1. What is the definition of safety science according to the

Institute of Medicine (IOM)?

a) The study of how to prevent errors and adverse events in

health care settings

b) The study of how to design, implement, and evaluate

interventions that improve patient safety

c) The study of how to measure, monitor, and report on

patient safety outcomes and performance

d) The study of how to create a culture of safety that

supports learning and improvement

Answer: B. Safety science is the study of how to design,

implement, and evaluate interventions that improve patient

safety, according to the IOM. The other options are related

to safety science, but not its definition.

2. What are the three levels of human factors that affect

patient safety, according to Reason's Swiss cheese model?

a) Latent conditions, active failures, and defenses

b) Individual factors, team factors, and organizational

factors

c) Human error, at-risk behavior, and reckless behavior

d) Skill-based errors, rule-based errors, and knowledgebased errors

Answer: A. Reason's Swiss cheese model proposes that

patient safety is influenced by three levels of human

factors: latent conditions (systemic weaknesses or flaws),

active failures (unsafe acts by frontline workers), and

defenses (barriers or safeguards that prevent or mitigate

harm).