Leadership Final:

10. A nurse manager must be familiar with the agency's policies regarding termination. Termination procedures include which of the following? a. Following specific procedures from other organizations b. Having an attorney present at the termination meeting c. Having adequate written documentation to support the action d. Having a friend present during the termination meeting

ANS: C All steps should be followed, including full appropriate detailed documentation and following the procedures of the organization.

9. Anecdotal notes: a. should be completed only when there are performance concerns. b. can be used to support and justify fairness in termination discussions. c. are unnecessary if the evaluation instrument is thorough. d. need to be completed at the end of a performance period.

ANS: B Anecdotal notes should be kept consistently throughout the evaluation period and should reflect both negative and positive behaviors if they are to provide an accurate assessment of performance. Anecdotal notes provide documentation to support rating scales and narrative evaluation summaries.

9. The day shift nurse asks an LPN/LVN to complete a task for a patient. The day shift nurse is engaging in what function? a. Delegating b. Assigning c. Sharing d. Authorizing

ANS: B Delegation refers to transfer of responsibility for work; the day shift nurse retains accountability for the outcomes of patient care therefore is using assigning of the task rather than delegation.

15. A 27-year-old woman is admitted to your ICU in a coma, following an accident. The family of the patient, who is a Native American, places a medicine pouch in the bed with the young woman. As the nurse in this situation, it is important to: a. explain to the family that the medicine pouch may contain herbs that may bother other patients. b. ask the family about the significance of the medicine pouch for them. c. remove the pouch when the family is not present. d. put the medicine pouch on the shelf beside the bed.

ANS: B Diversity encompasses more than differences in nationality or ethnicity and may include a variety of ways that patients are different from their healthcare providers. Nurses need to recognize the culture of their work setting, realizing that it may differ markedly from the culture of the consumer, and move beyond ethnocentrism to provide culturally competent care. This competence includes cultural knowledge, which involves actively learning about a community; cultural sensitivity, which entails valuing and respecting beliefs, norms, and practices of the people being served; and collaboration within a community. In this instance, it is important to understand the meaning of the pouch for the family; removal from the bed without discussion does not demonstrate respect for the values and beliefs of this family.

15. Nurse Stacey is a self-admitted drug addict and has been a heavy abuser of codeine. Stacey and the unit manager decide that changes have to occur. Stacey enrolls in an addiction program, and the manager has her transferred to a drug-free area. What other strategies might be appropriate? a. The manager could refer Stacey to the human resources department. b. The manager could assist in monitoring Stacey's progress. c. The manager could counsel Stacey if Stacey has formed a trusting relationship with her. d. Stacey needs to be asked not to involve her family in the recovery program because this is a work-related situation.

ANS: B Effective management demands that the organization take an active role in helping employees with special needs. Humanistic strategies that counsel and assist employees are cost-effective and necessary.

16. During a performance appraisal, Joanne, the nurse manager, indicates that Alysha has difficulty mentoring students on the unit. Alysha responds that this is not her responsibility. In responding to Alysha, Joanne needs to consider: a. Alysha's level of confidence. b. whether mentoring is included in the position description. c. whether mentoring is an essential component of the position description. d. whether mentoring can be accurately observed and measured.

ANS: B Employees must have clear role expectations, clearly understand what is expected of their performance, and understand the ramifications of not meeting those expectations. Position descriptions provide written guidelines detailing the roles and responsibilities of a specific position within the organizational context.

20. Which of the following strategies might be effective in empowering staff? a. Communication book in which new information on policies and processes is communicated and mistakes are highlighted. b. Monthly staff meetings during which a portion of the agenda is devoted to sharing ideas and presentations on best practices for implementation on the unit. c. Once-yearly summative evaluations based on what the manager best likes about the individual. d. Focus on discussion of errors in care with direction as to how errors are to be prevented in the future.

ANS: B Empowerment is a process that acknowledges the values and judgments of others and trusts their decisions. It allows freedom for making decisions while retaining accountability and provides an environment that is safe in which to explore.

13. The unit manager on 4E is concerned about the performance of Jean, a staff nurse. She is not involved directly with Jean, so she has not been able to determine whether the problem is one of motivation, ability, or both. If Jean lacks ability, which of the following strategies might the head nurse use? a. Dismiss or transfer Jean. b. Document all problem areas and then discuss them with Jean. c. Develop appropriate solutions and make recommendations to human resources. d. Smooth over the problems if they are minor in nature.

ANS: B For the employee to change and grow, specific corrective measures need to be taken. Consultation with the employee is necessary, and documentation is key to determining the issues.

3. The nurse manager, as the leader of the unit's "customer (client) first" initiative, has asked the staff nurses to develop and administer a survey to every client before discharge. In asking the staff nurses to accomplish this task, the nurse manager is demonstrating: a. accountability. b. shared leadership. c. a common purpose. d. independence in the nursing manager's role.

ANS: B Healthy work environments are facilitated by involving staff and others in decision making; gaining access to information is one characteristic of shared decision making. Shared decision making enables staff to feel valued in policy development and in directing and leading.

7. A nurse manager understands that the second step in handling an employee with a disciplinary problem is to document the incident. Which of the following is best for documentation of personnel problems? a. Use of the performance appraisal on an annual basis b. Notes made immediately after an incident that include a description of the incident, actions taken, plans, and follow-up c. A tally sheet of medication errors and other specific problems that will be used at annual review d. Copies of reports, placed in his or her file, of all unusual occurrences involving the employee

ANS: B In documenting staff problems, it is important to specifically indicate what rules were broken or violated, consequences if behavior is not altered, employee's explanation of the incidents, and the plan of action to achieve and to reach new goals.

2. John, a new graduate, reviews the employee evaluation for his new position. The first section requires that he list his own specific objectives to be accomplished. This is an example of: a. the traditional rating scale. b. learning goals, or management by objectives. c. a forced distribution scale. d. a behavior-anchored rating scale.

ANS: B In management by objectives, the employer and the employee jointly establish clear and measurable objectives for the next performance period.

4. Before terminating an employee, a nurse manager must: a. be an expert in all legal aspects of termination and discipline practices. b. follow the organization's specific policies for addressing disciplinary problems and termination. c. function as a counselor for problem employees. d. do everything to assist and protect the employee by adjusting standards and policies.

ANS: B It is important to know the policies of the organization to address disciplinary issues fairly and equitably, as well as to know the model that is employed to address employee problems. Human resource departments and legal departments are important sources for consultation, advice, and support.

12. Budgeting and protection of revenues is a function of: a. leadership. b. management. c. team leadership. d. followers.

ANS: B Managers address complex issues such as planning, budgeting, and allocating resources, whereas leaders address change.

10. Nurses in the CCU are unhappy and frustrated with their nurse manager. They complain that "nothing is ever good enough for him." These statements suggest that the nurse manager's goals may be: a. measurable. b. unrealistic. c. attainable. d. too low.

ANS: B Nurse managers who are successful in motivating staff often provide an inclusive environment that facilitates clearly set, achievable goals that can result in both team and personal satisfaction.

21. The chief nursing officer establishes a shared governance model to help empower the nursing staff, thus empowering the organization. Common characteristics of empowered organizations are: a. shared values, high salaries, and a human focus. b. shared values, flexibility, and a human-capital focus. c. commitment to communication, high salaries, and flexibility for evaluations. d. creation of community and of effective stress management in the midst of divergent goals.

ANS: B Shared governance involves valuing the contributions of each member of the team, releasing the need to control, and understanding that accountability rests with members of the team.

18. As a head nurse, you are concerned about the service orientation on your unit. Which of the following findings and approaches might provide useful information for you? a. Patients find nurses friendly and accessible; data are aggregated for the institution as a whole. b. Data indicate that nurses are responsive to requests for assistance; data are available for the unit and the institution. c. Specific questions related to management of comfort are included for the institution as a whole. d. The survey asks for a range of responses for the unit and the organization, with a focus on facilities, such as cleanliness and responsiveness of administrative services.

ANS: B The National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI®) is a national repository for unit-based quality data that can be used by organizations to benchmark the outcomes of care against those of other institutions (ANA, n.d.). Unit-based quality indicators, including satisfaction with nursing care, are a key feature of the NDNQI®. In addition to hospitals being provided with their own and comparison data, researchers are able to access de-identified data in order to answer important questions about nursing care quality. Pain management, the discharge process, and post-discharge patient callbacks are specific areas where nurses can make significant improvement in patient satisfaction. Because patients and nurses may differ in what they see as factors that produce satisfaction, total reliance on nursing perceptions of patient satisfaction may not provide a complete picture.

7. The hospital administrator approves a case management position for a new rehabilitation unit to help reduce costs. In developing the job description, the nurse manager understands that a key element of case management is: a. managing of care by nurse managers. b. coordination of resources for effective outcomes. c. rapid discharge of clients to decrease costs. d. managing of care for outpatient clients only.

ANS: B The key to effective case management is proactive coordination of care from the point of admission to accomplish appropriate and effective outcomes. Case management involves components such as case selection, multidisciplinary assessment, collective planning, coordination of events, negotiation, and evaluation and documentation of the outcomes of patient status in measures of cost. Case management is employed in a variety of settings.

20. Technology is integral to a cardiac ICU. Sue, the nurse manager, implements a patient-centered approach that focuses on the meaning of the experience for the patient and family, primary nursing, and a health literacy approach. Sue is: a. using high-tech-low-touch approaches. b. using high-tech-high-touch approaches. c. providing products. d. providing tangible products of satisfaction.

ANS: B The provision of humanistic care within a high-tech environment is characteristic of high tech-high-touch approaches and reflects the idea that the more that high-tech is used, the more patients also desire high-touch.

5. A young male nurse began in nursing as a staff nurse at a hospital. After 3 years, he moved to a home healthcare agency for increase in pay and taking a position as a manager in the agency. What type of motivation does this exemplify in career success? a. Internal b. External c. Spiral d. Entrepreneurial

ANS: B This type of career success is exemplified by external focus or motivation. The motivation in external focus is from tangible measures such as salary and promotions.

5. As a nursing leadership student, you have had the opportunity to develop a palliative care manual that will be utilized by the palliative care network (PCN) in your region for teaching healthcare professionals. The PCN has requested that you provide a prioritized plan of action for marketing the manual on a regional and state basis. What is the first priority? a. Motivate the target market. b. Research the target market. c. Communicate benefits to the target group. d. Package the product.

ANS: B To put a strategic plan into place for marketing, it is necessary to conduct an external assessment.

8. The nurse manager places a staff member on probation because of reports of chemical dependency. The nurse manager should be aware that which of the following statements is true regarding chemical dependency? a. The chemically dependent employee usually hides any changes in behavior. b. When confronted with the issue, the affected employee is usually relieved to have someone to talk to about the problem. c. The chemically impaired nurse affects the entire healthcare organization. d. Hospital policy, state laws, and nurse practice acts address procedures for the chemically dependent employee in the most general terms.

ANS: C A chemically impaired nurse jeopardizes patient care through impaired skills and judgment. She or he also compromises teamwork and continuity as peers attempt to cover deficiencies in work performance for their impaired team member.

14. Nurses generally experience difficulty in identifying behaviors and actions that could signal chemical dependency in a co-worker. Which of the following is not a behavioral change that occurs with chemical dependency? a. Personality and behavioral changes b. Job performance changes c. Changes in educational involvement and pursuit d. Absenteeism

ANS: C A manager needs to be alerted when suspicions of chemical dependency are raised by behavioral changes in the employee. These include mood swings, changes in hygiene and appearance, heightened interest in the pain control of patients, frequent changes in shifts, increases in absenteeism, and increases in tardiness.

10. An experienced staff nurse applies for a distinct position of patient advocate at a new clinic. Based on the various tools available to her, which of the following should she bring to her interview to best present her skills? a. Résumé b. Annual evaluations c. Portfolio d. Patient advocacy project

ANS: C A portfolio enables prospective employers to view evidence of significant achievements and responsibilities that would be pertinent to the position.

21. A well-written letter of resignation is critical to: a. first announce your intent to resign. b. formally signal discontent in your current position. c. maintain a positive relationship with your former organization and colleagues. d. fulfill your legal obligations as a departing employee.

ANS: C A well-written resignation letter outlines your intent to leave the organization and your appreciation of the organization but should follow an initial meeting with your manager to first discuss your intention. A well-written letter maintains a positive relationship with the organization.

12. Pacific Hospital's team develops a process to include staff in development of the mission statement. Which of the following statements would indicate that the staff has been able to develop an effective mission statement? a. Pacific Hospital will increase its sustainability by increasing revenue streams within the next 3 years. Revenue streams are important to our hospital and are a driving force in our sustainability in the face of insurer and government funding changes. b. Pacific Hospital has a desire to relate to its community to enable appropriate identification of programming needs by July. c. Pacific Hospital will provide family-centered care to the community of Pacific Rim. It is committed to delivering a full spectrum of services that foster collaborative partnerships among clients, families, and the hospital, and it utilizes evidence-based practice to guide planning and interventions. d. To provide health promotion programs for school-aged children

ANS: C An effective mission statement reflects the values and direction of the organization. Included in the statement are beliefs about individuals, health, practitioners, and the relationship of the organization to practice, research, professionalism, and/or education.

6. Which of the following might best conclude an interview? a. "Thank you for your interest. Someone will be in touch with you soon." b. "Before you go, we will make sure that we have your contact information. Thank you for coming." c. "I will be in contact with all candidates by telephone by next Friday. It has been a pleasure to meet you." d. "We have several excellent candidates so I am not sure about the outcome of the interview, but I will let you know. Thank you for coming."

ANS: C An employment interview should always conclude with information as to how and when follow-up to the interview will occur.

18. Nurses are valuable partners in marketing strategies because they: a. are more likely than other members of the organization to use marketing tools. b. have a strong background in using evidence to support decisions. c. have close involvement with patients, who are the target group for marketing. d. constitute the largest staff group in most healthcare organizations.

