VA-BC Quality Improvement 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A vascular access team notices a 20% increase in CLABSI rates over the past quarter. Which QI tool is MOST appropriate to identify root causes?
- Pareto chart
- Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram (Correct answer)
- Run chart
- Control chart
Correct answer: Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram
A fishbone diagram systematically identifies potential root causes across categories such as people, process, equipment, and environment.
Question 2: When implementing a PDSA cycle for a new central line insertion bundle, which step involves analyzing whether the change led to improvement?
- Plan
- Do
- Study (Correct answer)
- Act
Correct answer: Study
The Study phase reviews collected data to determine if the intervention produced the intended improvement.
Question 3: A hospital's CLABSI rate is 1.2 per 1,000 catheter-days. The national benchmark is 0.8. What is the primary purpose of benchmarking this metric?
- To punish underperforming units
- To compare performance against a standard and identify improvement opportunities (Correct answer)
- To discharge patients earlier
- To reduce nursing staff ratios
Correct answer: To compare performance against a standard and identify improvement opportunities
Benchmarking compares an organization's performance to external standards to identify gaps and drive targeted improvement.
Question 4: Which data display method is BEST for tracking CLABSI rates over 12 months to identify trends?
- Pie chart
- Bar graph
- Run chart (Correct answer)
- Scatter plot
Correct answer: Run chart
A run chart plots data points over time and is ideal for detecting trends, shifts, or patterns in a process.
Question 5: A QI team wants to prioritize which central line complications to address first. Which tool ranks issues by frequency to identify the 'vital few'?
- Fishbone diagram
- Pareto chart (Correct answer)
- Flowchart
- PDSA cycle
Correct answer: Pareto chart
A Pareto chart uses the 80/20 principle to identify the few causes responsible for the majority of problems.
Question 6: A nurse collects data on catheter dwell time to assess PICC removal compliance. This activity represents which phase of QI?
- Intervention
- Measurement (Correct answer)
- Sustainment
- Education
Correct answer: Measurement
Collecting and analyzing data about current performance is a core measurement activity in quality improvement.
Question 7: Which organization publishes the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) definitions used to standardize CLABSI surveillance?
- The Joint Commission
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (Correct answer)
- Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
- American Nurses Association (ANA)
Correct answer: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The CDC's NHSN provides standardized definitions and protocols for HAI surveillance including CLABSI.
VA-BC Quality Improvement 2
A vascular access team notices a 20% increase in CLABSI rates over the past quarter.
Which QI tool is MOST appropriate to identify root causes?