Leadership Chapter 9
7. Which statement about time management is true? A) Most people have an accurate perception of the time they spend on a particular task or the total amount of time they are productive during the day B) Nurses who are self-aware and have clearly identified personal goals and priorities have greater control over how they spend their time C) Writing goals down is not necessary if the goals are limited to fewer than five in number D) A time inventory for 2 or 3 days is sufficient to identify a time management pattern
Ans: B Feedback: Nurses who are self-aware and have clearly identified personal goals and priorities have greater control over how they spend their time. The other options are not true statements regarding time management.
18. What category of prioritizing will an item that will take care of itself be placed? A) Squeaky wheel B) Don't do C) Do later D) Do now
Ans: B Feedback: One simple means of prioritizing what needs to be accomplished is to divide all requests into three categories: "don't do," "do later," and "do now." The "don't do" items probably reflect problems that will take care of themselves, are already outdated, or are better accomplished by someone else.
8. Which task should the team leader initially engage in when planning care for a group of patients? A) Plan so that each patient on the team receives equal amounts of nursing care B) Prioritize the amount and type of nursing care each patient requires C) Identify the staff who will comprise the individual care teams D) Assign patients to the specific nursing teams
Ans: B Feedback: Prioritizing the care each patient will require is the initial step in care planning. The other options are considered but implementation will happen after the prioritizing.
17. What is the most critical skill in good time management? A) Allow adequate time for planning B) Recognizing the need for daily planning C) Priority setting D) Handling situations as they arise
Ans: C Feedback: Priority setting is perhaps the most critical skill in time management because all actions taken are some type of relative importance.
25. What is the suggested perception of a nurse-manager who is consistently late for appointments? A) The manager is overworked with too many responsibilities B) The manager needs additional management training C) The manager does not value other people's time D) The manager lacks time management skills
Ans: C Feedback: A lack of punctuality suggests that one does not value other people's time. The other options may be true but the perception is the more emotional perception.
6. Which plan is an effective way of handling a large task? A) Plan to finish the task with few breaks B) Delegate portions of the task to qualified staff C) Break the task into smaller, less intimidating units D) Delay beginning the task until it has your undivided attention
Ans: C Feedback: Breaking down a task, or chunking, prevents the person from becoming overwhelmed by the size of the task. It may not be possible or advisable to finish the task without breaks or delegating it to staff.
22. How does the effective nurse-manager most effectively deal with the ever-changing nature of the nursing work environment? A) Evaluating the management skills of the nursing team leaders B) Providing time management classes for staff members C) Frequently reassessing personally established priorities D) Encouraging staff to engage in daily planning
Ans: C Feedback: Setting new priorities or adjusting priorities to reflect ever-changing work situations is an ongoing reality for the unit manager. While the other options are appropriate, they are not directed to the management role in dealing with the ever-changing nature of the environment of nursing.
9. What will the nurse-manager do to best reduce paper clutter in the workspace? A) Support face-to-face communication between staff members B) Encourage paper clutter to be thrown away at the end of each shift C) Deal with paper correspondence as soon as possible after it arrives. D) Place additional recycling and trash receptacles throughout the unit
Ans: C Feedback: Whenever possible, incoming correspondence should be handled the day it arrives. It should either be thrown away or filed according to the date to be completed. The other options do not have the same amount of impact on controlling clutter.
13. How can subordinates be discouraged from taking up a nursing manager's time unproductively? 1. Being accessible in the nursing station 2. Instituting an open-door policy 3. Have limited office seating available 4. Refocus conversations as needed A) 1, 2 B) 1, 3 C) 2, 4 D) 3, 4
Ans: D Feedback: Do not make yourself overly accessible. Make it easy for people to ignore you. Try not to "work" at the nursing station, if this is possible. Interrupt. When someone is rambling on without getting to the point, break in and say gently, "Excuse me. Somehow I'm not getting your message. What exactly are you saying?" Avoid promoting socialization. Having several comfortable chairs in your office, a full candy dish, and posters on your walls that invite comments encourage socializing in your office. Be brief. Watch your own long-winded comments, and stand up when you are finished.
19. What do the "do now" requests reflect? A) A unit's day-to-day operational needs B) Issues related to short-term goals C) Large, time-consuming tasks D) Problems that cannot be delegated
Ans: A Feedback: The "do now" requests most commonly reflect a unit's day-to-day operational needs. These "do now" requests are not necessarily related to short-term goals or time-consuming. Nor are they also non-delegatable.
12. Which activity is associated with a leadership role in time management? A) Assisting followers in working cooperatively to maximize time use B) Prioritizing day-to-day planning to meet short-term and long-term unit goals C) Building time for time management planning into the work schedule D) Utilizing technology to facilitate timely communication and documentation
Ans: A Feedback: A leadership role is to assist followers in working cooperatively to maximize time use. Management functions include the following: Appropriately prioritizes day-to-day planning to meet short-term and long-term unit goals; builds time for planning into the work schedule; utilizes technology to facilitate timely communication and documentation.
24. What is the primary reason for documenting nursing interventions as soon as possible after an activity is completed? A) Decreasing the risk of inaccurate documentation B) Implementing effective time management skills C) Demonstrating professional nursing behavior D) Observing an established nursing principle
Ans: A Feedback: Document your nursing interventions as soon as possible after an activity is completed. Waiting until the end of the workday to complete necessary documentation increases the risk of inaccuracies and incomplete documentation. The remaining options are accurate but lack the primary focus of patient safety.
2. What is the reason that first- and middle-level managers experience more interruptions than higher-level managers? A) They generally interact directly with a greater number of subordinates in daily planning B) They seldom have the clerical and secretarial help assigned to higher-level managers C) They are more social in nature and personal interactions D) They are busier than higher-level managers
Ans: A Feedback: Frequent interruptions are common for first- and middle-level managers, who have a larger number of direct reports than do higher-level managers. The other options are not generally true statements.