ANS: C As nurses are directly involved with patients who use services and who are the target group for marketing efforts, nurses have excellent insights into patient needs.

10. To conduct assessment of the internal environment, the strategic planning team for Pacific Hospital: a. invites community members and staff of the hospital to an evening focus group session. b. discusses what it sees as the primary threats and opportunities in demographic shifts affecting the hospital. c. invites all levels of staff to focus groups on the effectiveness of the hospital environment, including information systems and staffing. d. asks the board to provide a summary of major opportunities for the future.

ANS: C Assessment of the internal environment should include all levels of staff and facilitates feedback on effectiveness of strengths and weaknesses of systems and processes within the institution.

2. A nurse manager has been employed in the same facility for 20 years and has held the same position. This career style is known as: a. linear. b. spiral. c. steady state. d. entrepreneurial/transient.

ANS: C Career styles that are marked by selecting and staying in a role throughout a career are characterized as steady state.

6. A unit manager recently graduated as a clinical nurse specialist with a focus in gerontology. She applied to take a certification exam. Certification is designed to recognize: a. basic knowledge in a specified area. b. advanced practice in functional roles. c. special knowledge beyond basic licensure. d. continued competence as a registered nurse.

ANS: C Certification is an expectation in some settings for career advancement in advanced practice or in specialized areas and goes beyond basic preparation.

16. In addition to providing coaching, a nurse mentor may provide counseling to the mentee. For counseling to be successful, the mentor must: a. provide a quiet environment away from the unit. b. keep the focus on technical and management responsibilities. c. assure confidentiality. d. present assignments that stretch the intellectual and technical ability of the mentee.

ANS: C Counseling provides opportunity for the mentee to share personal concerns. For counseling to be successful, confidentiality must be assured.

1. The most important approach that a nurse manager can take with an emotionally troubled employee is to: a. act as a therapist for the employee. b. adjust the standard of care to assist the employee. c. assist the employee in obtaining professional help. d. adjust the employee's work schedule to decrease stress.

ANS: C Emotional difficulties are usually beyond the scope of skills that a nurse manager would normally employ. A referral needs to be made to a professional who is specifically prepared to deal with this kind of difficulty.

2. As part of performance appraisal, the nurse manager designs strategies to acknowledge staff members. What practices by the nurse manager best acknowledge staff accountability and contribution? a. Providing new and varied learning experiences for staff members b. Fostering group cohesiveness through standardization of unit activities c. Allowing professionals greater influence over their practices d. Giving recognition for success and support for failure to staff members

ANS: C Facilitating greater control over practices implies trust and acknowledges expertise and performance.

8. In planning a new wing, the nurse manager complies with the workplace safety requirements of the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). Which of the following groups is considered to be at high risk for violence in the workplace? a. Pediatric staff b. Postsurgical unit staff c. Emergency Department staff d. Medical oncology unit staff

ANS: C Nurse managers have responsibility for both patient and staff safety. High-risk areas, such as the Emergency Department, require special attention.

Professional associations: a. set regulatory requirements and establish entry requirements for nursing. b. offer graduate programs for clinical and career advancement. c. provide opportunities for career networking and support. d. are open to all individuals who meet the criteria for membership.

ANS: C Professional associations are frequently, although not always, voluntary groups whose members provide leadership in issues and policies of interest to nurses. Professional associations also offer networks of nurses with similar interests.

1. The unit leader on an inpatient psychiatric unit of a large hospital has been in the position for 3 months. The unit leader is frustrated by how little time is available to work with clients and how few changes have been implemented in that time. The phase of role transition being experienced is the role of: a. acceptance. b. negotiation. c. discrepancy. d. internalization.

ANS: C Role discrepancy is an experience that includes a gap between what is expected and what is occurring and can lead to disillusionment, discomfort, and frustration. If the unit manager values the relationship and sees the differences between performance and expectations as correctable, then the manager is likely to stay in the role.

12. Sarah is a nursing graduate of 5 years who is very confident in her clinical skills. She has taken some certificate courses in leadership and management and has considered beginning a graduate degree with this focus. She is excited about being able to use her knowledge and interest by being hired as a nurse manager. Before beginning her new position, Sarah spends time with her nurse executive to clarify the executive's expectations of her and of the unit that she has been hired to manage. After beginning her new position, Sarah finds that she spends a great deal of time in direct patient care. Her staff begins to complain that they are never able to find her when they need her, and that some aspects of her responsibilities fall behind, such as scheduling. Sarah is most likely: a. lacking an understanding of the nurse management role. b. attempting to prove her clinical skills to the nursing staff. c. experiencing difficulty in unlearning old roles. d. lacking enjoyment in her new role.

ANS: C Role transition involves transforming one's identity. Although any of the answers listed might be correct, as a new manager, her confidence in her clinical skills suggests that she is having difficulty in the transformation process and in unlearning her role as a clinician.

20. A private ambulance clinic established a few streets away from Pacific Hospital markets its services as quality-based within caring relationships. The clinic is part of the __________ environment. a. public b. macro c. competitive d. social

ANS: C The competitive environment includes factors and elements that compete for resources with another organization. These elements may include those in public and macro environments.

13. At the beginning of the strategic planning processes, Pacific Hospital learns that nursing staff members are uncomfortable with utilizing evidence-based practice, and that staff perceives that only limited resources are available to support translation of evidence into their usual practice. Because this issue has been identified, the management team determines that a plan of action is required to address the issue. Who should be involved at this point? a. Nursing unit managers b. Staff nurses c. All staff d. Administration

ANS: C The first phase in planning is conducting an assessment of the external and internal environments. Assessment of the internal environment should include all levels of staff and facilitates feedback on effectiveness of strengths and weaknesses of systems and processes within the institution.

2. A nurse manager has worked to bring the staff to participate in and then accept changes in the unit's mission, so that downsizing can be avoided. How is the nurse manager using change theory for this situation? a. Focusing on past concerns related to the mission b. Teaching staff members how to self-manage themselves c. Determining accurately the direction of change in the institution d. Requiring all staff members to review and reinforce their technological skills

ANS: C The manager is using change theory to have the staff develop and therefore buy into the changes. Determining the direction of change for the institution allows the manager to work using change theory to guide staff for changes.

From your observation of planning activities in the organization, you have noticed that planning and decision making occur at various levels of the organization. The nurse manager has overall responsibility for which of the following? a. Sending out postcards b. Organizing a telephone follow-up c. Monitoring ongoing activities and projects d. Listing the patient population

ANS: C The nurse manager should articulate organizational decision making for the criteria model adopted by the organization and monitor ongoing implementation of the plan.

7. In determining the fit of a candidate with the culture on your unit, which of the following interview questions might be asked? a. "Could you review your résumé for us, highlighting your certifications and experience?" b. "If we were to ask your references, what would they list as your strengths? Weaknesses?" c. "We have a number of older adult patients on this unit. If you noticed another staff member addressing one of these patients impatiently, how would you respond?" d. "Tell us about your work and academic experiences and qualifications."

ANS: C The nurse manager wants the most qualified individual for the position who also fits the culture of the organization. Asking behavioral questions in the interview allows you to assess how a candidate may function in real-life situations and to assess if this behavior is compatible with the culture on the unit.

5. A nurse manager understands that the typical first step in handling an employee with a disciplinary problem is a: a. verbal reprimand. b. written reprimand. c. reminder of employment standards. d. day off without pay.

ANS: C The progressive model of discipline advocates that the first step of the disciplinary process is the informal reprimand or verbal admonishment. The nonpunitive discipline model advocates reminding the employee of the employment policies and procedures of the agency.

6. The new nurse manager feels pulled between the expectations of staff, the demands of hospital administrators, and family obligations. According to the theory by Hardy (1978), unrelieved role stress and strain will lead to: a. frustration and anger. b. alienation of family and friends. c. low productivity and performance. d. physical symptoms and acute illness.

ANS: C Unrelieved role stress and strain leads to focusing energy into negative thoughts and feelings, which can leave the manager fatigued and therefore less likely to be productive or to perform well.

7. The nurse manager of a unit was demoted to staff nurse 6 months ago. Because of being near retirement, the former nurse manager wanted to be employed at the hospital and was offered a position on the same unit. The former nurse manager complains often about how infrequently the current nurse manager is available on the unit and argues with physicians and co-workers. Clients have complained about the attitude of the nurse. The behavior of the former nurse manager can be best explained as being caused by: a. overwork in the staff nurse position. b. inadequate mentoring in the new role. c. anger as a stage of the grieving process. d. demotion as a threat to personal identity.

ANS: C When an employment relationship ends or changes unexpectedly, grieving occurs. One of the phases in grieving is anger.

4. A nurse manager is experiencing considerable conflict among staff members because of weekend staffing coverage. During a called staff meeting, the nurse manager asks the disgruntled staff to meet as a group and determine the best staffing practices. In doing this, the nurse manager is using the concept of collaboration to: a. demonstrate interdependence. b. depict flexibility and broadmindedness. c. focus all energies of staff members on a best possible strategy. d. defuse the possibility that staff members will escalate their discontent when staffing the unit on weekends.

ANS: C When collaboration is used to solve a conflict or to create new directions, the energies of all parties are focused on solving the problem versus defeating the opposing party and creating the "best possible" versus an "okay" direction. When groups come together and mutual expectations are discussed and fostered, communication and collaboration are enhanced, which results in a more structurally empowered work force.

17. Which of the following exemplifies a service orientation for a facility? a. Staff members on the unit are encouraged to chart details about family support networks. b. Chart audit reveals that details related to assessment of family history are missing. c. The palliative care unit organizes a "tree of light" fundraiser each year to highlight the importance of palliative care. d. A children's preoperative holding area is implemented in response to requests from families and staff nurses for development of an area.

ANS: D A service orientation needs to translate caring into appropriate, timely action that meets the needs of patients. Activities such as documentation of details or promotion of services may remain at the technical or conceptual level without a commitment to caring interactions. The institution of a holding area where families can be with children represents a caring action that arises out of interactions and knowledge of patient needs and thus, is service oriented.

5. As part of orientation to your unit, you decide to administer Kolb Learning Style Inventory (LSI) to new staff. The most likely reason for your decision is that the use of Kolb LSI: a. reduces the cost of orientation. b. determines if there is fit between learner and organizational values. c. develops the strengths of the new staff member. d. enables individualization of learning to the learner's needs.

ANS: D Administration of Kolb LSI enables identification of the learning styles of new employees, which assists in focusing the implementation of orientation goals and in individualizing learning to the needs and learning style of the employee.

You are offered an opportunity to take a temporary leave from your position as a nurse manager to lead a technology implementation project. Which of the following reasons for accepting the opportunity is most consistent with developing a solid career path? a. You are pressured to do so by your supervisor. b. The organization has no other suitable candidate for the position. c. You have limited knowledge of information technology and no real interest, but this will increase your knowledge. d. Accepting a position outside of your established skill set may establish you organizationally as an innovative, adaptable leader.

ANS: D Although giving into organizational or supervisory pressure may bring an enhanced learning and organizational profile, what is to be gained needs to be assessed against your career goals, interest, and aspirations. Increasing and expanding your skill set within defined career interests is a valid reason to consider a chance opportunity.

14. Corrine, a student nurse, often hears that nurses are gatekeepers and wonders what that term means. As a nurse leader, you explain that this is a reference to the: a. assessment and admission of patients into care. b. orientation of patients to services once they are admitted. c. function of controlling which patients see the physician and which do not. d. coordination of care, services, advocacy, and access for patients within the healthcare system.

ANS: D As gatekeepers to the system, nurses advocate for and coordinate care, services, and access for patients across all providers, settings, and levels of care.

9. Electronic health records (EHRs) are being instituted at Pleasant Valley Hospital. Some of the staff on Unit 4 complain to the manager that acquiring the technologic skills required is too time consuming. They question its value in patient care. The manager responds that: a. the use of technology is inevitable in our technologically oriented society. b. the hospital is no longer able to find the space to accommodate paper record-keeping. c. the initiative is being driven by decision makers higher up in the hierarchy and there is no choice. d. EHRs will increase effectiveness of care by enhancing coordination and improving patient outcomes.

ANS: D As technology improves, informatics must be integrated with budget and personnel as a critical resource element. Basing practice on evidence-based care can assist in making solid decisions about resources and in leading and encouraging staff toward positive changes in patient outcomes. EHRs, for example, are expected to enhance coordination of care, improve health outcomes, and increase accuracy of diagnoses.

22. After several months in the role of manager of a dialysis unit, Maryanne finds herself still questioning the gap in expectations between her and her staff and management and is also questioning if she can reconcile her concerns about quality care with the strong cost-containment orientation of the facility. At this point, Maryanne is in which stage of role transition? a. Internalization b. Acceptance c. Development d. Discrepancy

ANS: D At this point, Maryanne is still experiencing discomfort and disillusionment with the gap between what she expected and what others expect of her in the performance of her role as manager. She is considering the significance and fit of the relationship for her, which is consistent with role discrepancy.

17. The final section of a performance appraisal is a rating scale. This scale is very detailed and relates to competency standards specific to surgical clients. The scale is a summary of performance directly observed or documentation reviewed and is specific to client care situations in which the employee has been involved. This type of evaluation is most commonly known as: a. a traditional rating scale. b. management by objectives/learning goals. c. a forced distribution scale. d. a behaviorally anchored rating scale.

ANS: D BARS contain both quantitative (rating scales) and qualitative data. They are specific to situations and positions.

13. A nurse manager in the ICU works with his staff to develop an appraisal instrument that includes quantitative data and respects standards for an RN working on that unit. This type of appraisal is a: a. rating scale. b. collaboratively based appraisal system. c. narrative instrument. d. behaviorally anchored rating scale.

ANS: D Behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARSs) describe performance quantitatively and qualitatively.

