Exam 3 Leadership

20. When assessing the appropriateness of adopting WL PDAs for a nursing unit, you need to consider the advantages, which include: a. Lower cost relative to PCs. b. Small display screen. c. Font size. d. Speed of operation.

a. Lower cost relative to PCs. ANS: A PDAs offer a lower-cost method of documentation and communication than PCs, as well as easy portability. Disadvantages of PDAs include small screen size, suboptimal readability, and slowness in situations when speed is most needed.

A method commonly used in Quality Assurance to monitor adherence to established standards is: a.A Pareto chart. b.Brainstorming. c.Patient interviews. d.Chart audit.

d.Chart audit. Chart audits are a common method of addressing process standards. Chart audits over time yield trend charts.

A nurse manager wants to decrease the number of medication errors that occur in her department. The manager arranges a meeting with the staff to discuss the issue. The manager conveys a total quality management philosophy by:

Recommending that a multidisciplinary team should assess the root cause of errors in medication

The nurse manager is concerned about the negative ratings her unit has received on patient satisfaction surveys. The first step in addressing this issue from the point of view of quality improvement is to: a.Assemble a team. b.Establish a benchmark. c.Identify a clinical activity for review. d.Establish outcomes.

Identify a clinical activity for review In theory, any and all aspects of clinical activity could be improved through the QI process. However, QI efforts should be concentrated on changes to patient care that will have the greatest effect.

20. In Question 19, which of the four is most likely to be a perpetrator of violence? a. Becky b. Sarah c. Sharon d. Donna

ANS: A According to Hader (2008), the perpetrator was a patient 53.2% of the time, a nurse colleague 51.9% of the time, a physician 49% of the time, a visitor 49% of the time, and other healthcare workers 37.7% of the time.

The SBAR approach to patient safety encourages: a. Consistency in assessment and practices. b. Continuing education. c. Multidisciplinary approaches. d. Patient feedback.

ANS: A The use of SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation) checklists are designed to decrease omission of important information and practices.

17. Jenny tells you that she is always able to tell when others are about to become violent because they yell. Your response to Jenny is based on your understanding that: a. Her perception is accurate. b. Yelling is more likely associated with aggression. c. Violence is signaled by a variety of behaviors. d. She is mostly accurate in her thinking.

ANS: C The STAMP Assessment Components and Cues outline a wide variety of verbal and nonverbal cues that might signal the potential for violence.

11. Linda, a staff nurse on nights, yells at Ali, another RN, and tells Ali that she is stupid and can't get anything right. In responding to this situation as head nurse, it is critical that you: a. Require that Linda attend anger management classes. b. Investigate to see if Ali did anything to aggravate Linda. c. Call both immediately into the office in the morning to discuss the situation. d. Respond to Linda in a way that is consistent with organizational processes and with similar situations.

ANS: D Erratic or arbitrary discipline, favoritism, or behavior that undermines the dignity of either individual undermines efforts at curbing workplace violence. Disciplinary actions must be proportionate, consistent, reasonable, and fair.

In designing a quality, safe healthcare environment, the primary emphasis needs to be on: a. Evidence-based practice. b. Informatics. c. Staffing. d. The patient.

ANS: D Focusing on the patient moves care from concern about who controls care to a focus on what care is provided to and with patients, which was an aim identified in the IOM report Crossing the Quality Chasm.

19. 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 non-clinical 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.

a. Involves screen displays that are best configured for non-clinical users. 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.

The chief executive officer asks the nurse manager of the telemetry unit to justify the disproportionately high number of registered nurses on the telemetry unit. The nurse manager explains that nursing research has validated which statement about a low nurse-to-patient ratio? It: a.Promotes teamwork among healthcare providers. b.Increases adverse events. c.Improves outcomes. d.Contributes to duplication of services.

Improves outcomes Studies related to staffing and patient outcomes suggest that patient outcomes are improved with a low nurse-to-patient ratio and especially with a low registered nurse-to-patient ratio.

The outcome statement "Patients will experience a ten percent reduction in urinary tract infections as a result of enhanced staff training related to catheterization and prompted voiding" is: a.Physician-sensitive and nonmeasurable. b.Measurable and nursing-sensitive. c.Precise, measurable, and physician-sensitive. d.Patient care-centered and nonmeasurable.

Measurable and nursing-sensitive Nursing-sensitive outcomes refer to outcomes that are affected by nursing activity and are precise, measurable, and patient- centered.

13. You note that Unit 64 has had a high turnover rate of staff during the past year. In investigating this situation, an important source of data might include: a. Employee evaluations. b. Level of experience of staff. c. Exit interviews with staff. d. Selection processes and decisions.

ANS: C Exit interviews may assist in identifying issues such as workplace violence, bullying, and intimidation by managers.

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.

b. Data, information, and knowledge. 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.

