QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PRACTICE
EXAM 2025 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
The nurse is evaluating the effectiveness of changes made to improve quality of care.
Which procedure is the nurse conducting?
Quality assurance
Total quality management
Continuous quality improvement
Quality management plan - ANS Quality assurance
Implemented changes must be evaluated to assess their impact on patient care, patient
outcomes, patient and clinical satisfaction, and resource utilization. Data related to the original
problem must be collected and are then analyzed on the basis of benchmark standards to
determine whether standards are being met. This is called quality assurance. A quality
management plan is used to help healthcare facilities integrate new programs, models, and
technologies with the primary care services that are already in place. Total quality management
(TQM) is a comprehensive management philosophy used to improve quality and productivity by
using data and statistics to improve processes. Continuous quality improvement (CQI) is a
structured organizational process for including personnel in planning and executing a
continuous flow of improvements to provide quality health care that meets or exceeds
expectations.
The hospital management is concerned about feedback regarding long waiting times for
treatment in the emergency department and forms a committee to resolve the issue.
Which should be the first task by the leader of the committee to solve the problem?
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,Form a Continuous Quality Improvement team to define the desired outcome.
Reevaluate emergency room waiting times.
Collect baseline data to determine if a problem exists.
Ask the director of operations for solutions. - ANS Form a Continuous Quality Improvement
team to define the desired outcome.
The first step in the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) process is to assemble a team of
individuals who are stakeholders in the problem to form a CQI team to define the desired
outcome. From there, the nurse can measure performance against the desired outcome,
analyze the results, provide feedback, implement a solution, and evaluate its effectiveness. If
the nurse were to collect baseline information without determining the desired outcome, they
might not measure the relevant indicators. CQI is about including the team in the problem-
solving process, rather than dictating what needs to be accomplished. By including the team in
the problem solving, it is more likely they will buy into the solutions. Asking the operations
manager for solutions is not the best way to resolve the issue, and reevaluating the wait time
will only help after implementation of the first plan of action to reduce that issue.
The nurse recognized making a medication error and immediately reported it to the unit
supervisor.
Which response from the supervisor should the nurse expect in an environment that promotes
quality?
"Why are you reporting that to me without completing an incident report?"
"You need to report directly to the Chief Nursing Officer."
"You have reported this to me, so you do not need to file an incident report."
Copyright ©2025 THEBRIGHT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
, "We have a blame-free environment so you can report errors without fearing punishment." -
ANS "We have a blame-free environment so you can report errors without fearing
punishment."
Most errors in health care are a result of the healthcare system and not the fault of a single
individual. If a clinic is afraid to report errors for fear of punishment or because reporting does
not result in positive change, then problems within the system cannot be identified or
addressed. A key component in quality improvement is establishing a blame-free environment
in which healthcare providers can report errors or near misses without the fear of punishment.
This helps identify problems, so that corrections can be made, and future events can be
prevented. An incident report will be completed as a part of the investigation.
Which statement should the nurse use to describe the purpose of the root cause analysis?
Brainstorming preferred outcomes
Identifying risks causing financial loss
Providing a report to the leader of the committee
Identifying the root cause of the problem through problem solving - ANS Identifying the root
cause of the problem through problem solving
The purpose of a root cause analysis is to determine the root cause of a problem. Brainstorming
outcomes and reporting to the leader would be part of the task force to implement quality
improvements. Identifying risks of financial loss is part of an audit.
Which governmental agency should the nurse recognize as being instrumental in developing
indicators of high-quality care and measures?
U.S. Red Cross
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Copyright ©2025 THEBRIGHT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
EXAM 2025 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
The nurse is evaluating the effectiveness of changes made to improve quality of care.
Which procedure is the nurse conducting?
Quality assurance
Total quality management
Continuous quality improvement
Quality management plan - ANS Quality assurance
Implemented changes must be evaluated to assess their impact on patient care, patient
outcomes, patient and clinical satisfaction, and resource utilization. Data related to the original
problem must be collected and are then analyzed on the basis of benchmark standards to
determine whether standards are being met. This is called quality assurance. A quality
management plan is used to help healthcare facilities integrate new programs, models, and
technologies with the primary care services that are already in place. Total quality management
(TQM) is a comprehensive management philosophy used to improve quality and productivity by
using data and statistics to improve processes. Continuous quality improvement (CQI) is a
structured organizational process for including personnel in planning and executing a
continuous flow of improvements to provide quality health care that meets or exceeds
expectations.
The hospital management is concerned about feedback regarding long waiting times for
treatment in the emergency department and forms a committee to resolve the issue.
Which should be the first task by the leader of the committee to solve the problem?
Copyright ©2025 THEBRIGHT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,Form a Continuous Quality Improvement team to define the desired outcome.
Reevaluate emergency room waiting times.
Collect baseline data to determine if a problem exists.
Ask the director of operations for solutions. - ANS Form a Continuous Quality Improvement
team to define the desired outcome.
The first step in the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) process is to assemble a team of
individuals who are stakeholders in the problem to form a CQI team to define the desired
outcome. From there, the nurse can measure performance against the desired outcome,
analyze the results, provide feedback, implement a solution, and evaluate its effectiveness. If
the nurse were to collect baseline information without determining the desired outcome, they
might not measure the relevant indicators. CQI is about including the team in the problem-
solving process, rather than dictating what needs to be accomplished. By including the team in
the problem solving, it is more likely they will buy into the solutions. Asking the operations
manager for solutions is not the best way to resolve the issue, and reevaluating the wait time
will only help after implementation of the first plan of action to reduce that issue.
The nurse recognized making a medication error and immediately reported it to the unit
supervisor.
Which response from the supervisor should the nurse expect in an environment that promotes
quality?
"Why are you reporting that to me without completing an incident report?"
"You need to report directly to the Chief Nursing Officer."
"You have reported this to me, so you do not need to file an incident report."
Copyright ©2025 THEBRIGHT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
, "We have a blame-free environment so you can report errors without fearing punishment." -
ANS "We have a blame-free environment so you can report errors without fearing
punishment."
Most errors in health care are a result of the healthcare system and not the fault of a single
individual. If a clinic is afraid to report errors for fear of punishment or because reporting does
not result in positive change, then problems within the system cannot be identified or
addressed. A key component in quality improvement is establishing a blame-free environment
in which healthcare providers can report errors or near misses without the fear of punishment.
This helps identify problems, so that corrections can be made, and future events can be
prevented. An incident report will be completed as a part of the investigation.
Which statement should the nurse use to describe the purpose of the root cause analysis?
Brainstorming preferred outcomes
Identifying risks causing financial loss
Providing a report to the leader of the committee
Identifying the root cause of the problem through problem solving - ANS Identifying the root
cause of the problem through problem solving
The purpose of a root cause analysis is to determine the root cause of a problem. Brainstorming
outcomes and reporting to the leader would be part of the task force to implement quality
improvements. Identifying risks of financial loss is part of an audit.
Which governmental agency should the nurse recognize as being instrumental in developing
indicators of high-quality care and measures?
U.S. Red Cross
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Copyright ©2025 THEBRIGHT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