18. When progressive discipline is used, the steps are followed progressively only for repeated infractions of the same rule. On some occasions, rules that are broken are so serious that the employee is: a. transferred to another unit. b. suspended indefinitely. c. asked to attend a union grievance meeting. d. terminated after the first infraction.

ANS: D Behaviors that include violence, theft, and purposeful abuse of a client are sufficiently serious to warrant immediate dismissal with the first incident.

Which of the following is not important in a positive work environment, as defined by the AONE? a. Clear, open, trustful communication b. Accountability and clarity of roles and responsibilities c. Participatory decision making d. Challenge and striving for excellence

ANS: D Clear and open communication, accountability and clarity of roles, and participatory decision making are considered by the AONE to be important to a healthy environment. Challenge and excellence are not specifically identified by the AONE as important to healthy work environments.

17. After an extensive campaign to ensure that the community surrounding Pacific Hospital has been exposed to the emphasis of excellence in clinical care that occurs through the use of evidence, the marketing team finds that the public perception has changed little. This determination is made possible through: a. marketing surveys. b. focus groups. c. informal feedback. d. comparison of data against benchmarks.

ANS: D Developing benchmark data at the beginning of a project enables comparison of later data against the benchmark to determine if a marketing plan has met its objectives.

16. Incivility is a disruptive behavior or communication that creates a negative environment and interferes with quality patient care and safety. The manager can implement steps that help to alleviate uncivil behavior on a unit. Which of the following would not be an appropriate first step? a. Suspending the staff member from work b. Providing written admonishment that is discussed and placed in the employee's file c. Providing verbal admonishment d. Terminating the staff member

ANS: D Dismissal does not enable the present organization to attempt remediation of the behavior and is not consistent with first steps in progressive discipline.

4. The new head nurse on telemetry has been in the position for 3 months. The head nurse and the administrator disagree on how much time the head nurse should allot to various aspects of the role. Staff members on the unit complain that the head nurse is unavailable for clinical concerns because of being off the unit while attending meetings. To facilitate the process of role transition, the head nurse should: a. develop policies consistent with the head nurse's prior workplace. b. attend a workshop on how to deal with difficult people. c. decide to give the position 3 more months and then leave if things do not improve. d. schedule a series of meetings with staff and the administrator to clarify expectations.

ANS: D During role transition, it is important for the manager to negotiate the role by writing down the manager's expectations of the role and determining the expectations of others (staff, supervisors) in order to clarify expectations and reduce or ameliorate role ambiguity and role strain. It can take up to a year to understand the role, system, and boundaries in a new job-role-position.

3. During an employment interview for the manager's position in a home health agency, the applicant asks questions about the medical director and about retention of staff. The nurse executive assures the applicant that the agency has few personnel problems and receives excellent support from the medical director. The applicant knows that the agency has a 50% turnover rate and has had three medical directors in the past year. The nurse executive is: a. unaware of the turnover rate and difficulties with the medical director. b. lying about the problems and hoping to resolve them by hiring the applicant. c. denying that the agency has a turnover problem with staff or medical directors. d. minimizing the challenges of the position to make a positive impression on the applicant.

ANS: D During the dating phase or preview period in the role transition process, the potential employer attempts to make a favorable impression, which may result in minimizing the challenges of the position.

3. John notes that the next section is specific to the organizational philosophy and has a 4-point ordinal scale that describes performance from "always meets expectations" to "does not meet expectations." This type of evaluation is most commonly known as: a. a behavior-anchored rating scale. b. management by objectives/learning goals. c. the forced distribution scale. d. a graphic rating scale. .

ANS: D Graphic rating scales are commonly used in evaluation and reflect generalizations rather than specific behaviors

16. You are involved in designing a clinic for women in an inner-city neighborhood. A goal of this clinic might be: a. development of services that are identified in various studies as important for this target group. b. partnership with area city councilors and health professionals to provide services that are consistent with their vision and funding sources. c. provision of immunization and addictions services and health screening services for women in the area. d. development of services that have been identified by the women and neighborhood advocates as necessary for their health care.

ANS: D Involvement of persons in their own health care is a cornerstone of healthcare reform and is important for improving health outcomes and patient experiences. While studies and partnership with key informants are important sources of information in the design of services, engagement of the women through their neighborhood advocates may increase activation and resulting behavior. Patient activation refers to patients' willingness and ability to take independent actions to manage their health and care.

2. An interviewee for a nurse manager position asks for a copy of the organizational chart. Organizational charts provide information about the role component of: a. expectations. b. opportunities. c. responsibilities. d. lines of communication.

ANS: D No matter what role an individual is in, multiple relationships exist with individuals including supervisors and peers. Roles incorporate patterns of structured interactions between the manager and people in these groups. Organizational charts provide information about relationships and lines of communication in the organization.

Which of the following represents a well-written objective? a. Hospital-acquired infections are reduced, and procedures to reduce infections are implemented. b. To increase staff satisfaction and to decrease burnout. c. To increase the health of the community. d. To implement evidence-based practice on nursing units, as evidenced by adoption of evidence-based processes, by June 1.

ANS: D Objectives are specific (begin with word to followed by an action word; specify single result to be achieved; and specify a target date for attainment) and measurable (provide level of accomplishment at the end).

1. Role theory has its underpinnings in management theory. Management theories influence managers' leadership styles. Which of the following styles would a nurse manager be most likely to follow when redesigning the staffing schedule? a. Humanistic b. Authoritarian c. Flexibility d. Participative

ANS: D Participative style of leadership allows for the input by the participants involved to have input to the decision process. This assists in making change easier and is one way a manager uses this leadership to lead the unit.

2. The nurse manager knows that the most serious effect that absenteeism has on the nursing unit is that: a. using replacement personnel with new ideas may be beneficial. b. salary costs are lower because personnel are fewer, and outcome is favorable. c. absence on the part of the rest of the staff is decreased. d. unacceptable patient care may result.

ANS: D Reduced staffing adversely affects patient care. Employee morale suffers, care standards may be lowered, and additional stress is placed on working staff.

11. The turnover rate for RNs in the ICU is high. You discuss this situation with existing staff and you find out that because of the rapid turnover, new staff are frequently required to assume full responsibilities soon into the position and before training is completed. In considering approaches that will reduce turnover rates, the staff and you decide to implement: a. an employee recognition program. b. coaching for new staff. c. a new performance appraisal system. d. a committed orientation and training program.

ANS: D Retention of new nursing personnel begins on the day of their hire. This includes an effective, appropriate orientation and training program, which has a measurable impact on reducing turnover.

23. A nurse makes a medication error that is not serious and does not cause harm to the patient. As the charge nurse, your best action would be to: a. call attention to it by posting the critical incidents report at the nursing station. b. include the mistake on the nurse's performance appraisal. c. apologize to the patient for the error and indicate that discipline has occurred. d. educate the nurse on how to provide an apology to the patient.

ANS: D Service recovery ensures responsiveness to the patient, and as part of service recovery, it is important to address an error in the most productive way, which also includes the nurse who made the error offering an apology to the patient.

9. The chief nursing officer reviews the policy about "progressive discipline process." The progressive discipline process includes which of the following? The manager: a. acts as a counselor and friend to the employee. b. should reprimand and suspend the employee as a last resort. c. should rehire the employee after a reasonable length of time. d. should terminate the employee if the problem persists.

ANS: D Termination can be defined as the discharge of an employee who is performing at an unsatisfactory level or who is not a good match for the organization. Termination is always considered the last resort when dealing with poor performance.

6. The chief nursing officer understands that clinical incompetence is best prevented by a(n): a. flexible protocol for evaluating competency skills. b. standardized clinical skills checklist. c. administration of personality tests and competency assessments at point of hire. d. formalized competency program with established standards for practice.

ANS: D The competency program with established standards of practice outlines what the nurse must do to achieve desired competencies in her current position. Competency assessment and goal-setting should help the nurse identify how to excel and which competencies the nurse wants to achieve in the future.

2. A community-based pain management program is being planned for your region. As a coordinator of a home care agency, you have been requested to develop a conceptual framework, mission statement, philosophy, and objectives for the program. In what order will you pursue this endeavor? a. Objectives, philosophy, and mission statement b. Philosophy, objectives, and mission statement c. Philosophy, mission statement, and objectives d. Mission statement, philosophy, and objectives

ANS: D The development of the mission statement is the first step in defining the purpose and direction of the organization after an assessment has been completed.

14. You have hired a new RN to replace a well-respected and experienced nurse in your outpatient department. The new RN recently graduated and is nervous about stepping into a role that was previously filled by someone who was so competent. You recognize anxiety and set up regular, frequent meetings during which you explore how she is dealing with her anxiety, provide feedback, and discuss strategies/ideas that will enhance her performance. What development approach are you using? a. Performance appraisal b. Counseling c. Empowerment d. Coaching

ANS: D The overall evaluative process can be enhanced if the manager employs the technique of coaching. Coaching is a process that involves the development of individuals within an organization. This coaching process is a personal approach in which the manager and the employee interact on a frequent and regular basis with the ultimate outcome that the employee performs at an optimal level.

implementing the strategic plan for effective utilization of evidence to guide nursing practice at Pacific Hospital, the nursing unit managers take the next step, which is the implementation. Implementation most likely would involve: a. revisiting the mission statement and objectives. b. reevaluating external and internal factors affecting evidence-based practice. c. preparing a budget to support implementation. d. developing unit-based objectives related to the plan.

ANS: D The previous planning (assessment of internal and external environments, development of a mission and plan, and allocation of resources) has already been completed. The next step involves adapting the strategic plan to the nursing units.

4. Before beginning her own nursing agency, a nurse worked with other temporary nursing agencies in nine states and multiple agencies. She had set a personal goal to start her own agency. What type of motivation does this exemplify in career success? a. Linear b. Spiral c. External d. Internal

ANS: D This is an example of internally motivated career success for the nurse. She set a goal and achieved the goal, meeting her own internal focus and resulting in her career success.

3. Thomas has been a nurse in your ICU for 10 years. In facilitating Thomas' professional development, the nurse manager would focus on: a. certification for the ICU environment. b. discussions about how Thomas can fit with role expectations and relationships. c. possible changes to other ICU environments. d. encouraging him to lead changes that leave long-term impacts after his retirement.

ANS: D Thomas is a mid-career professional. As such, you would expect him to be interested in honing areas of expertise (such as leadership or developing a deeper expertise in a particular area of ICU nursing) as opposed to gaining skills necessary for his work environment such as certification or becoming comfortable with his role and relationships in ICU, which would be critical to an early career nurse. Legacy building is characteristic of mid-career professionals.

17. The primary difference between a résumé and a CV is that a résumé: a. reflects your skills, knowledge, and background in relation to a specific position. b. offers a detailed listing of positions held and where positions were held. c. includes a long and detailed explanation of academic and work experience. d. provides contact information and focuses on your background, in general.

ANS: A A résumé is a short, customized overview of your professional life that relates to the qualifications of specific positions and how you are able to match your background to the qualifications that are desired. Provision of contact information is common to both the résumé and the CV. Résumés are more effective if details of particular positions that have been held are highlighted as compared with a detailed listing of positions held.

24. You have hired Chelsea as a new staff member on your unit. Although she is an experienced ICU nurse, this is her first educator role. A month into her new position, she confides that she feels really incompetent in her new position and bursts into tears. Your response is based on application of your understanding of: a. role acquisition. b. role conflict. c. role complexity. d. performance appraisal.

ANS: A Acquisition of a role is time dependent and involves application of life experiences to each role and interpretation of the role within one's own value system. As roles become more complex, an individual may take longer to assimilate the components of each role.

The validity of comments and ratings related to performance is enhanced by: a. maintenance of anecdotal notes over the entire evaluation period. b. quantity of information gathered for appraisal purposes. c. agreement of the employee with the ratings and comments. d. whether or not other individuals have contributed to the observations.

ANS: A Anecdotal notes compiled consistently over the entire rating period are a much more equitable method of providing an accurate summary of the employee's performance.

1. Planning is a process designed to achieve goals in dynamic, competitive environments. As a new manager, what is the first step you will undertake to develop a strategic plan of action for a congestive heart failure program? a. Search the environment to determine changes that may affect the organization. b. Appraise the organization's strengths and weaknesses. c. Identify the major opportunities for and threats to the organization. d. Identify and evaluate the various strategies available to the organization.

ANS: A Assessment of the external environment is the first step in the strategic planning process.

Knowing your professional strengths is important to: a. find your fit in positions and a career path. b. maintain a professional status. c. act in a manner that is legal and ethical. d. understand the role expectations of a position.

ANS: A Being aware of your strengths is critical in determining what you will bring to a position and can be used to find your fit and possible career path. Knowledge and experience are important in maintaining the privilege of belonging to a profession and of behaving ethically and legally.

8. The biggest challenge in the recruitment of staff is: a. finding well-qualified candidates who can function well within your particular work culture. b. recruiting individuals with the appropriate qualifications and experience. c. screening out candidates who are unable to function well within a team. d. determining if candidates have had previous negative experiences in a work environment.

ANS: A Choosing the right individual is the challenge for managers and involves finding qualified candidates who will work well within your culture.

11. Sarah is a nursing graduate of 5 years who is very confident in her clinical skills. She has taken some certificate courses in leadership and management and has considered beginning a graduate degree with this focus. She is excited about being able to use her knowledge and interest by being hired as a nurse manager. Before beginning her new position, Sarah spends time with her nurse executive to clarify the executive's expectations of her and of the unit that she has been hired to manage. Sarah's actions are important in avoiding role: a. ambiguity. b. transition. c. development. d. negotiation.

ANS: A Clarification of implicit and explicit expectations regarding the role assists in avoiding role ambiguity and role strain.

6. The chief nursing officer has to write a strategic plan. The most difficult stage in the strategic planning process is: a. assessment of the external and internal environment. b. review of mission statement, goals, and objectives. c. identification of strategies. d. implementation of strategies.