A healthcare organization is committed to improving patient outcomes as part of the quality improvement (QI) process and examines its executive structure and organizational design. This approach recognizes which model of QI? a.The importance of decentralized structure in QA. b.That structure influences nurse burnout and participation in quality improvement initiatives. c.The need to ensure sufficient supervisory staff to respond in a corrective manner when mistakes occur. d.That a narrow hierarchy ensures accountability for errors and outcomes.

b.That structure influences nurse burnout and participation in quality improvement initiatives. Common organizational characteristics of MagnetTM hospitals include structure factors (e.g., decentralized organizational structure, participative management style, and influential nurse executives) and process factors (e.g., professional autonomy and decision making, ongoing professional development/education, active quality improvement initiatives). ANCC MagnetTM designated hospitals and other high-reliability organizations in the United States and Europe generally have lower burnout rates, higher levels of job satisfaction, and provide higher levels of quality care resulting in greater levels of patient satisfaction (Aiken et al., 2012; Kelly, McHugh, & Aiken, 2011).

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.

c. Informatics competencies. 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.

17. 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.

c. Lack of staff understanding and support for BCMA has led to overrides or failures to scan bar codes during busy times. 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.

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 two 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.

c. Telecommunications. 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.

Patient perceptions are useful in: a.Determining disciplinary actions in QI. b.Establishing the competitive advantage of QI decisions. c.Providing one source of data for QI initiatives. d.Establishing blame for poor-quality care.

c.Providing one source of data for QI initiatives. Customers define quality and patient dissatisfaction as useful indicators of which areas are of greatest concern to patients and of what matters then to nurses and organizations. Patient perceptions guide areas of inquiry; however, they do not establish what disciplinary decisions will be made.

2. You need to terminate Gregory, who has had a long-standing history of conflict with you and the staff, and who recently was charged with theft of patient belongings. You consult Human Resources, and together, you develop a plan, which includes: a. A private meeting with Gregory, a Human Resources representative, and you to deliver the news and deliver the termination notice and all other documents that are related. b. Planning an opportunity for Gregory to return and be recognized at a staff farewell. c. Calling Gregory at home to tell him that he is fired, and that his paperwork will be sent to him at a future date. d. Calling him into a meeting in your office on the ward, where assistance is available, should he become upset or agitated.

ANS: A Termination requires careful planning as to timing, privacy, safety, and how to preserve the employee's dignity and avoid humiliation. Choosing a private location where colleagues are not present, and organizing all documentation that is required to be given to Gregory, achieves these goals and prevents his having to come to the organization at a future date

If you are supporting the steps in the AHRQ document "Five Steps to Safer Health Care," you would ensure that: a. Patients are actively encouraged to make decisions related to care. b. Rules and decisions are made through centralized processes. c. You monitor the performance of each staff member closely. d. Preference is given to increasing staff numbers rather than staff credentials.

ANS: A The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) outlines "Five Steps to Safer Health Care," which suggests that safe, patient-centered care is facilitated by assisting patients to become active partners in their own care.

You notice that Sally, a student on your unit, is giving information to an anxious young teen who seems very uncertain about preparation for an upper GI series. After Sally leaves the room, you ask her how she thought her conversation with the patient went and: a. Encourage her to ask the patient if he has questions or concerns about the procedure. b. Advise her to consider providing the patient with more information. c. Suggest that she leave some brochures on the procedure with the patient. d. Suggest that she also provide teaching to the adolescent's parents.

ANS: A The Five Steps to Safer Health Care for Patients includes the step of asking questions if there are doubts or concerns. The nurse can encourage patients to take a larger role in care by taking these steps and by providing patients with coaching in the steps.

As a patient care advocate, you regularly coach patients on how to stay safe in health care by educating them about: a. The need to understand and record all medications being taken. b. Bringing their own linens and other personal items to the hospital. c. Washing hands frequently while in a healthcare environment and using a hand sanitizer. d. Following closely the directions and orders of healthcare providers.

ANS: A The Five Steps to Safer Health Care for patients include keeping a list of medications that patients are taking.

Which of the following would managers and staff review annually in order to ensure compliance with the Joint Commission (TJC) to improve patient safety? a. Appropriateness of charting terms and abbreviations b. Nursing hours per patient c. Acuity of patient admissions d. Wait times for care

ANS: A The Joint Commission issues setting-specific patient goals annually, as well as a list of "do-not-use" terms, abbreviations, and symbols and sentinel events.

10. At 3 AM, a man walks into your emergency department. He paces back and forth in the waiting area before he approaches staff to ask if he can see his wife, who is a patient on another floor. He speaks rapidly, his face is flushed, he glances around often, and he keeps his hand in his jacket pocket. A best initial response would be to: a. Assess your situation and your surroundings. b. Ask two or three staff to assist in confronting the individual. c. Ask what floor his wife is on and remind him that visiting hours are closed. d. Remain calm as there is no potential for violence here.

ANS: A The behavior of the individual (flushed appearance, furtive glances, speed of speech) and the hand in his pocket suggest the potential for violence or aggression. The first step is to quickly assess your surroundings for others who might assist and for safety alarms.