11. Which is the foundational principle of nursing time management? A) Short-term planning B) Strategic planning C) Immediate attention to care needs D) Adhering to a daily plan
Ans: A Feedback: The foundational principle of time management is short-term planning. Strategic planning is a long-term activity while the other options lack the flexibility needed by time management.
23. Which statement demonstrates adherence to habits that supports good time management skills? (Select all that apply.) A) "It's important to me to be professional." B) "I can depend on the members of my team." C) "I've learned that I'm most energetic in the morning." D) "I'll adjust my sleep schedule now that I'm on night shift."
Ans: A, B, C, D Feedback: Habit 1: Strive to be authentic. Be honest with yourself about what you want and why you do what you do. Habit 2: Favor trusting relationships. Build relationships with people you can trust and count on, and make sure those same people can trust and count on you. Habit 3: Maintain a lifestyle that will give you maximum energy. Exercise, eat well, and get enough sleep. Habit 4: Listen to your biorhythms and organize your day accordingly. Pay attention to regular fluctuations in your physical and mental energy levels throughout the day and schedule tasks accordingly. Habit 5: Set very few priorities and stick to them. Select a maximum of two things that are your highest priority, and work on them.
16. When is the best time of day for the manager to spend appropriate time on planning? A) Whenever a block of time is available B) Beginning of the day C) Middle of the day D) End of the day
Ans: B Feedback: Setting aside time at the beginning of each day to plan the day allows the manager to spend appropriate time on high-priority tasks.
5. Which policy implemented by a manager will minimize unproductive socialization? A) An open-door policy B) Scheduled appointments C) Informal, impromptu meetings D) Maintaining strict professional boundaries
Ans: B Feedback: Appointments will discourage unproductive socialization since time will be allotted and a schedule maintained. Open-door policies and impromptu meetings encourage socialization while strict professional boundaries may actually interfere with communications.
1. Which is the first step in the time management process? A) Completing the highest priority task B) Allowing enough time for sufficient daily planning C) Reprioritizing based on new information received D) Delegating work that cannot be accomplished in a day
Ans: B Feedback: Daily planning is essential if the manager is to manage by efficiency rather than by crisis. The remaining options are steps that occur after planning.
14. What is the best response for a nurse-manager to handle someone who has a pattern of lengthy chatter? A) "We'll need to make it brief since my schedule is tight today." B) "I can't speak with you now, but I'm going to have free time at 11 am." C) "Stop by and we can talk during your lunch break." D) "I am sorry but I do not have anytime today to talk with you."
Ans: B Feedback: If someone has a pattern of lengthy chatter and manages to corner you on rounds or at the nurse's station, say, "I can't speak with you now, but I'm going to have some free time at 11 AM. Why don't you see me then?" Unless the meeting is important, the person who just wishes to chat will not bother to make a formal appointment. If you would like to chat and have the time to do so, use coffee breaks and lunch hours for socializing.
20. In prioritizing all the "do now" items, the manager may find preparing a written list helpful. What is important to remember about the written list? 1. It is a plan 2. It is a product 3. It is a planning tool 4. It is the final goal to be accomplished A) 1, 2 B) 1, 3 C) 2, 3 D) 3, 4
Ans: B Feedback: In prioritizing all the "do now" items, the manager may find preparing a written list helpful. The list is a planning tool. Remember, however, that a list is a plan, not a product, and that the creation of the list is not the final goal.
10. Which technique will help the manager prioritize? A) Doing "trivial" items first to get them out of the way B) Putting some items in the "don't do" category C) "Breaking of" overwhelming tasks D) "Delegating" the most important things to someone else
Ans: B Feedback: The "don't do" list contains items that will take care of themselves, are already outdated, or are best accomplished by someone else. In the case of items that are best done by someone else, the manager should pass these along in a timely fashion. None of the remaining options address prioritization.
4. What does the good manager have to remember about creating a daily list? A) It should remain changed once initial planning is completed B) It is a planning tool, and thus must have flexibility in its implementation C) It should include all the planner's short-term, intermediate, and long-term goals D) It should be highly structured, thus decreasing the possibility of procrastination
Ans: B Feedback: The daily list should be flexible, changeable, leave some time for the unexpected, and include appropriate short-term goals.
21. Which statement identifies a common mistake made related to daily planning? A) "Crises always come up so my plan is always changing." B) "I have always handled my patients' needs as they arise." C) "Sometimes it's difficult to reserve time for daily planning." D) "Patient care requires a lot of reassessment by nursing."
Ans: B Feedback: Two mistakes common in planning are underestimating the importance of a daily plan and not allowing adequate time for planning. The remaining options reflect an understanding of the importance of planning.
15. Time management can be reduced to cyclic steps. What are the steps? 1. Allow time for planning and establish priorities. 2. Complete the quickest priority tasks first. 3. Complete the highest priority task, and whenever possible, finish one task before beginning another. 4. Reprioritize based on remaining tasks and new information that may have been received. A) 1, 2, 3 B) 1, 2, 4 C) 1, 3, 4 D) 2, 3, 4
Ans: C Feedback: Time management can be reduced to three cyclic steps: (a) allow time for planning and establish priorities; (b) complete the highest priority task, and whenever possible, finish one task before beginning another; and (c) reprioritize based on remaining tasks and new information that may have been received.
3. Which time waster does the manager have least control over? A) Failure to set objectives B) Inability to say no C) Procrastination D) Paperwork overload
Ans: D Feedback: Excessive paperwork is an external time waster; the others are time wasters created by the manager (internal).