ANS: A Determination of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats requires openness to what is being said and observed and is critical to setting the stage for relevant responses in the latter phases of strategic planning.

4. The clinic nurse understands that the advantages of planning include: a. assisting staff in critical thinking and improving decisions. b. orienting people to react instead of act. c. forcing managers to be cost-efficient and cost-effective. d. focusing on activities, not results.

ANS: A Effective planning means that everyone in the organization manages his own work and sees how it relates to organizational goals. Being proactive means "aggressive planning" that ensures that decisions are improved and are oriented toward organizational goals.

3. In keeping with guidelines of the organization, the nurse manager documents staff problems. Documentation of disciplinary problems should: a. include a plan to correct them and to prevent future occurrences. b. state a detailed history of past problems that are related to the current one. c. be written at the convenience of the manager. d. not be discussed until the formal performance evaluation.

ANS: A In documenting staff problems, it is important to identify the incident with an objective statement of facts and record actions taken to correct/prevent future problems.

19. During unit staff meetings, you observe that Marg rolls her eyes and snorts whenever Julia makes a comment. Your first response as a unit manager is to: a. discuss what you have observed with Marg. b. file immediate documentation in Marg's personnel file. c. ask Julie to monitor Marg's behavior during meetings. d. ignore the behavior, as Marg is one of your strongest nurses.

ANS: A Incivility must be addressed. The initial step in addressing it is discussion with Marg, and if the behavior continues, then written documentation should be filed in Marg's personnel file. Monitoring and follow-up are your responsibility as the unit manager.

6. The nurse manager is anticipating changes on the unit because of managed care. It is up to the manager to "sell" the staff on this care concept. A goal of managed care that the staff must understand is that managed care is: a. grounded in business theory. b. useful for long-term patients only. c. designed to reduce unit resources and staff. d. not concerned with the best interests of clients.

ANS: A Managed care combines delivery of needed care with business principles of efficiency and cost. Nurse managers who know business principles become conduits for ensuring safe, effective, affordable care.

11. Nathan has been on the cardiac unit for 6 months and has found it difficult to adjust to the expectations of his team. Which of the following behaviors would most likely signal that Nathan is intending to resign from his position on the unit? a. Increased absenteeism over the past month b. Increased attempts to discuss his concerns with his colleagues c. Testing of workplace guidelines d. Frequent defensiveness

ANS: A Many employees increase their absenteeism just before submitting their resignation. If the healthcare worker is experiencing some form of role stress, it might be manifested through absenteeism. Role strain may be reflected by (1) withdrawal from interaction; (2) reduced involvement with colleagues and the organization; (3) decreased commitment to the mission and the team; and (4) job dissatisfaction. Testing of workplace guidelines and defensiveness are associated with immaturity.

To meet the social and human needs of a target market, it is critical to: a. assess the needs and priorities of the target market. b. revise the organization's mission statement to reflect external needs. c. assess the internal culture and needs. d. develop highly sophisticated media.

ANS: A Marketing emphasizes the identification and meeting of human and social needs, which can only be known through assessment of the needs of the consumer (as opposed to the needs of the organization).

9. The chief nursing officer develops a mentoring program to help new staff members adjust to their new jobs. The main purpose of mentoring is: a. promoting staff retention. b. promoting staff attrition. c. developing new role expectations. d. promoting staff supervision.

ANS: A Mentoring has been identified as important to staff retention.

10. A nurse manager notices that Nathan, an RN who has been on the unit for approximately 3 years, has an interest in health technology and seems to be very enthused about working with software and hardware at home. She speaks with Nathan and asks him if he would lead investigation of software applications on the unit. This is an example of: a. opportunity. b. delegation. c. role negotiation. d. role transition.

ANS: A Nathan's nurse manager recognizes Nathan's interest in technology as an opportunity for the unit and as an untapped resource that can be used to meet unit goals.

21. Susan, a new graduate, is upset that so many staff have been absent lately from the unit. She declares to you that all absenteeism could be eliminated with proper management. Your response is based on understanding that: a. not all absenteeism is voluntary. b. high personal control contributes to absenteeism. c. direct discussions with employees who have high levels of absenteeism are not recommended. d. all absenteeism is related to personal issues and needs.

ANS: A Not all absenteeism is voluntary or preventable, which means that absenteeism can never be fully eliminated. Absenteeism can result from personal issues and needs, work dissatisfaction, and involuntary reasons such as jury duty.

11. While interviewing for a nurse manager position, Ann is asked to give an example of a situation in which she demonstrated leadership. Which of the following examples exemplifies leadership? a. Through research and investigation of best practice and practice-based evidence, she proposed a change in the management of incontinence in older adult patients. b. She ensures that new policies related to parenteral infusions are implemented consistently within her team. c. When asked by her students about institutional policies, she readily and patiently interprets policies to facilitate quality care. d. She organizes the team and delegates responsibilities effectively in providing nursing care.

ANS: A Nurse managers have the responsibility of day-to-day decisions for their units and interpret established policy, procedures, and mandates. They meet their goals by organizing, staffing, controlling, and solving problems. By contrast, leaders develop a vision and translate that direction into action.

3. Northwestern Hospital has decided to implement peer review. As a clinical leader in the Emergency Department, you have overall responsibility for ensuring that this is in place by next month. The most important step in this process is to: a. provide an educational session for staff on peer review. b. revise the mission statement, objectives, and performance standards. c. develop objectives and performance standards with employees. d. implement objectives and performance standards.

ANS: A Once a strategic plan has been developed, the next step is open communication and execution of the specific plan, which, in this instance, is peer review.

12. All of the following are grounds for immediate dismissal except: a. failing to pursue further medical help for a patient; patient dies. b. selling narcotics obtained from the unit supply of narcotics. c. restraining a patient in bed for 7 hours, unsupervised, as punishment for hitting a staff member. d. grabbing the unit manager and threatening further physical harm after a poor performance appraisal.

ANS: A Situations that may warrant immediate dismissal include theft, violence in the workplace, willful abuse of the patient, harassment, and chemical abuse.

5. A nurse manager in one hospital values a colleague who is a few years older and has more experience in nursing management. The colleague works in another hospital, but they meet for lunch once a month. In these meetings, they share their feelings about nursing management and their lives. The function of a mentor that is missing in the relationship is: a. sponsorship. b. role modeling. c. social interaction. d. mutual positive regard.

ANS: A Sponsorship involves building the competency of the mentee through exposure or by creating opportunities for achievement in order for the mentee to develop a reputation of competence.

14. Steady state styles would be most likely in which of the following situations? a. Small hospital, in an isolated rural setting, with limited hierarchy b. Large urban teaching hospital c. Health network with several organizations d. Travel nurse agency

ANS: A Steady state career styles (career-long commitment to a particular position) are more likely in rural settings, where commitment to the community is high and alternative career opportunities are limited.

19. As a nurse manager, you see an opportunity for patients to be well serviced through the medical home concept. You recognize that the concept of medical homes: a. currently does not include nurses in its vision of multifaceted primary care. b. includes nurses as part of an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary team. c. restricts nurses to services related to direct care and procedures. d. cannot encompass nurses within this framework.

ANS: A The concept of medical homes encompasses the idea of multifaceted medical homes that provide a usual source of health care. Current discussions have focused on physician-directed care even though nurses in advanced practice are well suited to lead teams in this model.

14. A good nursing decision maker is one who: a. uses various models to guide the process based on the circumstances of the situation. b. adopts one model and uses it to guide all decision making. c. decides not to use any models because they are all useless. d. develops a new model each time a decision has to be made.

ANS: A The decision model that a nurse uses depends on specific circumstances. Is the situation routine and predictable or complex and uncertain? Is the goal to make a decision that is "just good enough" (conservative) or one that is optimal?

7. The reasons cited by nursing administrators for not planning in a systematic manner include: a. lack of understanding of the planning process. b. lack of knowledge regarding the internal and external operations of the organization. c. not enough hours in the day for both day-to-day operations and planning. d. delegation of the task to subordinates.

ANS: A The nurse manager should participate in strategic planning and quality initiatives with the governing body. Lack of knowledge is a common reason for nonparticipation in planning initiatives.

An outpatient clinic advertised for RN positions. Before authorizing an open position, the nurse manager should: a. review the position description and performance expectations for the opening. b. place an ad in the local newspaper and on the telephone job line. c. review all current applications on file. d. look for employees within the system who might best fill the position.

ANS: A The position description provides the basis for this position within the organization and communicates expectations for the role. When applying for a position, researching the facility and position description will help an applicant gain insight into the organization; therefore, the position description should be current and communicate expectations.

15. Sue, a nurse manager, discusses her concerns about the hospital's employee appraisal system with her work group, noting that it includes only one rating scale and that it means nothing unless the manager has effective relationship skills. Sue's concerns reflect which best practices associated with performance appraisal? a. Rating scales are too generalized to be considered valid or reliable. b. The effectiveness of appraisal is enhanced by a combination of methods and effective communication skills. c. BARS is considered superior to simple rating scales in terms of performance appraisal. d. Rating scales need to be designed by users to be well accepted.

ANS: B A combination of several methods is probably superior to any one method. The primary success of any performance appraisal lies in the skills and communication abilities of the manager.

4. On your unit, despite efforts to build a strong sense of team, conflict between some of the staff is ongoing. Nonetheless, you want to proceed with developing a systematic and effective performance appraisal system. Which of the following approaches would be most appropriate for you to implement? a. Peer review b. A combination of tools c. Anecdotal notes d. Rating scale

ANS: B A combination of tools is likely superior to any one method in any situation.

8. A nurse is applying for a new position. This position is one in which she will serve as a liaison between a hospital and a school of nursing. The nurse must update her résumé to include her teaching experience. The goal of creating a curriculum vitae is to: a. have a listing of facts about your professional life. b. provide potential employers with information about where you are in your career. c. respond quickly whenever a position becomes available. d. be certain you can recall facts for a prospective position.

ANS: B A curriculum vitae provides an all-inclusive but not detailed listing of your professional life. This approach allows a prospective employer to find the most recent information quickly and gain a sense of where you are in your career.

11. In assessing the internal environment, the strategic planning team at Pacific Hospital discovers that 90% of staff members have no idea what the current mission statement means. This is most likely related to: a. the level of abstraction inherent in mission statements. b. development of the statement by the administration team with no other staff involvement. c. outdated goals and objectives contained in the mission statement. d. failure to provide action statements within the mission statement.

. ANS: B A mission statement reflects the beliefs of the organization in relation to those it serves and services it provides, and it communicates the direction of an organization. Covey (1990) believes that the process of developing the mission statement is vital to an organization's success and should involve everyone.

18. A functional résumé focuses on: a. experience and skills gained in positions. b. positions held and specific roles in the positions. c. academic qualifications and achievements. d. relating skills and experience to qualifications in a specific position.

ANS: A Functional résumés highlight skills and experience gained rather the details of specific positions. As with résumés in general, skills and experiences are customized to create an image of an individual in a particular position.

The nurse manager schedules evaluations of staff members using a newly developed performance appraisal tool. The development of a performance appraisal tool should include: a. organizational mission, philosophy, and position requirements. b. a generalized overview of the duties of a position. c. a skills checklist and accreditation requirements. d. an ordinal scale that ranks all employees.

ANS: A Performance appraisal tools and processes should reflect the organizational mission and philosophy, as well as position requirements.

9. To develop a curriculum vitae, or résumé, a nurse must develop a personal data file. The goal of a personal data file is to: a. create an opportunity to be interviewed. b. have a listing of facts about your professional life. c. have a tool in place for marketing yourself. d. create a document that lists your skills.

ANS: B A personal data file enables storage and recall of career-specific details that can be retrieved and shaped for a specific purpose using cut-and-paste approaches rather than creating whole new documents.

Shifts such as changes in the percentage of seniors in the population, governmental initiatives in health care, and the influence of income on health status are factors in the __________ environment. a. public b. macro c. competitive d. social

ANS: B The external environment in strategic marketing planning includes the public, competitive, and macro environments. Demographic, social, and political factors are included in the macro environments.

8. A nurse is interviewing for a manager's position. Which of the following actions is considered a role preview? a. Formal commitment of the employment contract b. Improving role performance c. Touring the unit d. Disillusionment about the expectations of the job

ANS: C Touring the unit enables the candidate to assess further whether this organization will assist in growth and also to make a positive impression on the potential employer.

Sue, a nurse manager, has a staff nurse that has been absent a great deal for the past 3 months. A whistleblower gives some information to Sue indicating that the staff nurse will be resigning and returning to school. Because of this, Sue decides to do which of the following? a. Immediately fire the staff nurse. b. Speak to the whistleblower and elicit more information. c. Speak to the staff nurse and ask her to resign. d. Do nothing.

ANS: D Doing nothing is often warranted because of lack of energy, time, or resources to solve the real problem adequately, and because the benefits are not seen as sufficiently compelling to commit to an action. Do nothing may also be utilized when the individual is not able to do anything for the particular situation or issue.

5. The night nurse understands that certain factors need to be considered before delegating tasks to others. These factors include the: a. complexity of the task and the age of the delegatee. b. potential for benefit and the complexity of the task. c. potential for benefit and the number of staff. d. complexity of the task and the potential for harm.

ANS: D In delegating tasks to others, the nurse considers factors such as stability of the patient, safety of the situation and of the patient, time and intensity involved, and level of critical thinking required to achieve desired outcomes.

A nurse manager's responsibility for financial management involves making budgetary decisions. Budgets that allow the nurse manager to allocate resources at the unit level allow: a. minimal nurse manager input. b. limited rationale for budgetary requests. c. budgetary allocations at the executive nurse level. d. budgetary decision making at the point-of-service (POS).

ANS: D In organizational structures where decision making occurs at the POS, nurse managers are given some self-control, which includes preparing and implementing a budget that meets the long- and short-term needs of their unit without requiring hierarchical approval.

