Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) Practice Exam

Which cultural approach in healthcare focuses on understanding and mitigating human error?

1. Just Culture.

2. Statistical Process Control.

3. Lean Methodology.

4. Six Sigma.

The correct answer is: Just Culture.

The approach that focuses on understanding and mitigating human error in healthcare is Just Culture. This framework emphasizes creating an environment where employees feel safe to report mistakes and near misses without fear of punishment. Just Culture recognizes that while human error is inevitable, it can be addressed through a systematic approach to understanding the factors that contribute to errors. This approach encourages open communication about mistakes and promotes a learning environment where organizations can analyze incidents to gain insights and implement strategies that prevent future occurrences. Just Culture distinguishes between human error, at-risk behavior, and reckless behavior, with the goal of supporting accountability while fostering a culture of safety. It ultimately contributes to improved patient safety by encouraging the reporting and analysis of errors, leading to systemic changes that reduce risk. In contrast, other approaches such as Statistical Process Control, Lean Methodology, and Six Sigma focus more on process optimization, efficiency, and variation reduction rather than directly addressing human error within a cultural context. These methodologies may support reliability and quality in healthcare but do not inherently prioritize the understanding and mitigation of human error in the way Just Culture does.