Free CPHQ Practice Questions
Original questions with explanations
These original CPHQ practice questions are educational examples designed to exercise reasoning. They are not recalled exam items and do not imply access to live or confidential test content.
Question 1
A process has frequent delays at one approval step. Which tool best displays the workflow and handoffs?
- A. Flowchart
- B. Histogram
- C. Scatterplot
- D. Control limit
Answer and explanation
A. Flowchart A flowchart makes process steps, decisions, and handoffs visible so bottlenecks can be examined.
Question 2
Which chart helps distinguish common-cause from special-cause variation over time?
- A. Control chart
- B. Affinity diagram
- C. Fishbone diagram
- D. Checklist
Answer and explanation
A. Control chart A control chart plots performance over time with statistically derived limits to identify unusual variation.
Question 3
What is the first purpose of a root-cause analysis after a serious safety event?
- A. Assign individual blame
- B. Identify system contributors and reduce recurrence
- C. Protect the current process
- D. Remove all documentation
Answer and explanation
B. Identify system contributors and reduce recurrence Root-cause analysis seeks system vulnerabilities and sustainable risk-reduction actions.
Question 4
Which measure is an outcome measure?
- A. Percentage of staff trained
- B. Rate of postoperative infections
- C. Number of meetings held
- D. Percentage of forms completed
Answer and explanation
B. Rate of postoperative infections An infection rate reflects the result of care, whereas the other choices measure processes or activities.
Question 5
A change improves one unit but creates delays elsewhere. Which principle was missed?
- A. Systems thinking
- B. Random sampling
- C. Credential verification
- D. Case-mix coding
Answer and explanation
A. Systems thinking Systems thinking considers interactions and unintended consequences across the full care process.
How to Review Your Results
For every missed item, name the tested concept, explain why the correct option is best, and identify the clue that rules out each distractor. Then review the corresponding official content domain.