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CPPS: Certified Professional in Patient Safety

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Surgeons working on patient

The Certified Professional in Patient SafetyTM credential (CPPS) is earned by professionals who have demonstrated a high level of proficiency in the core standards of patient safety.​​​​​​​​​ This credential is awarded through a thorough examination covering five patient safety domains:​

  • Culture​
  • Leadership
  • Patient Safety Risks and Solutions
  • Measuring and Improving Performance
  • Systems Thinking and Design / Human Factors​

​More than 3,000 professionals have earned the CPPS credential, representing all 50 US states and 20 countries.​​​​​​

​NEW! The IHI CPPS™ Scholarship Program for Nurses: Advancing Equity in Safety Certification​ - Applications Under Review

Through the generous support of Medtronic, in recognition of the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, IHI will be offering sixty scholarships for Black nurses, Indigenous nurses, and nurses of color for the CPPS credentialing program. Each scholarship will include access to the online CPPS review course, the CPPS practice exam, and the CPPS credentialing exam.

The deadline for application for scholarship has passed. Awardees will be notified in December 2020.​

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​CPPS Examina​tion: Live Remote Proctoring Now Available​
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Live remote online proctoring for the CPPS exam is now available. This new exam delivery option allows CPPS candidates to continue advancing their personal and professional goals while being mindful of health concerns and access to physical testing sites. Find more information about this new way to complete your CPPS examination.​

​why certification is important

This professional certification program establishes core standards for the field of patient safety, benchmarks requirements necessary for health care professionals, and sets an expected proficiency level.​​

​For professionals, the CPPS credential provides those working in patient safety a means to demonstrate their proficiency and skill in the discipline

For organizations, requiring the CPPS credential provides a way for employers to validate a potential candidate’s patient safety knowledge and skill base, critical competencies for today’s health​​ care challenges

​Additional compelling reasons to earn your CPPS:

  • 79% of health care professionals who have earned the CPPS told us that this credential helped them to improve patient care at their organization
  • You can prepare for the CPPS exam — and take the actual exam — virtually, from wherever you are
  • Adding this credential to your CV makes your commitment to — and education about — patient safety visible 
  • ​Since earning their CPPS credential, 81% of titleholders have led organization or system-wide initiatives, leading critical improvements​

who should consider certification

  • ​Physicians
  • Nurses​
  • Pharmacists​
  • Patient Safety Professionals​
  • Quality and Risk Management Professionals​
  • Health Care Executives​
  • Non-Clinical Health Care Professionals​
  • ​All other health care professionals with the requisite background​

​requirements for certification

Candidates for the CPPS credential are those who include patient safety practices as an integral component of current or future professional responsibilities. Candidates must also possess academic and professional experience at one of the following levels:

  • Baccalaureate degree or higher, plus three years of experience (includes time spent in clinical rotations and residency programs) in a health care setting or with a provider of services to the health care industry

OR​​

  • Associate degree or equivalent plus five years of experience (includes time
    spent in clinical rotations) in a health care setting or with a provider of services to the health care industry​

​​​​how to GET certifIED​​

We recommend the following activities before you register for the exam:

​If you would like to prepare prior to your exam, consider taking the online CPPS practice exam or​​​ taking a CPPS review course.

Once you are ready to register for your exam, select a date and time at a testing c​enter near you​ through our partner website​.​​​