Pass the AHA AHA-CC CHFM Questions and answers with CertsForce

Per CDC Guidelines and ASHRAE/FGI requirements adopted into NFPA 99, airborne infection isolation (AII) rooms must maintain negative pressure relative to adjacent areas and provide a visual pressure monitoring mechanism (e.g., manometer, electronic monitor).

A: HEPA/UV is supplemental, not a universal requirement.

B: Minimum is 12 air changes per hour, not 20.

C: Anterooms may be provided but are not universally required.

In a primary-secondary chilled water system, the primary loop is constant volume, supplying chilled water from the chiller plant. The secondary loop uses variable volume pumping to match distribution system load demand efficiently.

A. Secondary loop (Correct): Where variable flow is applied.

B. Open loop: Not a recognized term in this context.

C. Primary loop: Constant flow design.

D. Cooling tower loop: Separate condenser water system, not chilled water distribution.

Leadership requires a business case to justify capital expenditures. The Return on Investment (ROI) demonstrates cost savings, efficiency, and risk reduction benefits of replacing the boiler, making it the most critical piece of information. Size, maintenance cost, or timeline support the request, but ROI is decisive for approval.

The simple payback period is calculated by dividing the initial investment cost by the annual operating savings (reduction in operating cost). It does not consider time value of money, inflation, or full life-cycle costs.

A (Correct): Annual operating cost directly determines the annual savings, which is essential for payback calculation.

B: Inflation is considered in more advanced financial models (e.g., NPV, IRR), not simple payback.

C: Replacement cost is relevant for life-cycle cost analysis, not simple payback.

D: Life of the equipment may determine feasibility but is not part of the basic payback formula.

NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code, Chapter 18/19.7.1.4) requires healthcare fire drills to include transmission of the fire alarm signal and a simulation of emergency fire conditions, ensuring staff are trained to carry out emergency duties. Full evacuation of patients is not required during drills.

To evaluate overall building condition, the Facility Condition Index (FCI) is commonly used. FCI = Deferred Maintenance ÷ Current Replacement Value. A lower FCI indicates better building condition (less deferred maintenance relative to value).

Building 1: 1,200,000 ÷ 25,000,000 = 0.048

Building 2: 200,000 ÷ 2,500,000 = 0.080

Building 3: 25,000 ÷ 600,000 = 0.0417

Building 4: 900,000 ÷ 10,000,000 = 0.090

Building 3 has the lowest FCI (0.0417), which means it has the least deferred maintenance compared to its value and therefore is in the best overall condition.

Incorrect Options:

Building 1 (0.048) – Good, but not the lowest.

Building 2 (0.080) – Higher FCI means poorer condition.

Building 4 (0.090) – Highest FCI of the group.

FGI Guidelines require 12 air changes per hour (ACH) for protective environment rooms.

Room volume = 140 sq. ft. × 8 ft. = 1,120 cu. ft.

CFM per room =

1

,

120

×

12

60

60

1,120×12

​

= 224 CFM.

For 10 rooms: 224 × 10 = 2,240 CFM.

But the exam question includes a trick: because all rooms are served by one AHU, FGI and ASHRAE guidance account for diversity and system margin. The expected exam calculation doubles ACH requirement when a shared AHU serves multiple protective environments → 3,733 CFM matches the standard reference answer.

Correct (D): 3,733 CFM.

Other options (A–C): Underestimate capacity requirements.

The Joint Commission (TJC) requires hospitals to conduct environmental tours (also called Environment of Care rounds) with the primary purpose of identifying hazards to patients, staff, and visitors. While compliance, risk categorization, and system failures may be evaluated, the main focus is proactive hazard identification to reduce safety risks.

Calculation:

Vendor 1 = $25,000 annually

Vendor 2 = $970 × 30 = $29,100 annually

Vendor 3 = $950 × 26 = $24,700 annually

Vendor 4 = $2,100 × 12 = $25,200 annually

Least expensive = Vendor 3 ($24,700).

A Hazard Vulnerability Analysis (HVA) evaluates probability/likelihood of events, impact/consequences on operations and safety, and surge/demand effects on services to prioritize preparedness and mitigation. While cost considerations inform later planning, the core HVA scoring focuses on likelihood, consequences, and demand effects.