8. You are part of a multidisciplinary team that is charged with designing a workplace safety plan for your healthcare organization. This team has been established in response to increases in reports of violence and aggression. You begin by: a. Surveying staff about levels of satisfaction with the workplace and management, collegial, and patient relations. b. Offering training sessions in self-defense. c. Developing a policy that outlines zero tolerance for bullying. d. Offering education sessions on recognizing behaviors with potential for violence.

ANS: A Violence and aggression and a toxic workplace can lead to staff dissatisfaction and high staff turnover rates. Surveying staff provides a useful starting place in identifying problems such as employee dissatisfaction, bullying, and other forms of violence.

18. Joe and Carol, two of the RNs on Unit 22, are discussing recent incidents on the unit that have involved patients and visitors uttering threats or making demeaning remarks to staff during evening hours. Joe observes that unless someone shoots at him, he is not concerned because "words can't hurt you." Joe's remarks: a. Illustrate common misperceptions about the nature of violence. b. Accurately depict the difference between violence and aggression. c. Are partially correct because verbal remarks do not cause injury. d. Reveal possible issues that Joe relates to violence in his personal life.

ANS: A Violence and aggression involve verbal and nonverbal and covert and overt behaviors, and all forms are capable of producing short- and long-term injury that may have an impact on productivity, work performance, work attendance, and patient care.

In accordance with changes by the Joint Commission (TJC), Pleasant Valley Hospital amends its safety practices and policies to emphasize: a. Safety goals specific to Pleasant Valley. b. Decision-making processes. c. Sufficient staffing for safe care. d. Increased numbers of baccalaureate-prepared RNs.

ANS: A When the TJC, a not-for-profit organization that accredits healthcare organizations, changed its focus from processes to outcomes, it emphasized patient safety and issues setting-specific annual patient safety goals.

1. In designing a new healthcare facility, it is particularly important to pay close attention to safety elements related to violence and aggression in which of the following settings? (Select all that apply.) a. Emergency b. Psychiatry c. Gerontology d. Maternal-child

ANS: A, B, C Although the potential for violence and aggression exists in all healthcare settings, emergency, psychiatric, and geriatric settings are at particular risk for violence.

Which of the following patients would be at greatest risk in a healthcare visit (select all that apply)? a. Clyde requires an anticoagulant. He tells the nurse about his medications. He does not include an herbal supplement. b. George is very shy and withdrawn. He asks the nurse to leave him alone. c. Sarah is a new parent who finds that nurses on the children's unit are very helpful. She is eager to accept all suggestions, including those that she does not yet understand. d. Claude is booked for bowel surgery. His doctor explains about the colostomy. Later, Claude tells his wife that he really doesn't know what the doctor meant by colostomy.

ANS: A, C, D Safer health care involves the patient as an active consumer who keeps and brings a list of all medications, including natural remedies, and questions if there are doubts, concerns, or lack of understanding.

1. Your healthcare organization places a high value on workplace safety and integrates this into all aspects of administrative and patient care processes. As a unit manager, you thoroughly endorse this direction, and during the selection and hiring of new staff, you consistently: a. Refuse to hire applicants who are pushy during interviews. b. Thoroughly follow up with all references before offering a position. c. Ask applicants during the interview if drug or alcohol abuse is a problem. d. Refuse to interview applicants with sporadic work histories.

ANS: B Sporadic work histories and a "pushy" attitude may or may not be associated with aggression and violence. Checking references thoroughly helps to effectively check out impressions gained during the interview and may yield useful information about issues related to violence and aggression in previous employment.

7. Caroline asks family members to leave while she cares for the 16-year-old victim of a recent car accident. The father screams at her and tells her that she has no right to ask his family to leave, and that if she continues to do so, he will "throw her out of the room." Caroline is shaken and tells her head nurse, who tells her that this kind of thing is just part of the job. The guidance of the head nurse: a. Is reasonable. No physical violence was involved. b. Is related to why statistics on violence in health care are likely underreported. c. Acknowledges the deep distress and fear of the family. d. Acknowledges the concern of the nurse.

ANS: B A common perception is that incidences such as these, which do not involve physical injury or harm, but rather threats, are part of the job. Because of underreporting, data related to violence and aggression in the workplace may not be reflective of its true incidence

16. A patient who has a history of involvement with drugs and weapons comes up to you in the hallway and asks you a question regarding directions in treatment. When you respond, he moves closer in to you and puts both hands up on either side of your neck. No one else is in the hallway. Your best response at this point is to: a. Yell at him to stop. b. Calmly ask the patient to remove his hands. c. Hit the patient in the mid section. d. Use pepper spray.

ANS: B In a potentially violent situation, it is important to look and behave in a calm and confident manner, even if you do not feel calm or confident. The person that you are de-escalating will notice and take his cues from you

15. In addressing the staff turnover rate in Question 13, you are: a. Confirming the high correlation between managerial incompetence and violence. b. Demonstrating awareness that workplace violence, if present, has significant costs. c. Aware that staff and manager experiences contribute to high turnover. d. Aware that violence is a rare but present factor in the workplace.