16. Assessment of the needs of the consumer or client (in developing a strategic marketing plan) focuses on: a. present needs only. b. present and future needs. c. the development of surveys. d. secondary analysis of existing data.

B Assessment of needs takes into account needs of the consumer now and for the future, using a variety of data-gathering techniques. Future orientation aids in anticipating how marketing and programs will need to shift to meet those needs.

9. The risk manager wants to evaluate the reasons for an increased number of falls on the rehab unit. The risk manager devises a fishbone diagram. A fishbone diagram is a useful tool to: a. identify the root causes of problems. b. list possible solutions to problems. c. help leaders select the best options. d. evaluate the outcomes of decisions made.

ANS: A A fishbone diagram, also known as a cause-and-effect diagram, is useful for determining the reasons (causes) for an effect (falls).

22. Knowing when to have the entire team participate in the decision-making process or when to have only the team leader make the decisions depends on the situation and the desired outcomes. The autocratic process is used in which of the following situations? a. The task and the outcome are relatively simple and defined. b. It is unlikely that the group will reach a consensus. c. A decision has to be discussed thoroughly. d. A number of options need to be considered.

ANS: A An autocratic style is appropriate when rapid decision making is required and in situations where the task and the potential outcome are well-defined.

18. As a nurse manager representative on a clinical information system selection team, you would be particularly concerned if the favored system: a. involves screen displays that are best configured for nonclinical users. b. requires an upgrade to servers in the facility. c. requires staff orientation and training during implementation of the software. d. minimizes the amount of data entry necessary.

ANS: A An ideal hospital information system should include as much instrumentation as possible to minimize data entry. As a clinical end user, you would expect orientation and training on how the screen display can be configured so as to suit the purposes and preferences of users in clinical areas.

12. After a major flu vaccination campaign, an agency bills a private insurance company for allowable costs for administration of each vaccination according to the schedule established by the insurance company for reimbursement. This is an example of which major payment method? a. Cost-based reimbursement b. Charges c. Contractual allowance d. Prospective reimbursement

ANS: A Because the agency is submitting costs after the campaign is completed and in accordance with an established schedule of allowable costs, a retrospective, cost-based reimbursement payment method is being utilized. If a desire for profit was indicated, then the answer would be "charges."

2. The difference between a nurse practitioner's charge of $45 for an office visit and the insurance company's payment of $34 is: a. a contractual allowance. b. a profit. c. a flat rate. d. revenue.

ANS: A Because the amount that is allowed for an office visit is less than the amount that the NP charges, this is known as a contractual allowance or discount. If the amount allowed were more than what the NP charges, then a profit would be realized. All of the answers represent sources of revenue.

You are in the process of designing a patient education program that will provide education and monitoring for patients with hypertension. To support your planning, you draw out and present patient data from: a. a clinical database. b. biomedical technologies. c. e-mail. d. Internet sources.

ANS: A Clinical databases are collections of elements organized and structured for the processing, organization, and presentation of data for interpretation as information, which, in this particular instance, includes outpatient data.

15. A recent nursing graduate in a busy Emergency Department triages a patient who has sustained a large, deep puncture wound in his foot while working at a construction site. He is bleeding and is in pain. The nurse enters the triage data that she has obtained from the patient into a computerized, standard emergency patient-classification system. After she enters the assessment data, she notices an alert on the computer screen that prompts her to ask the patient about the status of his tetanus immunization. What system of technology is involved in generating the alert? a. Clinical decision support b. WL technology c. Computerized provider order d. Electronic health record

ANS: A Clinical decision support (CDS) is a clinical computer system, computer application, or process that helps health professionals make clinical decisions to enhance patient care. The clinical knowledge embedded in computer applications or work processes can range from simple facts and relationships to best practices for managing patients with specific disease states, new medical knowledge from clinical research, and other types of information.

2. The nurse manager of a rehab unit wants to purchase a new antiembolic stocking for use with patients. To make a high-quality decision, the nurse manager would: a. involve the rehab staff in the decision. b. involve the sales representative. c. make the decision alone. d. involve administration in the decision.

ANS: A In a shared decision model, the decisions are made through an interactive, deliberate process and the staff may express and discuss options and preferences. The shared decision model has been shown to increase work performance and productivity, decrease employee turnover, and enhance employee satisfaction.

The maintenance department wishes to have the nursing lounge renovated, so the lounge will be more "user-friendly." The department asks the nursing staff to make a wish list of everything that they would like to see in the new lounge. This process is an example of which part of the decision-making process? a. Assessment/Data collection b. Planning c. Data interpretation d. Generating hypotheses

ANS: A In this particular model (a model similar to the nursing model), data collection is the first step toward identifying important alternatives or determining if there is a problem or problems.

19. When assessing the appropriateness of adopting WL COWs for a nursing unit, you need to consider the advantages, which include: a. mobility of the carts. b. small display screen. c. font size. d. speed of operation.

ANS: A Installing computers on mobile carts, also known as computers on wheels or COWs, may increase work efficiency and save time. However, if the cart is cumbersome to move around or if concern about infection risk is associated with moving the cart from one room to another, some organizations favor keeping one cart stationed in each patient care room or installing hardwired bedside computers.

13. Physicians in a small urban hospital are reluctant to discharge older adult patients because many of the patients lack private insurance and the resources to travel distances for follow-up care. The hospital administration pressures the physicians to discharge patients sooner and to be more consistent with the number of hospitalization days specified within the DRGs. Which of the following would most likely prompt the action of administrators? a. The hospital is incurring a deficit related to a gap between the PPS and the DRGs and costs of care. b. Local home care services are expressing concern about the increased acuity of patients being discharged into their care. c. The resource-based relative scale for physicians does not account for the increased length of stay. d. Acute care patients are being denied entry to the hospital because of the increased stay of patients.

ANS: A Length of stay (LOS) is the most important predictor of healthcare costs and extra days are a cost to the organization in terms of both the extra days and decreased patient volume. The situation, as outlined, does not indicate that there is a bed shortage and therefore, there is no evidence that other patients are being denied access to services or that additional patient volume is not being captured. The hospital would be concerned about the impact on its income because of the additional, uncompensated care costs incurred for patients who exceed the usual length of stay explicitly calculated under PPS and the DRGs.

10. In designing a program for young adults regarding safe sexual practices, which of the following might reach the greatest number in the target group? a. Web-based applications b. Print-based media such as newspapers c. Television advertisements d. Brochures in kiosks in malls

ANS: A Mobile technology is changing the digital divide, with young adults, minorities, those with no college experience, and those with lower household incomes being more likely to indicate that phones are their main source of Internet access.

9. Leaders in nursing must advocate for information and knowledge systems that support nursing practice. This is best accomplished by: a. participating in organizational information technology committees. b. submitting written requests for needed information systems. c. requesting budgetary funds needed for systems. d. sending staff nurses to conferences that discuss cutting-edge technologies.

ANS: A Nurse leaders and direct care nurses must be members of the selection team, participate actively, and have a voice in the selection decision. The information system must make sense to the people who use it and fit effectively with the processes for providing patient care.

7. Based on data from the patient satisfaction survey, the nurse manager decides that a change should be made in communication with family members. What would be important for a nurse manager to consider when instituting a change to improve customer service? a. Assess the perceptions of the nursing staff regarding the specific service problem. b. Include community representatives on a planning committee to address the change. c. Involve physicians, other healthcare professionals, and ancillary staff. d. Review all patient complaints with the nursing staff.

ANS: A Nurses are the healthcare providers who spend the most time with the consumer and are in an opportune position to understand the issues, structures, and processes that affect patients. The nurse acts as the primary person to be alert to circumstances that may prevent a successful outcome for the patient and to intervene on the patient's behalf. As a nurse manager, it is important to support staff in their use of power to be in control and to make decisions at the consumer-staff level of interaction.

3. Mr. Cruiser has been surfing the Web. He is looking for healthcare information on low back pain. He shows the clinic nurse a webpage he thinks is great and tells her that he has been following the exercises recommended by the author. He wants to know what she thinks about the site. When the clinic nurse evaluates this site, she discovers that its author is a personal trainer. No credentials are listed. In several testimonials on the page, people (their pictures are included) say how wonderful they feel after having done these exercises. The exercises all have animated demos when you click on the pertinent highlighted text or icon. They seem easy to follow. The site was posted 5 years earlier and was last updated 3 years before. The clinic nurse advises Mr. Cruiser to: a. avoid this site. b. check with his primary healthcare provider. c. continue with the exercises. d. contact the author for additional exercise and feedback.

ANS: A Patients need coaching as to how to use and decipher information that is available through the Internet. In this situation, the provider on the site lacks credibility because no credentials are listed, and the information is not current.

In an ICU, you order new devices to measure heart rhythm and rate, respiratory rate, oxygen levels, and intracranial pressure. These devices involve: a. biomedical technology. b. telecommunications. c. retrieval of patient history information. d. Internet.

ANS: A Physiologic monitoring devices and patient surveillance systems involve biomedical technology.

16. Of the following, which is the most effective strategy that a nurse manager could employ to reduce unnecessary costs in specific healthcare settings? a. Training nurses on accurate documentation of supplies used for patient care b. Reducing the number of overtime hours worked by staff c. Reducing the number of staff on a unit d. Making decisions for patients about which care is important to their health

ANS: A Reducing overtime hours needs to be carefully assessed against the reasons for overtime (e.g., staff overload, recent illnesses, increased acuity) in terms of whether this reflects an ongoing or temporary situation and therefore whether it is a necessary variance or not. Reducing staff may or may not be effective, depending on the services being provided. Making decisions for the patient misses an important opportunity to invite the patient into discussion about patient priorities and needs and relative costs of options, which may lead to improved adherence with regimens and less waste of resources. An effective approach to cost containment is ensuring that supplies are accurately accounted for and charged in a timely manner.

14. Which of the following would be most in line with Hersey model and concepts? a. The team of caregivers on day shift are familiar with their roles and with the patients. The nurse manager decides to work on the unit budget in her office. b. After a year of working on the unit, Shari, an LPN, is still hesitant about many policies and procedures. The charge nurse decides to challenge Shari with more difficult patients. c. The nursing supervisor asks one of her charge nurses to lead a technology integration project. The supervisor continuously demands involvement in decisions that the charge nurse is making in the project. d. Team members complain that Alysha, an RN, is unmotivated, and that she refuses assignments that are complex or difficult. The charge nurse suggests that Alysha is relatively new and that she needs time to adjust.

ANS: A The Hersey model/framework suggests that when ability (skills, job knowledge) and willingness are strong, the involvement of the delegator is less.

8. The chief nursing officer is pleased with the nurse manager's strategy of improving patient satisfaction in the pediatric intensive care unit. She decides to implement these changes throughout the hospital. What would be important to consider in implementing a new program focused on improving relationships with consumers? a. Recognition of the nursing staff for excellence in promoting consumer relationships b. Holding the staff accountable for resolving patient complaints c. Selecting a staff nurse leader to implement the program d. Identifying key staff members who have already demonstrated excellence in consumer relationships

ANS: A The nurse leader should allow professionals more influence over their practice; give staff opportunities to learn new and varied skills; give recognition and reward for success and support and consolation for lack of success; and foster motivation and belief in the importance of each individual and the value of his or her contribution.

15. Because of the complexity of reimbursement systems and its implications for the services available to patients, the nurse has a key role in: a. advocacy for patients with regard to services required and services utilized. b. increasing the volume of services and decreasing the number of patients served. c. accomplishing more with each visit and decreasing the volume of services used. d. decreasing the volume of services used and the number of return visits.

ANS: A The specific strategies employed by organizations and nurses to contain costs and increase revenues depend on the reimbursement system(s) within which the organization operates and therefore on whether the volume of services is increased or whether the volume of services is decreased by placing greater emphasis on efficacy in each visit and reducing the number of return visits. Because of the complexity of the reimbursement environment, the nurse is placed in a position of advocacy in terms of what the patient needs and how those needs can be best met within the funding structures.

An example of an initiative that may reduce total healthcare costs would be: a. offering nurse practitioner-led clinics that educate parents about non-pharmacologic strategies for managing ear infections. b. educating seniors about the comparative costs of medications that are prescribed to them. c. lowering copayments for prescription drugs for seniors. d. advocating for more readily available MRI services to ensure early diagnosis.

ANS: A Total healthcare costs are a function of prices that are established for various services and the volume or quantity of services used. Utilization of high-tech diagnostic services and lowering of copayments have been implicated in increasing total healthcare costs (thus C and D would not be correct), as well as attitudes and behaviors of consumers of health care. In general, consumers prefer to "be fixed" when something goes wrong rather than to practice prevention. Many consumers still believe that the physician knows best, so they do not seek much information related to costs and effectiveness of different healthcare options. When information is sought, it is not readily available or understandable. Also, consumers are not accustomed to using other, less costly healthcare providers, such as nurse practitioners.

4. The nurse on the 7-7 shift is assigning a specific component of care to an unlicensed nursing personnel (UNP) employee. The night nurse would remain: a. accountable. b. responsible. c. authoritative and liable. d. responsible and task-oriented.

ANS: A When a registered nurse delegates care to a UNP, responsibility is transferred; however, accountability for patient care is not transferred. Thus, "accountability rests within the decision to delegate while responsibility rests within the performance of the task" (Anthony and Vidal, 2010, p. 3).

23. As an experienced nurse manager who is new to an organization, it would be important to: a. know the difference between operating and capital budgets. b. understand the budget timetable and level of involvement expected of individual managers in budget preparation. c. know why a budget is essential to the well-being of an organization. d. understand what factors drive up healthcare costs in the healthcare system.

ANS: B Although all of the answers reflect knowledge that is critical to budgeting for nurse managers, an experienced nurse manager would likely be already familiar with general knowledge related to budgeting. The nurse manager, however, would need to become familiar with budget timetables and level of involvement expected in this specific organization because these elements of budgeting vary from work environment to work environment.

