69.

For the following histogram, what is the proper ordering of the

mean, median, and mode? Note that the graph is NOT numerically
precise - only the relative positions are important.

a. I= mean, II= median, III= mode

b. I= mode, II= median, III= mean
c. I=median, II= mean, III= mode
d. I= mode, II= mean, III=median
69. For the following histogram, what is the proper ordering of the
mean, median, and mode? Note that the graph is NOT numerically
precise - only the relative positions are important.

a. I= mean, II= median, III= mode

b. I= mode, II= median, III= mean
c. I=median, II= mean, III= mode
d. I= mode, II= mean, III=median
69. For the following histogram, what is the proper ordering of the
mean, median, and mode? Note that the graph is NOT numerically
precise - only the relative positions are important.

a. I= mean, II= median, III= mode

b. I= mode, II= median, III= mean
c. I=median, II= mean, III= mode
d. I= mode, II= mean, III=median
70. To display the best reimbursement/cost ratios for
procedures performed in three ambulatory surgery
centers in the last calendar year, use a

a. scatter diagram.

b. pie chart.

c. control chart.

d. Pareto chart.
70. To display the best reimbursement/cost ratios for
procedures performed in three ambulatory surgery
centers in the last calendar year, use a

a. scatter diagram.

b. pie chart.

c. control chart.

d. Pareto chart.
71. Of the following possibilities, what is does the
control chart above tell you (CL = Center Line—either
mean or median, depending on type of data; LCL = 0)?
a. Three sentinel events occurred since mid-2006 with
effective intervention.
b. Special cause variation occurred with effective
intervention in mid-2007.
c. Falls are within control limits since mid-2006.
d. Falls are out of control since mid-2007.
 Run Chart Control Chart

Astronomical point 1 point more than

3 sigma

Shift 6 points or more 8 points or more

Trend 5 points or more 6 points or more

71. Of the following possibilities, what is does the
control chart above tell you (CL = Center Line—either
mean or median, depending on type of data; LCL = 0)?
a. Three sentinel events occurred since mid-2006 with
effective intervention.
b. Special cause variation occurred with effective
intervention in mid-2007.
c. Falls are within control limits since mid-2006.
d. Falls are out of control since mid-2007.
72. The QI team is responsible for determining
whether the data demonstrates special or common
cause variation. Of the following, what is the best
display option to use?

a. Run chart
b. Pareto chart
c. Scatter diagram
d. Control chart
72. The QI team is responsible for determining
whether the data demonstrates special or common
cause variation. Of the following, what is the best
display option to use?

a. Run chart
b. Pareto chart
c. Scatter diagram
d. Control chart
73. When common cause process variation is
identified, the goal of quality improvement team is to

a. promote compliance with established procedure or

protocol.

b. eliminate the variation.

c. improve practitioner competency.

d. Check the performance level.

 Appropriate action to take
Common cause (predictable, stable, in
control, inherent in process)
• Do not react to individual differences.
• Try to explain differences between high
and low numbers.
Special cause (unpredictable, unstable, out of
control)
• Verify the data collection.
• Identify and study special cause:
If negative, minimize or prevent
If positive, build into process
73. When common cause process variation is
identified, the goal of quality improvement team is to

a. promote compliance with established procedure or

protocol.

b. eliminate the variation.

c. improve practitioner competency.

d. Check the performance level.

74. An affinity diagram is best used when

a. information is clearly connected to one issue.

b. there is inadequate information.

c. the volume of information is very large .

d. brainstorming is not an option.

74. An affinity diagram is best used when

a. information is clearly connected to one issue.

b. there is inadequate information.

c. the volume of information is very large .

d. brainstorming is not an option.

75. Which of the following is depicted by a Gantt
chart?

a. tasks and progress in relation to time

b. tasks, duration, and dependency information
c. dependent tasks that together take the longest
time to complete
d. a process being studied or used to plan stages of a
project.
 Gantt Chart

• Used to keep teams on track!