ANS: B Workplace violence and aggression contribute to staff turnover and toxic work environments. Loss of the organizational investment required to train new staff and departure of experienced staff can increase operating costs and reduce the quality of care.

The Rehabilitation Unit at Pleasant Valley Hospital has a high number of falls. Which of the following interventions might assist to reduce the number of falls on the unit? a. Determining who is responsible for the falls b. Strengthening unit policies to avoid inappropriate admissions c. Encouraging involvement of nurses in education related to falls and safety d. Ensuring that patients are appropriately restrained if they are at risk for falls

ANS: C The IOM (2010) emphasizes the need for nurses to engage in lifelong learning and to use evidence and best practices to inform practice and ensure safety.

To increase safety in patient care areas of the Valley Hospital, the executive begins by: a. Asking the community what the safety issues are. b. Consulting with a management expert about staffing schedules. c. Ensuring that the senior nursing officer attends the board meetings. d. Instituting improved practices to reduce needle-stick injuries.

ANS: C The IOM report (2004) highlighted the importance of the attendance of the senior nurse executive at board meetings to be a key spokesperson on safety and quality issues.

In an effort to control costs and maximize revenues, the Rehabilitation Unit at Cross Hospital reduced the number of its managers and increased the number of units for which each manager was responsible. Within a year, the number of adverse events on the units had doubled. This may be attributable to: a. The overload of staff nurses. b. Resistance to change by staff. c. A change in reporting systems. d. Fewer clinical leaders to remove barriers to care.

ANS: D Eliminating barriers to the implementation of best practices is the role of managers and leaders. When there are insufficient resources for leadership to encourage a culture in which evidence-based practice is embraced, frontline nurses recognize this as a stumbling block for delivering quality care.

12. Residents in a new long-term care facility attend a large dining hall for meals. In reviewing reports of aggression and violence, you note that behaviors such as hitting, or attempting, to hit staff are increasing. Further investigation suggests that this behavior occurs most often at mealtimes. A possible intervention would be to: a. Seat residents with the highest potential for violence next to those with the lowest potential for aggression. b. Feed residents earlier in the day. c. Restrain residents who are violent or aggressive during meal times. d. Establish a smaller dining area that is away from the main area that is for residents who have potential for aggression/violence.

ANS: D Violence and aggression are more likely during times of increased activity, such as mealtimes. Reducing activity levels through interventions such as a separate dining area may reduce incidents of violence and aggression.

The nurse educator of the pediatric unit determines that vital signs are frequently not being documented when children return from surgery. According to quality improvement (QI), to correct the problem, the educator, in consultation with the patient care manager, would initially do which of the following? a. Talk to the staff individually to determine why this is occurring. b. Call a meeting of all staff to discuss this issue. c. Have a group of staff nurses review the established standards of care for postoperative patients. d. Document which staff members are not recording vital signs, and write them up

Call a meeting of all staff to discuss this issue Leadership must identify safety shortcomings and must locate resources at patient care levels to identify and reduce risks. One method of doing this is to invite all staff into a discussion related to solutions to an identified concern. This approach encourages teamwork.

Hospital ABCD is a Magnet™ hospital. This designation has been applied to Hospital ABCD because it: a. Facilitates active staff participation in decision making related to quality nursing care. b. Has implemented a graduate nurse orientation program. c. Espouses commitment to excellence in patient care. d. Is establishing career ladders for nurses.

Facilitates active staff participation in decision making related to quality nursing care MagnetTM hospitals are particularly successful in implementing excellence in patient care through use of standards, evidence, and participatory decision making in quality improvement. Organizations that cannot pursue MagnetTM status can implement strategies such as career ladders.

With the rise in workplace violence in the emergency department, the nurse manager decides that she should work with the risk manager in violence prevention. The nurse manager should: a.Request all staff to accept new risk management practices. b.Hold staff accountable for safe practices. c.Document inappropriate behavior. d.Hire more police security.

Hold staff accountable for safe practices Active involvement of staff in risk management activities is key to prevention of adverse events. Nursing has a primary role in leadership in optimizing patient outcomes, preventing patient care issues, and mitigating adverse events. Accountability for safety can be one aspect of performance evaluations.

A nurse is explaining the pediatric unit's quality improvement (QI) program to a newly employed nurse. Which of the following would the nurse include as the primary purpose of QI programs? a.Evaluation of staff members' performances b.Determination of the appropriateness of standards c.Improvement in patient outcomes d.Preparation for accreditation of the organization by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)

Improvement in patient outcomes The primary purpose of QI is improvement of patient outcomes, which relates to prevention of error, quality patient care, and patient satisfaction.

The chief executive officer asks the nurse manager of the telemetry unit to justify the disproportionately high number of registered nurses on the telemetry unit. The nurse manager explains that nursing research has validated which statement about a low nurse-to-patient ratio? It: a.Promotes teamwork among healthcare providers. b.Increases adverse events. c.Improves outcomes. d.Contributes to duplication of services

Improves outcomes Studies related to staffing and patient outcomes suggest that patient outcomes are improved with a low nurse-to-patient ratio and especially with a low registered nurse-to-patient ratio.