4. During a fire drill, several psychiatric patients become agitated. The nurse manager quickly assigns a staff member to each patient. This autocratic decision style is most appropriate for: a. routine problems. b. crisis situations. c. managers who prefer a "telling" style. d. followers who cannot agree on a solution.

ANS: B An autocratic style is appropriate when rapid decision making is required, such as in a crisis situation.

7. A staff nurse regularly works two 12-hour shifts each week and one 8-hour shift every other week. How many FTEs is this position? a. 0.6 b. 0.7 c. 0.8 d. 1

ANS: B Assuming that a full-time RN works 2080 hours/year (40 hours × 52 weeks), the nurse works (24 hours × 52 weeks + 8 hours × 26 weeks)/2080, which is 0.7 FTE.

4. The nurse manager must develop a patient satisfaction survey. What is one of the critical elements in selecting a patient satisfaction instrument? a. Being able to use the same instrument for all clinical units b. Including items that are important from the patient's perspective c. Being able to administer the instrument before a patient's discharge from the hospital d. Being sure that the reading level is no higher than third grade

ANS: B Because satisfaction is a measure of service and service is a measure of perception of what matters to the patient, to measure satisfaction, surveys must include items that reflect the perspective of the patient. The quality of human contacts becomes the measure by which the consumer forms perceptions and judgments about nursing and the health agency. Consumers may not be able to evaluate the quality of interventions, but they always can evaluate the quality of the relationship with the person delivering the service.

a nurse managers' meeting, the chief nursing officer encourages the managers to brainstorm ways to reduce costs. Nurse managers have the greatest impact on reducing costs by managing: a. supplies. b. staffing. c. fixed costs. d. medication costs.

ANS: B Because staffing constitutes the largest portion of any healthcare budget, managing the mix and numbers of staff required for patient care to meet identified outcomes will have the largest impact on budgets.

22. A nurse manager is planning to request three new infusion pumps at a cost of approximately $1500 each. What would BEST support the capital request? a. Number of patient care hours anticipated for the year b. Cost comparisons; how much and how often infusion pumps are used; condition of existing pumps c. Outline of cost for each pump d. Estimation of total cost; no further details

ANS: B Complete well-documented justifications are needed because the competition for limited resources is stiff. Justifications should be developed using the principle of any business case and should include, at minimum, projected amount of use; services duplicated or replaced; safety considerations; need for space, personnel, or building renovation; effect on operational revenues and expenses; and contribution to the strategic plan.

8. During staff-development programs, staff nurses verbalize their frustration about their workloads and having to delegate so many tasks to others. One of the main reasons that delegation has emerged as an issue is because of: a. the amount of paperwork required to complete care. b. the complexity of care required by patients. c. earlier discharge practices. d. the numbers of other disciplines present on a given unit.

ANS: B Complexity of client care, a multilevel nursing model (registered nurses, mixed with LPNs/LVNs, and UNPs), and community-based care provide many challenges in determining the care required and outcomes desired and/or mandated, and in matching needs with various abilities and authority of regulated and unregulated healthcare providers. The nurse manager should ensure that staff is clinically competent and trained in their roles in patient safety.

7. At a newly built outpatient surgical center, an integrated information system has been purchased. The chief nursing officer creates a series of staff development classes to orient the staff to this new system. One of the advantages of an integrated information system is that client-care data from all sites can be stored in and retrieved from a: a. nursing information system. b. central data repository. c. nurse expert system. d. handheld device.

ANS: B Computer information systems manage large volumes of data, examine data patterns and trends, solve problems, and answer questions. In other words, computers can help translate data into information from both within and among organizations. Data from all patient encounters with the healthcare system are stored in a central data repository, where they are accessible to authorized users. Patient information in a centralized database is organized, legible, and easily retrievable from a variety of sources and reflects a variety of data.

9. In orienting new staff nurses to a pediatric intensive care unit, the nurse manager asks the staff nurses to answer the following question: "What is an important consideration in providing information to parents of a critically ill child?" a. Making sure that they receive complete information during each encounter with a member of the nursing staff b. Assessing parents' preferences regarding the amount of information provided c. Allowing parents to observe key aspects of their child's nursing care d. Making sure that patient education brochures explaining ICU protocols are readily available

ANS: B Consultation with the parents regarding the amount of information that they desire reflects a service orientation, in which preferences and needs of the consumer are placed first. The other answers reflect nurse-directed decisions in which the nurse decides what information and how much information is needed and how it is to be delivered.

6. The nurse manager analyzes the data from the patient satisfaction surveys. What can a nurse manager do to strengthen service recovery and improve consumer relationships? a. Post comparisons of patient satisfaction scores with those of other units monthly. b. Involve the staff in resolving consumer issues quickly and effectively. c. Ensure that staff members apologize to patients when they complain about services. d. Ask that patients with complaints about services place them in a written format.

ANS: B Consumers need to be treated with fairness, given explanation, and provided with information about how errors will be prevented in the future. Staff can be assisted to respond to patient concerns through scripting, support, and an atmosphere that places an emphasis on learning and solutions rather than on blaming.

4. A primary care clinic in a small urban center sees a high volume of cardiology patients. Patients who attend the clinic have smart cards that they use at hospitals, clinics, and Emergency Departments within that region of the state. A primary benefit of the smart card for these patients would be: a. rapid and accurate treatment in emergency situations. b. reduced wait times to see specialists. c. e-mail notification of test results. d. readily available information regarding medications.

ANS: B Credit card-like devices called smart cards store a limited number of pages of data on a computer chip and serve as a bridge between the clinician terminal and the central repository of the electronic health record (EHR), making patient information available to the caregiver quickly and cheaply at the point-of-service. Smart cards provide information to healthcare providers regarding the patient's demographic and contact information, allergies, immunizations, lab results, and past patient care encounters and are presented at the point-of-service.

10. An outpatient surgery manager is evaluating new infusion pumps for purchase to use in the operating room. The manager should: a. select the least expensive brand. b. use a decision-making tool to evaluate brands. c. ask the nursing staff which brand they prefer. d. select the vendor the institution usually buys from.

ANS: B Decision-making tools such as decision grids and SWOT analyses are most appropriate when information is available and options are known.

22. Functions such as "delegates tasks to assistive personnel" that are outlined in a position description for an RN Team Leader would be considered: a. active delegation. b. passive delegation. c. passive accountability. d. active responsibility.

ANS: B Delegation of functions that are normally considered part of or an essential part of the practice of a licensed person through a position description is considered passive delegation.

With delegation, responsibility and accountability remain with the: a. physician. b. professional who delegates. c. individual who receives the delegation. d. individual who previously performed the task.

ANS: B Even though the delegatee (the one who receives the delegation) receives direction from the professional who delegates a task and must have the authority to complete it, the delegator retains accountability for the overall outcome and completion of the activity. The delegatee has responsibility (obligation to engage in the task) and authority for the task.

3. The chief nursing office continues to seek ways to improve healthcare services to clients and to save the hospital money. However, with the federal guidelines of paying agencies based on capitation, the chief nursing office faces a challenge. Capitation provides incentives for healthcare providers to control costs by: a. providing fewer services to fewer clients. b. using fewer services per client. c. using high-technology treatments. d. requiring second opinions.

ANS: B In a capitated environment, a single fee is paid for all services provided. To be financially viable under this reimbursement model, organizations would be interested in decreasing the volume of services used and increasing the volume of patients. High-technology treatments and second opinions may increase the number of services used.

1. A nurse manager was orienting new staff members to computerized charting. To understand computerized charting, staff members must understand informatics. The three core concepts in informatics are: a. hardware, software, and printers. b. data, information, and knowledge. c. decision making, data gathering, and reporting. d. wireless technology, voice recognition, and handheld devices.

ANS: B Informatics is the application of technology to all fields of nursing to facilitate and extend nurses' decision-making abilities and to support nurses in the use, storage, and linkage of clinical information to provide effective and efficient patient care.

1. The chief nursing office of a Magnet® hospital has conducted a study of ways to improve healthcare services. Healthcare services that add value for clients: a. accomplish healthcare goals. b. minimize costs. c. decrease the number of services used. d. use high-technology treatments.

ANS: B Models of reimbursement affect which services and approaches (e.g., decreasing the number of services used) might be financially viable and add value for clients. It is critical to determine and advertise the value of nursing care. Services that add value are of high quality, affect health outcomes positively, and minimize costs.

20. A nurse manager is excited by the possible use of speech recognition (SR) systems for documentation of patient care, especially during crisis situations when staff members need to focus on performing rapid assessments and implementation of procedures. She learns, however, that SR systems would be impractical at this point. What would lead to this conclusion? a. SR systems are not available outside pilot projects. b. The type of speech required for voice recognition is unlikely to occur in a pressured situation. c. The hands-free function has not been perfected in SR technology. d. Wireless communications are prone to unreliability in transmission.

ANS: B Speech recognition systems rely on staccato-like speech, pauses between words, and programming for each user, any and all of which would be unlikely in a pressured crisis situation. SR is being used primarily for therapeutic purposes and in situations where data entry is stable.

16. Decision making is described by the nursing educator as the process one uses to: a. solve a problem. b. choose between alternatives. c. reflect on a certain situation. d. generate ideas.

ANS: B The hallmark of decision making is choosing among options. Generating options is one phase of decision making, and solving a problem refers to problem solving, which is problem centered. Decision making does not always begin with problems, but rather is defined as a purposeful, goal-directed effort that uses a systematic process to choose among options.

18. You ask Evelyn, a new UNP, to check what is left in Mrs. N.'s inhaler when Evelyn makes visits to Mrs. N. and also to check whether Mrs. N. is receiving any positive effect from the medication. Evelyn reports for 3 weeks that Mrs. N. is using the inhaler and that there is enough medication left in the device. The day of her last visit to Mrs. N., Mrs. N. is admitted to the hospital in severe respiratory distress. When she is admitted, she tells the physician that she has not been using the inhaler for 4 weeks. This incident is an example of: a. incompetence of the UNP. b. failure to follow-through. c. skills but no motivation. d. lack of accountability.

ANS: B The nurse should maintain open lines of communication and seek information, and the UNP should know how, when, and what to report. Communication of delegation of tasks includes specific information about what is being delegated, expected outcomes, and deviations (which includes what immediate action needs to be taken). This 2-way communication and follow-through allows patient care to be altered, if necessary, in a timely manner.

14. Within a healthcare environment, where the gap between revenues and costs can mean the difference between sustainability of an organization and nonsustainability of an organization or services, it is critical for nurse managers to: a. maintain a clear vision of how to trim healthcare costs. b. balance value-added services against costs and revenues. c. consistently delete programs that are of high cost. d. implement programs that bring in additional revenues.

ANS: B To achieve and maintain financial viability, nurse managers must be able to think strategically financially and in terms of nursing care. Cutting costs by deleting programs and bringing in additional revenue through new programs and services are not in themselves strategic unless the decisions made lead to quality care, have positive outcomes, and are efficient in terms of cost.

20. John Smith, one of three managers at BSG Labs, drafted a policy that would allow his department to do more testing in his lab. This policy included the times for regular collection as well as a new process for emergency laboratory testing. The policy and procedures were never followed. The reason was that: a. the policy was too lengthy and inundated readers with too much detail. b. the policy made decisions for other departments in the company. c. the staff did not believe that the new policy would be effective. d. testing should not be done in the lab.

ANS: B Two primary criteria make for effective decisions. First, the decision must be of a high quality; that is, it achieves the predefined goals, objectives, and outcomes. Second, those who are responsible for its implementation must accept the decision. Higher quality decisions are more likely to result if groups are involved in the decision-making and problem-solving process. Taking ownership of the process and outcome provides a smoother transition in changes.

8. After reviewing her monthly budget report, the nurse manager sees that she has a negative variance, which prompts her to change the staffing schedule. A negative or unfavorable variance in a monthly expense report may result from: a. overestimation of inflation. b. higher than expected client acuity. c. net revenue exceeding net expenses. d. not replacing staff who called in sick.

ANS: B Variance reflects the difference between what was projected and the actual performance in a budget. When the variance is negative or unfavorable, the amount spent is more than what was budgeted (expenses exceed revenue); this may be a result of higher acuity. To help managers interpret and use variance information better, some institutions use flexible budgets that automatically account for census variances.

6. During a fire drill, the nurse manager becomes very assertive and directive in her communications with staff. This type of situational leadership depends on: a. supportive behavior by the leader and immature followers. b. the development level of the followers and the behavior based on the situation. c. well-developed followers combined with a strong leader who acts quickly. d. the leader's ability to evaluate personnel and communicate that evaluation.

ANS: B When abilities, relationships, and/or time is limited (as in a crisis situation), the leader assumes a bigger role in guiding and in making decisions, or "telling" behavior. Leaders need to behavior differently and use different leadership styles in different situations.

12. John is an older adult patient who comes regularly to the multigroup practice in which you are a nurse practitioner. He says that he doesn't understand what he is supposed to be doing about his medications, because every time he comes to the clinic, he sees a different provider. John's experience represents what aspect of the current consumer experience? a. Nurses are well-trusted members of the healthcare team. b. Fragmentation of care results in lack of respect and trust. c. Care providers often have conflicting ideas about care. d. The public does not trust care providers other than nurses.

ANS: B When consumers visit a multigroup practice, they do not have the option of selecting a specific healthcare provider, and thus, there is less opportunity to build a trusting relationship with a provider.

