Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) Examination

The Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) Examination assesses whether candidates can apply patient-safety principles in healthcare settings. It is intended for professionals whose work involves safety, quality, risk, or improvement—not only clinicians with a dedicated patient-safety title. Pharmacists may pursue the credential to demonstrate knowledge relevant to medication-use systems, safety culture, and organizational improvement. Eligibility is based on a combination of education and relevant experience; the current CPPS Candidate Handbook explains the qualifying pathways and documentation requirements.

CPPS content covers patient safety science and systems thinking, safety culture and Just Culture, leadership and organizational commitment, and human factors and ergonomics. Candidates should also review risk identification, event analysis, measurement, improvement methods, and the regulatory context of patient safety. The exam uses computer-based multiple-choice questions, but item and timing details can change, so confirm the current format in official materials. Preparation is less about memorizing isolated terms and more about applying concepts to realistic healthcare scenarios, including medication-use processes.