75. Which of the following is depicted by a Gantt
chart?

a. tasks and progress in relation to time

b. tasks, duration, and dependency information
c. dependent tasks that together take the longest
time to complete
d. a process being studied or used to plan stages of a
project.
You are the quality professional for a large provider
organization. You have two sets of monthly utilization
data—total costs and total reimbursements from
payers—for the last two years.
76. To best display the data for the full two years, which
of the following types of graphic displays should you use?
a. Pie charts
b. Bar charts
c. Run charts
d. Pareto charts
You are the quality professional for a large provider
organization. You have two sets of monthly utilization
data—total costs and total reimbursements from
payers—for the last two years.
76. To best display the data for the full two years, which
of the following types of graphic displays should you use?
a. Pie charts
b. Bar charts
c. Run charts
d. Pareto charts
77. The primary care clinic tracks callers’ telephone wait
times as a recurring performance measure twice a year. In
the last two months, wait times have been increasing. On
the latest run chart, 8 consecutive data points all in
ascending order, with 21 total data points, represents
a/an
a. common cause variation.
b. special cause variation.
c. cyclical variation.
d. astronomical value.
 Run Chart Control Chart

Astronomical point 1 point more than

3 sigma

Shift 6 points or more 8 points or more

Trend 5 points or more 6 points or more

77. The primary care clinic tracks callers’ telephone wait
times as a recurring performance measure twice a year. In
the last two months, wait times have been increasing. On
the latest run chart, 8 consecutive data points all in
ascending order, with 21 total data points, represents
a/an
a. common cause variation.
b. special cause variation.
c. cyclical variation.
d. astronomical value.
78. The rate of increase or decrease in total
medication errors over a six-month period could best
be displayed by the use of a

a. frequency polygon.

b. line graph.

c. bar graph.

d. cumulative frequency curve.

78. The rate of increase or decrease in total
medication errors over a six-month period could best
be displayed by the use of a

a. frequency polygon.

b. line graph.

c. bar graph.

d. cumulative frequency curve.

79. A quality improvement manager received the results
from the most recent customer survey. Sixty percent of
the residents in a nursing home have rated the
temperature of foods served as poor. Which of the
following actions should be taken first?

A. Call the dietitian and ask for an explanation.

B. Review previous results and assess trends.

C. Set up a continuous monitor for review.

D. Ignore the results and assess next quarter.

79. A quality improvement manager received the results
from the most recent customer survey. Sixty percent of
the residents in a nursing home have rated the
temperature of foods served as poor. Which of the
following actions should be taken first?

A. Call the dietitian and ask for an explanation.

B. Review previous results and assess trends.

C. Set up a continuous monitor for review.

D. Ignore the results and assess next quarter.

80. Measurement and assessment activities by the local
Ambulatory Surgery Center indicate that monthly surgical
site postoperative infection rates have increased over the
past year. A comparison of the local Center's aggregated
rate to the other surgery centers in the same region, for
like procedures, is best displayed by the use of a
a. bar graph.
b. pie graph.
c. grouped frequency distribution.
d. line graph.
80. Measurement and assessment activities by the local
Ambulatory Surgery Center indicate that monthly surgical
site postoperative infection rates have increased over the
past year. A comparison of the local Center's aggregated
rate to the other surgery centers in the same region, for
like procedures, is best displayed by the use of a
a. bar graph.
b. pie graph.
c. grouped frequency distribution.
d. line graph.
81. An emergency department trends wait times from

patient arrival to physician assessment. Data are reported

using a run chart. Which of the following demonstrates a

true statistical increase in treatment delays?

A. 6 consecutive ascending data points

B. 7 consecutive descending data points

C. a zigzag pattern of 10 data points

D. data points close to the mean line

 Run Chart Control Chart

Astronomical point 1 point more than

3 sigma

Shift 6 points or more 8 points or more

Trend 5 points or more 6 points or more

81. An emergency department trends wait times from

patient arrival to physician assessment. Data are reported

using a run chart. Which of the following demonstrates a

true statistical increase in treatment delays?

A. 6 consecutive ascending data points

B. 7 consecutive descending data points

C. a zigzag pattern of 10 data points

D. data points close to the mean line

82. In a proportion, the difference between the two
ratios 50:1000 and 375:5000 is

a. 125

b. 250

c. 325

d. 4000
82. In a proportion, the difference between the two
ratios 50:1000 and 375:5000 is

a. 125

b. 250

c. 325

d. 4000
82. In a proportion, the difference between the two ratios
50:1000 and 375:5000 is
50/1000 375/5000
250/5000 375/5000
375/ 5000 - 250/5000 = 125/5000 = 25/1000

50/1000 375/5000
50/1000 75/1000
75/1000 – 50/1000 = 25/1000
• Difference between 5/9 and 2/9

• 5/9 – 2/9 = 3/9