19. You ask Evelyn, a new UNP, to check what is left in Mrs. N.'s inhaler when Evelyn makes visits to Mrs. N. and also to check whether Mrs. N. is receiving any positive effect from the medication. Evelyn reports for 3 weeks that Mrs. N. is using the inhaler and that there is enough medication left in the device. The day of her last visit to Mrs. N., Mrs. N. is admitted to the hospital in severe respiratory distress. When she is admitted, she tells the physician that she has not been using the inhaler for 4 weeks. Before assigning Evelyn to Mrs. N.'s care, the most appropriate action of the care coordinator would have been to: a. determine Evelyn's educational background and preparation for this role. b. ask Evelyn if she has worked with inhalers before and to describe what she knows about them. c. advise that if Evelyn has any questions about what to do with the inhaler, she should come to the coordinator. d. advise Evelyn that working the inhaler is not really complicated and that she should ask the patient how to check medication levels in the inhaler.

ANS: B When delegating tasks, in addition to specifying the task to be completed, outcomes, priorities, time lines, deviations, report time frames, monitoring, and resources, asking the delegatee to give examples of each is helpful in ensuring that communication is clear and has been understood. Preparation of UNPs lacks consistency; therefore, the safest practice is to determine the knowledge and skill level of the UNP in relation to the skill and the patient before delegating.

13. Which of the following indicates safe delegation? a. The nurse supervisor for a large urban acute care department asks the unit manager to accept two new acutely ill patients, which the manager does. The unit is short two staff, and the replacement is inexperienced. b. A unit manager agrees to release a staff from her unit to Unit B. The staff member she agrees to release is experienced on Unit B and is agreeable to the change. The unit manager's unit is fully staffed and patients are stable. c. The nurse supervisor asks the head nurse for Unit A to make do without a replacement for an ill staff member because Unit A was originally overstaffed anyway. Patient acuity levels are very high on Unit A and two staff are orientating. d. The nurse supervisor asks the charge nurse on Unit B to cover Unit F, which is two floors up, because the charge nurse for Unit F is ill. The charge nurse for Unit B is an experienced manager but has no experience with the nursing care required on Unit F.

ANS: B When span of control (number of individuals for whom a manager is responsible) is compromised by geographic factors such as lack of proximity, instability in patients' conditions, or lack of experience, the span of control that is being delegated may lead to unsafe care.

11. You document your patient's vital signs into a bedside documentation device and are able to compare your patient's vital signs with patients who have similar diagnoses and similar medications, and who are of a similar age. You are accessing: a. e-mail. b. telecommunications. c. a database. d. technology.

ANS: C A database is a collection of data elements stored and organized together for the purposes of interpreting information such as vital signs.

3. Several nurses on an adolescent psychiatric unit complain that the teens are becoming unmanageable on the 0700-1900 shift. To resolve this problem, the nurse manager decides that the staff should have a brainstorming session. The goal of brainstorming is to: a. evaluate problem solutions. b. critique the ideas of others. c. generate as many solutions as possible. d. identify only practical and realistic ideas.

ANS: C Brainstorming encourages creativity when one is beginning to problem-solve and avoids premature shutting down of ideas through early evaluation. The goal is to generate ideas, no matter how seemingly unrealistic or absurd.

11. An older adult couple with limited means and on Medicare is considering options after the hospitalization of Mrs. A. with a fractured hip. Mrs. A. is stable but requires assistance with bathing, transfer, and mobility, and this will present stress for Mr. A., who was hospitalized with a mild myocardial infarction last year. Considering their means and health concerns, which of the following might be the best option? a. Hospice care b. Custodial nursing home care c. Home care d. Hospital care

ANS: C Custodial nursing care is not covered under Medicare and therefore, the financial burden of this option may cause further stress for the couple. Medicare Part A is an insurance plan for hospital, hospice, home health, and skilled nursing care that is paid for through Social Security. Because Mrs. A. is stable and not terminal, she does not require hospice care. The assistance provided through home care is covered under Medicare and provides assistance for needs such as those of Mrs. A.

17. In preparing her budget, a nurse manager determines that she needs to budget for six FTE RN positions in the upcoming year. Based on a 40-hour week, this means that the nurse manager has determined that the budget will provide for _____ hours. a. 12,480 productive b. 10,820 productive c. 12,480 paid d. 10,800 patient care

ANS: C From the information given, it is not possible to determine how many non-productive hours (vacation, holiday, sick time, education) the nurse manager has accounted for in her budget calculations and therefore whether the total number of hours (40 hours × 52 weeks × 6 staff = 12,480 paid hours) is productive (paid time that is worked) or non-productive hours. 12,480 accurately reflects the total number of hours of work paid per year.

16. An RN colleague, who is a long-standing and collaborative member of your team, is performing a complex dressing with new orders written for the first time for the assigned patient. Which of the following would be the most appropriate communication with her? a. "How do you usually do this kind of dressing?" b. "The dressing needs to be done today and tomorrow with the supplies on this cart." c. "Here is what you need for the dressing, and I will show you what needs to be done." d. "I know you know what you are doing. Let me know if you have any problems."

ANS: C If a situation involves a new task and the relationship is ongoing (two individuals who will usually continue to work together), the delegator explains what to do and how to do it. Hersey described the leader's behavior as explaining or persuading, which, is characterized as "selling." The RN who is assigned to the patient is an experienced nurse and team member, but is new to this specific situation. In situations where the nurse is experienced but the task is new, explain (and demonstrate) what needs to be done.

7. The unit manager is working in a large metropolitan facility and is told that two UNPs are to be assigned to work with her. Delegation begins with: a. acknowledging the arrival of the second UNP on the unit. b. providing clear directions to both UNPs. c. matching tasks with qualified persons. d. receiving reports from the prior shift.

ANS: C In delegating to the UNPs, the nurse must consider what cannot be delegated, as well as the factors of safety, time, critical thinking, and stability of patients.

15. From the information supplied in this chapter, which statement best defines critical thinking? Critical thinking is a: a. high-level cognitive process. b. process that helps to develop reflective criticism for the purpose of reaching a conclusion. c. high-level cognitive process that includes creativity, problem solving, and decision making. d. discussion that guides the nursing process.

ANS: C It is generally accepted by many authors and researchers that this statement best defines critical thinking.

16. Despite the implementation of bar-code medication administration (BCMA) on your busy medical unit, you notice that the number of medication errors has not significantly decreased. Which of the following reasons might explain the lack of change in errors? a. A number of new medications have been introduced into the hospital pharmacy that are not yet recognized in the CDS. b. There have been an unusually high number of patients on the unit who have been unable to confirm their identity at the time of medication administration. c. Lack of staff understanding and support for BCMA has led to overrides or failures to scan bar codes during busy times. d. Clinical data that have been entered into the system to guide administration of the medications are outdated.

ANS: C Most errors related to technology involve mislabeled bar codes on medications, mistakes at order entry because of confusing computer screens, or issues with management of information. Errors also are related to dispensing devices and human factors, such as failure to scan bar codes or overrides of bar-code warnings.

17. Justin is a nurse manager in a rehabilitation unit in a small urban center. There is a high turnover rate among rehab-assistants because of the heavy work assignments. Despite his need for staff, Justin decides to review each application thoroughly and interview candidates carefully because he recognizes that it is important to hire staff who can best provide high-quality care and who will fit well with the team. Which of the following decision-making models did Justin use in making his decision? a. Subjective model b. Objective model c. Optimizing model d. Satisficing model

ANS: C Optimizing is a decision style in which the decision maker selects the option that is best, based on an analysis of the pros and cons associated with each option. A better decision is more likely when using this approach, although it takes longer to arrive at a decision.

11. Select the statement that best defines the difference between problem solving and decision making: a. decision-making skills require critical thinking; problem-solving skills do not. b. problem-solving skills require critical thinking; decision-making skills do not. c. decision making is a goal-directed effort; problem solving is focused on solving an immediate problem. d. problem solving is a goal-directed effort; decision making is focused on solving an immediate problem.

ANS: C Problem solving is focused on solving immediate problems, whereas decision making is a goal-directed process that is aimed at selecting appropriate actions from among options. Not all decisions begin with a problem.

12. Which of the following exemplifies accountability? Karen, the nurse manager on 5E: a. consistently submits her budgets on time. b. gets along well with her staff and with other managers. c. outlines her rationale for reduction of RN coverage on nights to the Nursing Practice Committee after serious patient injury. d. actively solicits ideas regarding scheduling from her staff.

ANS: C Reliability, dependability, and obligation to fulfill the roles and responsibilities of the nurse manager are consistent with responsibility. Accountability refers to being answerable for actions and results.

High-quality decisions are most likely to be made in nursing situations when: a. team leaders make the crucial decisions. b. individuals are advised of the problems. c. group size is neither too small nor too large. d. members are passively involved.

ANS: C Research has shown that group size is important. Too small a group means a limited number of options generated. Too large a group can mean lack of structure or lack of meaningful discussion.

6. A home health nurse has been assigned to cover a 300-square-mile area of remote Montana. Mrs. Baker has just been discharged home following bowel surgery and has a new colostomy. She will need daily contacts for at least 2 weeks and then regular weekly contact following that week. Because it is not possible to visit Mrs. Baker in person every day and see all of the other clients, the nurse gives her a laptop computer with net meeting software installed. Each morning, both dial in at an agreed-upon time and discuss her progress. The home health nurse assesses whether or not the client needs to be seen that day and is able to view the colostomy site. This type of technology is called: a. distance learning. b. knowledge software. c. telecommunications. d. biomedical technology.

ANS: C Telecommunications and systems technology facilitate clinical oversight of health care via telephone or cable lines, remote monitoring, information links, and the Internet. Patients sitting in front of the teleconferencing camera can be diagnosed, treated, monitored, and educated by nurses and physicians. EKGs and radiographs can be viewed and transmitted.

8. Nurses need to know how to operate a computer, compare data across time, and look for patterns in client responses to treatments. These are examples of: a. JCAHO standards. b. information systems. c. informatics competencies. d. requirements for nursing licensure.

ANS: C The Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) project identified informatics competency as a necessary component of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for quality patient care. Nurses are anticipated to be able to use information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision making. Nurses must utilize hospital database management, decision support, and expert system programs to access information and analyze data from disparate sources for use in planning for patient care processes and systems.

13. The complexity of the healthcare environment for consumers is increased by: a. falling levels of education among the public. b. increased levels of poverty. c. complex compensatory systems and a variety of delivery systems. d. increased numbers of uninsured or underinsured.

ANS: C The complexity of options in health care and the processes and policies involved in funding health services for patients, as well as fragmented relationships with a growing variety of healthcare providers, contribute to the complexity of the system for patients, especially for those who might need it most, such as the poor, uninsured or underinsured, and homeless.

5. In writing the patient satisfaction survey, the nurse manager is aware of the education levels of the families. What is the most critical element in the concept of health literacy? a. Providing instructional materials at appropriate reading levels b. Facilitating access to translators for persons with language barriers c. Obtaining, processing, and understanding basic health information so appropriate decisions can be made d. Knowing that most people have limited health literacy skills

ANS: C The definition of health literacy used by the federal government is "the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions" (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010).

6. A nurse manager approves two staff nurses to attend a national conference. When reviewing the budget, the nurse manager looks at which line item? a. Cash budget b. Capital budget c. Operating budget d. Supply and expense budget

ANS: C The operating budget includes a personnel budget, which takes into account productive and non-productive paid work hours. Education hours are covered under nonproductive paid work hours in the operating budget.

2. The charge nurse is making patient assignments for the next shift on the unit. There is one critical patient on the unit, who is going to require more care than the other patients. Before delegating this patient in an assignment, what is the appropriate action by the charge nurse? a. Delegate the admission assessment to the LPN. b. Review the employee's performance assessment for the most recent period. c. Assess the amount of guidance and support needed for the nursing care of the patient. d. Create a task analysis of critical behaviors for the individual.

ANS: C To delegate effectively, the charge nurse must assess the abilities required in the situation and the abilities that staff have to anticipate the amount of direction, monitoring, explanation, and independence that can be assumed.

11. A nurse is admitted to a psychiatric unit. The staff expresses frustration with her because they have explained her medication regimen several times, and yet, when she leaves the unit with a pass, she fails to follow it. The staff believe that, as a nurse, she should be able to understand what is expected. The nurse's failure to follow the regimen indicates: a. early cognitive impairment. b. lack of motivation. c. lack of health literacy. d. worsening health state.

ANS: C What is evident from the response is that she lacks health literacy or the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services. Using a Health Literate Care Model involves weaving health literacy strategies into care by assuming that patients do not understand their health conditions or what to do about them, and then, subsequently assessing patients' understanding. For example, a nurse who is an expert clinician in a specialty practice area, when diagnosed with a serious chronic illness, may not have the appropriate background to make informed healthcare decisions.

21. County Hospital has position descriptions for all staff, including RN Team Leaders. Sarah, a team leader on the rehab unit, assesses the needs of the patients in her area, assesses the skills and backgrounds of each of the individuals on her team, and then assigns and delegates the appropriate care provider to each patient and task. Sarah's activity in the example described is termed: a. passive delegation. b. passive accountability. c. active delegation. d. active responsibility.

ANS: C When a position description contains functions that are considered to be the normal practice of the person in that role, then it is considered a passive delegation act. When Sarah decides what is best for the patients in her care in terms of who should perform the care and then holds the person accountable, she is engaging in active delegation.

County Hospital has position descriptions for all staff, including RN Team Leaders. Sarah, a team leader on the rehab unit, assesses the needs of the patients in her area, assesses the skills and backgrounds of each of the individuals on her team, and then assigns and delegates the appropriate care provider to each patient and task. Sarah provides Colleen, her RN colleague with details regarding the patients to whom Colleen has been assigned on the day shift. This is an example of: a. accountability. b. responsibility. c. assignment. d. delegation.

ANS: C When an RN assigns care to another RN, it is termed an assignment and not delegation, because both accountability and responsibility are transferred.

14. A 39-year-old patient awaits a kidney transplant. Because he must immediately arrange to get to the hospital when a donor kidney is available, it is important that he can be reached anywhere and at any time. To ensure that he receives the message, what type of technology is most effective? a. Internet b. Telecommunications c. WL pager d. CDS

ANS: C Wireless (WL) communication is an extension of an existing wired network environment and uses radio-based systems to transmit data signals through the air without any physical connections. Patients awaiting organ transplants are provided with WL pagers so that they can be notified if a donor is found.