A nurse manager wants to decrease the number of medication errors that occur in her department. The manager arranges a meeting with the staff to discuss the issue. The manager conveys a total quality management philosophy by: a.Explaining to the staff that disciplinary action will be taken in cases of additional errors. b.Recommending that a multidisciplinary team should assess the root cause of errors in medication. c.Suggesting that the pharmacy department should explore its role in the problem. d.Changing the unit policy to allow a certain number of medication errors per year without penalty.

Recommending that a multidisciplinary team should assess the root cause of errors in medication Quality management stresses improving the system, and the detection of staff errors is not stressed. If errors occur, reeducation of staff is emphasized rather than imposition of punitive measures such as disciplinary action or blaming.

A healthcare organization is committed to improving patient outcomes as part of the quality improvement (QI) process and examines its executive structure and organizational design. This approach recognizes which model of QI? a.Donabedian b.Benchmarking c.Employee involvement and innovation d. QSEN

Donabedian

An example of an effective patient outcome statement is: a.Eighty percent of all patients admitted to the Emergency Department will be seen by a nurse practitioner within 3 hours of presentation in the Emergency Department. b.Patients with cardiac diagnoses will be referred to cardiac rehabilitation programs. c.The hospital will reduce costs by 3% through the annual budget process. d.Quality is a desired element in patient transactions

Eighty percent of all patients admitted to the Emergency Department will be seen by a nurse. Practitioner within 3 hours of presentation in the Emergency Department Patient outcomes must be measurable, specific, and patient- centered.

Hospital ABCD is a Magnet™ hospital. This designation has been applied to Hospital ABCD because it: a.Facilitates active staff participation in decision making related to quality nursing care. b.Has implemented a graduate nurse orientation program. c.Espouses commitment to excellence in patient care. d.Is establishing career ladders for nurses.

Facilitates active staff participation in decision making related to quality nursing care MagnetTM hospitals are particularly successful in implementing excellence in patient care through use of standards, evidence, and participatory decision making in quality improvement. Organizations that cannot pursue MagnetTM status can implement strategies such as career ladders.

A nursing unit is interested in refining its self-medication processes. In beginning this process, the team is interested in how frequently errors occur with different patients. To assist with visualizing this question, which organizational tool is most appropriate? a.Histogram b.Flowchart c.Fishbone diagram d.Pareto char

Histogram Histograms are bar graphs that are useful in outlining and identifying frequency.

A nurse is explaining the pediatric unit's quality improvement (QI) program to a newly employed nurse. Which of the following would the nurse include as the primary purpose of QI programs? a. Evaluation of staff members' performances b. Determination of the appropriateness of standards c. Improvement in patient outcomes d. Preparation for accreditation of the organization by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)

Improvement in patient outcomes The primary purpose of QI is improvement of patient outcomes, which relates to prevention of error, quality patient care, and patient satisfaction.

A nursing-led classification system that has led to greater reliability and standardization in data utilized for QI processes is: a.NANDA. b.AHRQ. c.NIOSH. d.Nursing process.

NANDA NANDA has been developed by nurses and uses standardized terminology that enables study of health problems across populations, settings, and caregivers.

In determining the relationship between injury-producing falls and proposed preventive measures as part of the QI process, a QI team might turn to which of the following for confirmatory evidence? a.NDNQI b.NANDA c.NIOSH d.AHRQ

NDNQI The National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators is a national, nursing quality measurement program from the American Nurses Association that provides hospitals with unit-level performance reports with comparisons to national averages and rankings.

In determining the relationship between injury-producing falls and proposed preventive measures as part of the QI process, a QI team might turn to which of the following for confirmatory evidence? a.NDNQI b.NANDA c.NIOSH d.AHRQ

NDNQI The National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators is a national, nursing quality measurement program from the American Nurses Association that provides hospitals with unit-level performance reports with comparisons to national averages and rankings.

14. In selecting the appropriate action in Question 13, it is important that: a. All documentation is reviewed. b. Usual processes for discipline are followed. c. Confidentiality is assured. d. An incident report is filed.

ANS: C Confidentiality is important if an employee fears intimidation or retribution from a manager.

A new RN staff member asks you about the difference between QA and QI. You explain the difference by giving an example of QI. a."Last year, the management team established new outcomes that addressed issues such as medication errors." b."At a staff meeting last year, two of our staff commented on the number of recent falls and asked, 'What can we do about it?'" c."A process audit was done recently to determine how much time was being spent on patient documentation." d."Errors are reported on our new computerized forms, and I follow up with staff to make sure that they understand the seriousness of their error."

b."At a staff meeting last year, two of our staff commented on the number of recent falls and asked, 'What can we do about it?'" In QI, followers invest in the process by continually asking "What makes this indicator important to measure?" "What has been done to improve it?" "What can I do to improve it?"

A nursing-led classification system that has led to greater reliability and standardization in data utilized for QI processes is: a. NANDA. b. AHRQ. c. NIOSH. d. Nursing process.

