Certified Healthcare Safety Professional (CHSP) Practice Exam

What defines a patient safety event?

1. An incident that improves patient satisfaction

2. A condition that could have harmed a patient

3. A report on patient demographics

4. A scheduled patient procedure

The correct answer is: A condition that could have harmed a patient

A patient safety event is specifically defined as any situation or incident that could have potentially harmed a patient, or has actually harmed a patient in the course of receiving healthcare. This definition is crucial as it emphasizes the need for healthcare organizations to identify, report, and analyze events that either occur or could occur to prevent harm. Choosing an incident that improves patient satisfaction does not relate to patient safety; rather, it concerns service quality and patient experience, which are different aspects of healthcare. Similarly, reports on patient demographics do not pertain to events affecting patient safety but instead focus on statistical data about patient populations. Finally, a scheduled patient procedure does not inherently indicate a safety event since it’s a routine and planned aspect of healthcare delivery rather than something that involves unintended harm or risk. Such distinctions underscore the focus on actual or potential harm as the defining characteristic of a patient safety event.