CPPS Practice Exam questions and answers
2026\2027 A+ Grade
You are educating clinical managers in your healthcare facility on how to identify appropriate events for
conducting a Root Cause Analysis. Which event provides the best opportunity for an RCA?
- correct answer a. A post-op patient removes his own IV causing a skin tear from the tape
b. A patient with no known allergies experiences an anaphylactic reaction to an antibiotic requiring
transfer to ICU.
c. The biopsy samples from a colonoscopy are never received by pathology after the procedure
d. There have been 3 occurrences of depressed respirations in the same department in the last 4
months related to sedation
The answer is C. The biopsy samples from a colonoscopy are never received by pathology after the
procedure
- correct answer
The instrument count is incorrect at the conclusion of a surgical procedure. The hospital policy does not
stipulate that the surgeon remain on the premises until an x-ray is obtained. The surgeon leaves the
hospital to catch a flight. The x-ray reveals a retained instrument. Another surgeon is contacted to
remove the retained instrument. What should leadership do next?
- correct answer a. Create a process map of how instruments are managed during surgery looking for
latent flaws
b. Revise the hospital policy to make it clear that surgeons must stay in the OR until instrument count
issues are resolved
c. Counsel the surgeon about customary clinical standards for a surgeon using appropriate
accountability system
, d. Reeducate the OR nursing staff on keeping track of instruments on the sterile field
The answer is C. Counsel the surgeon about customary clinical standards for a surgeon using appropriate
accountability system
- correct answer
A nurse on a medical-surgical unit does not comply with barcode medication administration (BCMA)
while caring for one of her patients. What should her supervisor do?
- correct answer a. Ask staff if there are adequate scanners to meet their needs
b. Counsel the nurse on the importance of following policy
c. Request that the pharmacy run a report of BCMA compliance rates of the unit
d. Ask the nurse what was occurring at the time, and why she chose to bypass the policy
The answer is D. Ask the nurse what was occurring at the time, and why she chose to bypass the policy
- correct answer
The Board of Hospital A wants to know how Hospital A's safety performance in central line associated
blood stream infection (CLABSI) compares to that of other hospitals in their region. Which data display
would best inform them for that decision?
- correct answer a. Control charts of overall infection rate by quarter for the past two years for each
hospital in the region
b. A table indicating the CLABSI infection rates of all hospitals in the region relative to the National
Healthcare Safety Network benchmark for CLABSI infections for the past 2 years
c. A written report summarizing the current CLABSI prevention protocols of each hospital in the region
d. A table showing the number of CLABSI infections in each hospital in the region by quarter for the past
2 years
2026\2027 A+ Grade
You are educating clinical managers in your healthcare facility on how to identify appropriate events for
conducting a Root Cause Analysis. Which event provides the best opportunity for an RCA?
- correct answer a. A post-op patient removes his own IV causing a skin tear from the tape
b. A patient with no known allergies experiences an anaphylactic reaction to an antibiotic requiring
transfer to ICU.
c. The biopsy samples from a colonoscopy are never received by pathology after the procedure
d. There have been 3 occurrences of depressed respirations in the same department in the last 4
months related to sedation
The answer is C. The biopsy samples from a colonoscopy are never received by pathology after the
procedure
- correct answer
The instrument count is incorrect at the conclusion of a surgical procedure. The hospital policy does not
stipulate that the surgeon remain on the premises until an x-ray is obtained. The surgeon leaves the
hospital to catch a flight. The x-ray reveals a retained instrument. Another surgeon is contacted to
remove the retained instrument. What should leadership do next?
- correct answer a. Create a process map of how instruments are managed during surgery looking for
latent flaws
b. Revise the hospital policy to make it clear that surgeons must stay in the OR until instrument count
issues are resolved
c. Counsel the surgeon about customary clinical standards for a surgeon using appropriate
accountability system
, d. Reeducate the OR nursing staff on keeping track of instruments on the sterile field
The answer is C. Counsel the surgeon about customary clinical standards for a surgeon using appropriate
accountability system
- correct answer
A nurse on a medical-surgical unit does not comply with barcode medication administration (BCMA)
while caring for one of her patients. What should her supervisor do?
- correct answer a. Ask staff if there are adequate scanners to meet their needs
b. Counsel the nurse on the importance of following policy
c. Request that the pharmacy run a report of BCMA compliance rates of the unit
d. Ask the nurse what was occurring at the time, and why she chose to bypass the policy
The answer is D. Ask the nurse what was occurring at the time, and why she chose to bypass the policy
- correct answer
The Board of Hospital A wants to know how Hospital A's safety performance in central line associated
blood stream infection (CLABSI) compares to that of other hospitals in their region. Which data display
would best inform them for that decision?
- correct answer a. Control charts of overall infection rate by quarter for the past two years for each
hospital in the region
b. A table indicating the CLABSI infection rates of all hospitals in the region relative to the National
Healthcare Safety Network benchmark for CLABSI infections for the past 2 years
c. A written report summarizing the current CLABSI prevention protocols of each hospital in the region
d. A table showing the number of CLABSI infections in each hospital in the region by quarter for the past
2 years
