge nurse verbally
- Complete an incident report per facility policy (Correct answer)
- Document the error in the patient's chart only
- Wait to see if the patient has adverse effects before reporting
Correct answer: Complete an incident report per facility policy
After addressing immediate patient safety, completing an incident/event report per facility policy is required to trigger review and prevent future errors.
Question 4: Under HIPAA, which of the following is considered the minimum necessary standard?
- Sharing all patient records with any licensed provider who requests them
- Accessing or disclosing only the PHI needed to accomplish the intended purpose (Correct answer)
- Providing full medical histories to insurance companies upon request
- Allowing patients to access any record in the facility system
Correct answer: Accessing or disclosing only the PHI needed to accomplish the intended purpose
The minimum necessary standard requires that uses and disclosures of PHI be limited to the least amount of information needed to accomplish the purpose.
Question 5: Which regulation primarily governs the handling and disposal of hazardous waste in healthcare settings?
- HIPAA
- OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard
- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (Correct answer)
- Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
Correct answer: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
The RCRA, enforced by the EPA, sets standards for the management and disposal of hazardous waste including certain medical and chemical wastes.
Question 6: When using a Safety Data Sheet (SDS), Section 8 provides information about:
- Physical and chemical properties of the substance
- Exposure controls and personal protective equipment (Correct answer)
- First aid measures after exposure
- Transportation requirements
Correct answer: Exposure controls and personal protective equipment
Section 8 of a GHS-compliant SDS covers exposure limits, engineering controls, and required PPE to minimize worker exposure to the chemical.
Question 7: A resident in a long-term care facility refuses to take their prescribed medication. The care team should:
- Administer the medication covertly in food or drink
- Document the refusal and notify the prescribing provider (Correct answer)
- Discharge the resident for non-compliance
- Ask family members to force compliance
Correct answer: Document the refusal and notify the prescribing provider
Competent residents have the right to refuse treatment; refusals must be documented and the provider notified so the care plan can be adjusted appropriately.
Relias Safety and Compliance 3
Which of the following best describes a 'near miss' in healthcare safety terminology?