NANDA NANDA has been developed by nurses and uses standardized terminology that enables study of health problems across populations, settings, and caregivers.

14. 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.

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.

Through the QI process, the need to transform and change the admissions process across administrative and patient care units is identified. In this particular situation, what method of data organization will be most effective? a. Flowchart b.Histogram c.Narrative d.Line graphs

Flowchart Flowcharts are useful in identifying and visualizing sequential steps, such as the admissions process.

Examples of sentinel events include (select all that apply): a.Forceps left in an abdominal cavity. b.Patient fall, with injury. c.Short staffing. d.Administration of morphine overdose. e.Death of patient related to postpartum hemorrhage.

ABDE Sentinel events are serious, unexpected occurrences involving death or physical or psychological harm.

Through the QI process, the need to transform and change the admissions process across administrative and patient care units is identified. In this particular situation, what method of data organization will be most effective? a.Flowchart b.Histogram c.Narrative d.Line graphs

Flowchart Flowcharts are useful in identifying and visualizing sequential steps, such as the admissions process.

As a manager in a new nursing home, where might you consult for guidance and evidence to support the development of safe patient practices? a. Hospitals b. Business c. Industry d. Outpatient clinics

ANS: A Practices that were once mostly studied in hospital settings are now scrutinized for implementation in other settings, such as outpatient clinics, rural settings, and nursing homes.

As a manager, the development of your decision-making skills related to safe patient care is facilitated by: a. Regular reflection on decisions. b. A culture of perfectionism. c. Recognition of who should be held responsible for individual errors. d. A culture of trust between the staff and you.

ANS: A Reflection on how well decisions were enacted enables knowledge of the complexity of situations and ramifications of the decisions made. Reflection enables elimination of strategies and methods that are inappropriate in meeting needs and aids in narrowing choices of best actions to take.

During review of back injuries, it is determined that a large number of injuries are occurring in spite of mechanical lifts being used. Furthermore, it is determined that some lifts are outdated. In addressing this concern, the unit manager: a. Meets individually with nurses who are observed to be using the lifts incorrectly to review the correct procedure. b. After consultation with the staff about the review, orders new lifts to replace older ones that are malfunctioning. c. Blames the system for inadequate funding for resources. d. Reviews the system of reporting incidents to ensure that appropriate reporting is occurring.

ANS: A The IOM report (2004) points to the need to involve nurses in decisions that affect them and the provision of care.

The NQF provides a model for advancement of healthcare quality that could be used in healthcare organizations. The use of this model by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services specifically affects the interaction between adverse events and: a. Staffing. b. Funding. c. Composition of executive councils. d. Composition of consumer-based councils.

ANS: B The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have adopted a policy based on the NQF's "never events." The CMS will no longer pay for patient conditions or events that result from poor practice while patients are under the care of a health professional.

The IOM Health Professions Education report highlighted patient safety concerns as: a. A normal risk in professional practice. b. A result of disciplinary silos. c. A reflection of frontline staff. d. Related to systems errors.

ANS: B The IOM Health Professions Education report (2004) highlighted the education of health disciplines in silos as a major concern in patient safety and endorsed five recommendations.

4. Delaney, one of your staff nurses, confides that Marjorie, another nurse, has been actively telling others that you are incompetent and do not know what you are doing in relation to patient care, and that you lie to the staff about attempts to get more staffing. Through telephone calls and conversations during breaks, she is recruiting other staff to her position. Delaney confides that most of the staff find you fair, honest, and knowledgeable. Marjorie's behavior can best be characterized as: a. Political action. b. Bullying. c. Building alliances. d. Disgruntlement.

ANS: B Workplace bullying involves aggressive and destructive behaviors such as running a smear campaign and failing to support another nurse.

21. A safety and security plan is important to a healthcare organization because it: a. Lays out preventive measures in relation to violence. b. Provides direction as to changes in facilities that protect staff. c. Establishes expectations in relation to behavior and tolerance of violence. d. Establishes policies and practices that guide prevention of violence and expectations in the workplace.

ANS: D A safety plan provides overall direction in relation to what is expected, how violence is prevented, and what will occur when violence happens.

As a nurse manager on the West Surgery Unit, you are interested in increasing patient safety and reducing morbidity and mortality on your unit. Which of the following recommendations would be consistent with the IOM The Future of Nursing report? a. Careful screening of nursing staff for substance use and abuse b. Increased RN staffing on the unit c. Salary and benefits that reflect nursing accountabilities d. Increase in the percentage of baccalaureate-prepared nurses to 80%

ANS: D The Future of Nursing advocates for having 80% of the nursing population at a baccalaureate-prepared level. This recommendation reflects research that suggests that improved mortality and morbidity rates occur with a better educated workforce.

Your institution has identified a recent rise in postsurgical infection rates. As part of your QI analysis, you are interested in determining how your infection rates compare with those of institutions of similar size and patient demographics. This is known as: a.Quality assurance. b.Sentinel data. c.Benchmarking. d.Statistical analysis.

Benchmarking Benchmarking is a widespread search to identify the best performance against which to measure practices and processes.