17. A rural-urban health consortium enables physicians in a rural remote setting to consult with specialists in care through electronic conferencing, which includes consultation using intranet radiology images. This system may be in which phase of electronic medical technology adoption, according to the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)? a. 0 b. 1 c. 3 d. 6

ANS: D According to the HIMSS, this healthcare organization may be in phase 6, which includes the capacity to transmit all radiology images through intranet or another secure source. Level 1 refers to the installation of major ancillary clinical systems (such as radiology) and level 3 to the retrieval of radiology images from picture archives and communication systems.

1. You are a member of a team assigned to care for 15 general medical/surgical clients. You have all worked well together in the past in this same type of care. If you are assigned to coordinate this team's work, your best strategy, based on the Hersey model, would be to: a. have a list of tasks to be accomplished and tell each member of the team what he or she must do. b. encourage people to discuss their frustrations in providing this care. c. ignore them—they've done it before. d. provide minimal direction and let them come to you with questions.

ANS: D According to the Hersey model, when ability (skills, job knowledge) and willingness are strong, the role of the delegator is less ("delegating behavior").

1. The chief nursing officer decides to establish a client advocacy position in an oncology unit. Advocacy is best represented by: a. establishing private and professional networking systems. b. asking social services to handle clients' concerns. c. identifying community support groups. d. empowering others by promoting self-determination.

ANS: D Advocacy involves empowering and promoting self-determination in others.

13. As the head nurse involved in leading determination of which patient surveillance systems to acquire for your unit, one of your aims is to avoid adverse events through the implementation of appropriate technology. This particular aim recognizes that: a. human error is significant in contributing to adverse events. b. documentation of patient data is often illegible and therefore, misinterpreted. c. data systems provide backup documentation with adverse events that staff cannot provide. d. physiologic monitoring systems enable detection of early changes before an adverse event occurs.

ANS: D Data about adverse events suggests that a majority of physiologic abnormalities are not detected early enough and may be present hours before the event actually occurs. Physiologic monitoring aids in early detection of changes.

18. Justin is a nurse manager in a rehabilitation unit in a small urban center. There is a high turnover rate among rehab-assistants because of the heavy work assignments. Despite his need for staff, Justin decides to review each application thoroughly and interview candidates carefully because he recognizes that it is important to hire staff who can best provide high-quality care and who will fit well with the team. Which of the following decision-making solutions should Justin consider to have a more efficient department? a. Replace staff only with qualified applicants. b. Determine what the problem or problems are before hiring new staff. c. Consult with the human resources department and develop a plan for hiring new staff. d. All listed are appropriate to consider.

ANS: D Decision making involves a goal-oriented consideration of many options that are objectively weighed according to their possible risks, consequences, and positive outcomes. The options should be ranked in the order in which they are likely to result in the desired goals or objectives. The solution selected should be the one that is most feasible and satisfactory and has the fewest undesirable consequences. In this instance, all of the options listed might be considered and weighed.

15. In delegating to a UNP in a home health setting, which of the following represents the most appropriate delegation communication? a. "You will be taking care of Mrs. S., who needs assistance with her bath." b. "You will need to help Mrs. S. get into and out of her shower. Ensure that you check the condition of her feet, and let me know if you have any concerns when you check in." c. "I am not sure that you know how to do this, but I am giving you Mrs. S. She is quite obese and needs skin care." d. "Mrs. S. needs help to get into and out of her bathtub. Her bath will need to be completed by 10:00. When you are helping her to dry, please check between her toes and toenails, and phone me by 10:30 if you notice nail discoloration or redness."

ANS: D Delegation communication includes what is being delegated (and what is not), outcomes, specific deadlines (if applicable), specific reporting guidelines (what, when), and who may be consulted. Communication also includes conveying recognition of the authority to do what is expected.

After the nurses who work on an adolescent psychiatric unit have had a brainstorming session, they are ready to resolve the problem of unmanageable teenage patients. To maximize group effectiveness in decision making and problem solving, the nurse manager has: a. prevented conflict. b. formed highly cohesive groups. c. used majority rule to arrive at decisions. d. encouraged equal participation among members.

ANS: D Groups are more likely to be effective if members are involved, the group is cohesive, communication is encouraged, and members demonstrate some understanding of the group process. The nurse leader or manager should provide a nonthreatening and positive environment in which group members are encouraged to participate actively.

1. The risk manager informs the nurse manager of an orthopedic unit that her unit has had an increase in incident reports related to patients falling during the 11-7 shift. The nurse manager knows that the best way to resolve the problem is to: a. use creativity. b. obtain support from the 7-3 shift. c. use institutional research. d. identify the problem.

ANS: D Identification of a problem is the first step in problem solving and occurs before any other step. The most common cause for failure to resolve problems is the improper identification of the problem/issue; therefore, problem recognition and identification are considered the most vital steps.

7. A clinic nurse has observed another nurse deviating from agency policy in performing wound care. The best approach for the clinic nurse to take is to: a. stay out of it. b. inform the nursing supervisor. c. fill out a notification form (incident report). d. assess the risk to the client and the agency before proceeding.

ANS: D If the situation is subjective, nonroutine, and unstructured or if outcomes are unknown or unpredictable, the nurse leader and manager may need to take a descriptive or behavioral approach. More information (such as degree of risk to the client and to the agency) needs to be gathered to address this situation effectively.

21. A nurse manager is planning to request three new infusion pumps at a cost of approximately $1500 each. This item would typically be included in which budget? a. Operating b. Strategic c. Unit of service d. Capital

ANS: D Items that have a useful life of longer than a year, which is likely with the pumps, and that have a cost that usually exceeds $300 to $1000 (specific amount is set by the organization) are considered capital items. Operating budget items include what is used on a day-to-day basis, such as staffing.

5. The clinic nurse has just accessed a client's chart on the computer. The resident comes over and asks her to stay logged on because he needs to add a note to that client's chart. She should say: a. "No problem. Just log me off when you're done." b. "I'll put the note in for you. What do you want to say?" c. "Just make sure that you sign your note because it's under my password." d. "I'm sorry, but you will have to enter the information using your own password."

ANS: D System users must never share the passwords that allow them access to information in computerized clinical information systems. Each password uniquely identifies a user to the system by name and title, gives approval to carry out certain functions, and provides access to data appropriate to the user. All users must be aware of their responsibilities for the confidentiality and security of the data they gather and for the security of their passwords.

2. The nursing manager of a surgical unit has been asked by administration to evaluate client outcomes post cardiac catheterization. Using data about client outcomes post cardiac catheterization for the past 6 months in order to modify practice is an example of: a. information. b. cost-effective care. c. meeting standards. d. evidence-based practice.

ANS: D Technology enables evidence-based practice by collecting good clinical knowledge, translating nursing knowledge into reference materials that can be accessed at the point-of-care, and, potentially, assisting nurses to take action based on best evidence for practice.

5. The chief nursing officer works with her nurse managers by helping them understand how to develop and implement a budget. A nurse manager can best describe a budget as a: a. day-to-day plan for operations. b. unit of service. c. statement of revenues and services. d. financial plan.

ANS: D The budget is an overall financial plan that reflects organizational assumptions, objectives, and standards, and various types of budget planning, including operational and capital budgets, which, in turn, reflect revenues and costs.

Sally is an experienced nurse on the unit and is very experienced with ICP monitoring. She is assigned David, a patient who has been admitted with a severe head injury. In communicating with Sally, what does is an appropriate action by the charge nurse? a. Provide a detailed explanation of what she needs to do with ICP monitoring. b. Tell her when she needs to provide an update about David's status. c. Ask her to tell you what she knows about ICP monitoring and share expectations about reporting. d. Advise her that you are available if she needs you.

ANS: D The charge nurse and Sally have a well-established relationship and Sally has the expertise to work effectively with David; therefore, the charge nurse would need to provide little guidance but would need to communicate that they are available if needed. Hersey refers to this leader behavior as "delegating."

The agency in which you are a nursing leader makes a decision to reduce the number of RN positions in favor of PN positions because agency data suggest that the clients in the agency can receive appropriate care from PN staff. Furthermore, the agency is facing a decline in funding and without restructuring, some clients might not receive services at all. You provide this information on this decision to the staff and ask them to advise you if they have any feedback, concerns, or alternative solutions. This decision-making style is known as: a. paternalistic. b. shared. c. reasoned d. informative.

ANS: D The informative model offers the staff the ability to make a decision after the information has been shared and without the active involvement of the manager.

19. When confronted with the controversy and the apparent poor morale of the evening staff, the unit manager decided the staff needed to take some time off. He scheduled holidays for the staff without consulting them. A couple of the staff nurses approached the manager and indicated that the problem was not scheduling, but rather the team leader and her patient assignments. What was the unit manager's first missed step in problem solving? a. Not using a problem-solving model b. Not considering a number of alternatives c. Poor evaluation of outcomes d. Incorrect problem identification

ANS: D The unit manager did not begin with an accurate identification of the problem. Problem solving needs to begin with "why?".

3. A key advantage that a charge nurse has in terms of delegating is that: a. clients receive less attention because too many staff make it difficult to coordinate care. b. nurses report less pressure to perform necessary tasks themselves. c. administration can predict overtime more accurately. d. team skills can be used more effectively.

ANS: D The use of multilevel healthcare providers enables healthcare organizations and nursing to provide patient-centered care, with a focus on abilities and skills that can be employed to perform "what is needed now." As tasks become more complicated, delegating skills to others enables the nurse to effectively deliver a complex level of care.

23. Jane, an experienced head nurse, is given the task of completing the summer vacation schedule for the pediatric unit. She is fully aware of the hospital's restrictions on time off and the number of staff on vacation at any given time, as well as its issues regarding seniority. She weighs the options of allowing staff choice, such as it takes more time but gives employees options. However, if choice is allowed, this could cause arguments. Which of the following is the best alternative? a. Ask for requests for vacation time in advance, and post the times. b. Post the completed vacation schedule. c. Post a tentative schedule, and request feedback. d. Post a blank schedule, and ask staff members to fill in their times by a given date.

ANS: D This is based on a decision-making model that allows experience and knowledge to predict whether a decision will or will not work. The experience of the head nurse suggests that it is important to involve staff in decisions that affect them the most.

19. The primary reason for calculating productive hours paid instead of simply calculating work paid per year is that productive hours enable the manager to: a. anticipate total costs for patient care. b. know how much time staff will likely be unavailable because of illness. c. determine when orientation needs to occur for new staff. d. determine the number of hours available for patient care.

ANS: D Total hours are critical for determining the total number of hours that need to be paid for the year. Productive hours are needed to determine what hours are actually available for patient care. The number of FTEs required is determined by dividing the total patient care hours required by the number of productive hours.

3. The nurse manager on a pediatric intensive care unit wants to evaluate patient satisfaction. The nurse manager understands that ultimately, positive relationships with consumers of care are evaluated by the: a. cultural sensitivity of staff. b. cost-effectiveness of care delivery. c. economic value of service. d. outcomes for clients and their perceptions of care.

ANS: D Trend-setting organizations such as Magnet® organizations need to demonstrate excellence in outcome data such as patient satisfaction. Patient satisfaction and perception of the quality of care are affected by the quality of the nurse-patient relationship. Valid measurement of patient satisfaction is an evolving science; nurses do not always accurately gauge what factors are most important to patients. Satisfaction measures are often skewed in a positive direction with scores clustered at the top of the scale.

10. Which of the following factors is not implicated in rising healthcare costs? a. Rising expectations of consumers for cure and care b. Marketing of drugs to consumers c. Large administrative staffs to process medical billings d. Rising Medicare costs

ANS: D Unintentional injuries, socioeconomic conditions (e.g., poverty and violence), marketing of pharmaceuticals, and the rising expectations of consumers with regard to what should be done to manage health concerns all contribute to rising healthcare costs. The costs of Medicare are not considered in relation to rising costs of health care.

10. You are working in a home health service and have three unlicensed nursing personnel (UNPs) assigned to your team. You have worked with two of them for 2 years; the third is new. The two experienced UNPs have patients with complex illnesses for whom they provide basic care. The third member of the team has been assigned to patients with less complex illnesses. Your best approach to supervising their care is to: a. remain in the office and ask each UNP to check in with you upon arrival at their first patient care site. b. ask another RN to supervise the two experienced assistants so you can be with the new person full time. c. meet the new staff member at the first patient care site and ask the others to call if anything is unusual. d. meet the new staff member at the first patient care site and call the others with questions to determine whether anything is unusual.

ANS: D When ability and willingness are strong, the involvement of the delegator is needed less.

In a rural hospital, the unit for which you are charge nurse has a particularly busy morning. A 52-year-old patient is complaining of left-sided chest pain and a multiparous patient is about to deliver. A child with asthma is experiencing early signs of an attack. The other RN on the unit is a recent graduate who has not yet been orientated to the labor room and has limited cardiac nursing experience. An unlicensed assistant is available to assist. You must decide which patient situation you will take and where the new graduate RN's skills can best be used. Given the limitations in skills and experience, number of staff available, and time constraints, you must make a decision that involves: a. a higher order thinking process. b. selecting the best option for reaching a predefined goal. c. optimizing. d. satisficing.

ANS: D With this approach, the decision maker selects an acceptable solution, one that may minimally meet the objective or standard for a decision. This approach allows for quick decisions and may be the most appropriate when lack of time is an issue.

6. To solve a problem, the nurse manager understands that the most important problem-solving step is: a. the implementation phase. b. identification of numerous solutions. c. accurate identification of the problem. d. evaluation of the effectiveness of problem resolution.

C To proceed effectively, it is important to determine if a problem exists and to accurately identify a problem. Failure to resolve problems is most often linked to improper identification of the problem.