At Hospital Ajax, staff members are reluctant to admit to medication errors because of previous litigation and a culture that seeks to assign blame. This culture demonstrates: a.QM principles that emphasize customer safety. b.A deep concern with improvement of quality and processes. c.Effective employee orientation and development in relation to QM. d.Goals that are inconsistent with QM

Goals that are inconsistent with QM

A new graduate is asked to serve on the hospital's quality improvement (QI) committee. The nurse understands that the first step in quality improvement is to: a.Collect data to determine whether standards are being met. b.Implement a plan to correct the problem. c.Identify the standard. d.Determine whether the findings warrant correction.

Identify the standard Before further action (data collection, decision making related to correction, and implementation of a plan) can occur, it is necessary to identify the standards against which data collection and decision making will occur. Institutions may or may not adopt standards that are already established by organizations such as the ANA.

At Hospital Ajax, there has been a 20% increase in instruments and sponges being left in patients during surgery and surgeries on the wrong limbs. These are known as: a.Sentinel events. b.Medically sensitive events. c.Nurse-sensitive events. d.Never events.

Never-events The NQF and CMS define never events as errors in medical care that are clearly identifiable, preventable, and serious in their consequences for patients and that indicate a real problem in the safety and credibility of a healthcare facility. Examples of never events include surgery on the wrong body part, foreign body left in a patient after surgery, mismatched blood transfusion, major medication error, severe pressure ulcer acquired in the hospital, and preventable postoperative deaths.

Before beginning a continuous quality improvement project, a nurse should determine the minimal safety level of care by referring to the: a.Procedure manual. b.Nursing care standards. c.Litigation rate of unsafe practice. d.Job descriptions of the organization.

Nursing care standards Standards establish the minimal safety level of care. Procedure manuals provide information about how standards are to be achieved.

11. 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.

a. A clinical database. 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.

13. 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.

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

24. To improve outcomes on the stroke recovery unit, the unit manager leads an evidence-based practice (EBP) project. The goal of this project is to: a. Enable detection of variations in clinical outcomes from well-researched standards that are supported by confirmatory evidence. b. Gain quick access to literature based on studies of patients and families who have experienced stroke. c. Develop a list of articles that could be accessed to address clinical issues and problems with stroke patients. d. Advance the development of staff who are able to conduct independent nursing research on stroke outcomes.

a. Enable detection of variations in clinical outcomes from well-researched standards that are supported by confirmatory evidence. ANS: A Several "intelligent" clinical information systems are in place that collect good data and then translate nursing knowledge, such as well-researched standards, into reference materials at the point-of-care. In addition, computer applications assist nurses to take action and provide patient care based on the best evidence for practice.

15. 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

c. WL pager 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.

25. As part of an information technology implementation team, you are implementing a clinical decision support system. Particular considerations for successful implementation of this project include: a. Ensuring that the system is reliable. b. Ensuring that patient information is reliable. c. Developing unique identifiers for individuals. d. Developing rules that support inferences.

d. Developing rules that support inferences. ANS: D Clinical decision support systems provide support for novice nurses, in particular, as they enable entry of real-time data from patient situations and inferences that apply the logic that expert nurses would use. These inferences require rules to be developed for the system.

A client requires an appendectomy. The surgeon explains the procedure and asks the client to sign the consent. The patient speaks very little English and looks worried. As a nurse, you would: a. Suggest that an interpreter explain the procedure to the client and answer any questions. b. Ask the client if he has any questions. c. Draw a picture to show the incision. d. Not intervene.

ANS: A The Five Steps to Safer Patient Care identifies that encouraging patients to ask questions when there are doubts and concerns and ensuring understanding before surgery is performed are ways in which nurses can support patients in having greater influence in their own care. In this situation, asking an interpreter to help enables access to information for the patient and active assessment of his understanding.

To achieve nurse-sensitive care standards developed by the NQF, you advocate for which of the following in your health facility? a. Evidence-based practice to reduce the prevalence of pressure sores b. Implementation of informatics at the bedside c. Staff-manager conferences to review reporting of adverse medical events d. Patient councils to review food, recreation, and nurse-patient relations

ANS: A The National Quality Forum (NQF) outlines nursing-centered intervention measures related to prevalence of pressure sores, ventilator-associated pneumonias, volunteer turnover, nursing care hours per day, and skill mix of staff.

22. Sarah is involved in intervening when a patient attempts to harm herself on the unit. During the interaction, the patient slaps Sarah across the face. As a head nurse, it is important that you: a. Offer Sarah immediate education and training in self-defense. b. Assist with follow-up documentation and offer access to counseling. c. Provide access to a lawyer. d. Encourage Sarah to see the incident as a normal part of care.

ANS: B When violence occurs, it is important to foster an environment that offers open communication, support, assistance with documentation, and psychological and other supported therapies.

Mary, an 85-year-old patient with cognitive impairment and gross instability, wanders continuously. Lately, she has fallen twice, and the family demands that she be restrained. As the unit manager, you have initiated a least restraint practice. An appropriate action in this situation would be: a. Setting up a nursing team meeting to review practices. b. Calling the family to inform them of the practice. c. Initiating a multidisciplinary and family meeting to focus on Mary's needs. d. Restraining Mary to satisfy the family's wishes.

ANS: C Crossing the Quality Chasm emphasizes the importance of rendering care with the client (client-centered) rather than to the client. In this situation, the patient includes family in transparent discussions about quality needs and takes a team approach that involves healthcare professionals, the family, Mary's needs, and evidence associated with safe practice.

After consulting with practice environments about quality and safety concerns in health care, the Dean of Health Programs at U.S. University develops: a. A nursing program that emphasizes the development of a strong disciplinary identity. b. Programming that stresses discipline-based research. c. Partnerships with health care to develop software for the reporting of adverse events. d. An interdisciplinary program for nurses, pharmacists, and medical practitioners that emphasizes collaborative learning teams.

ANS: D Health Professions Education identified that education related to health disciplines in silos leads to compromised communication and inability to function as an integrated whole for patient-centered care.

As the manager on an acute care medical unit, you note that the incidence of medication errors has increased since the implementation of staffing changes. As part of your strategy to reduce errors, it is important to a. Re-visit reporting standards for medication errors in your organization. b. Ensure that medication errors are consistently reported. c. Provide staff with additional education related to safe practice in medication administration. d. Involve RN staff in determining reasons for errors and practice solutions to increase the safety of medication administration.

ANS: D Keeping Patients Safe: Transforming the Work Environment of Nurses (2004) identified many past practices that had a negative impact on nurses, and thus on patients, and recommended the inclusion of nurses in direct care in decision making involving their practice. Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health (2010) also emphasizes the role of nurses as leaders in changes that improve health.

On the West Surgery unit, you want to institute a new system for checking armbands that evidence suggests may increase safety in medication administration. The system involves technology. Which of the following strategies may assist with rapid adoption of the technology and system? a. Employ a centralized decision-making approach. b. Use simulators for initial practice to build confidence. c. Bring in a nurse consultant who is familiar with the technology. d. Use early adopters among the staff as leaders and role models in implementation.

ANS: D The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) is dedicated to rapid improvement in patient care through a variety of mechanisms such as rapid cycle change. Rapid cycle change diffuses innovation and changes quickly through early adopters who share information and energy over time and act as role models for others.

In preparation for redesignation as a MagnetTM Hospital, how would you prepare? a. Commit staff resources over a 6-month period to updating procedure manuals. b. Educate staff through meetings and training sessions regarding appropriate answers to questions. c. Prepare a manual that outlines orientation procedures and ensure that all safety issues are addressed. d. Ensure that there are empirical data to support review of patient outcomes, actions taken, and results of actions.

ANS: D Through the MagnetTM model, organizations must demonstrate how they provide excellence in five areas. Between designation and redesignation as a MagnetTM organization, greater emphasis is placed on empirical quality results.

With the rise in workplace violence in the emergency department, the nurse manager decides that she should work with the risk manager in violence prevention. The nurse manager should: a.Request all staff to accept new risk management practices. b.Hold staff accountable for safe practices. c.Document inappropriate behavior. d.Hire more police security

Hold staff accountable for safe practices Active involvement of staff in risk management activities is key to prevention of adverse events. Nursing has a primary role in leadership in optimizing patient outcomes, preventing patient care issues, and mitigating adverse events. Accountability for safety can be one aspect of performance evaluations.

16. 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

a. Clinical decision support 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.

10. 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.

a. Participating in organizational information technology committees. 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.

MULTIPLE RESPONSE 1. As a nurse manager, you want to institute point-of-care devices on your unit. The rationale that you provide to support the point-of-care devices includes (select all that apply): a. Reduction in incidents of medication error. b. Immediate documentation of care. c. Comparison of patient data with previous data. d. Immediate access to staffing schedules

a. Reduction in incidents of medication error. b. Immediate documentation of care. c. Comparison of patient data with previous data. ANS: A, B, C Point-of-care devices that allow documentation of assessment, care, and teaching at the bedside reduce the gap in time between care and documentation, thereby reducing error, increasing accuracy, and improving communication of care. Medication devices and patient databases enable accurate clinical decision making.

22. As a nurse manager, one challenge is to orient new staff to your agency's policies and procedures, as well as to provide training across various shifts. A cost-effective and effective learning strategy would be: a. Development of new learning modules and software to support document retrieval. b. E-mail distribution to staff home e-mail addresses regarding important policies. c. Preparation of DVDs that can be viewed on computers at the nursing station during "down times." d. Linking policies and procedures to the network for access when required at the point-of-care.

d. Linking policies and procedures to the network for access when required at the point-of-care. ANS: D Knowledge technology consists of systems that generate or process knowledge and provide clinical decision support (CDS). The clinical knowledge embedded in computer applications 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. The most accessible and cost-effective approach would be utilization of what is already available in the work environment, such as the systems that provide CDS.

23. A necessary, basic condition for successful integration of clinical information systems is: a. Software. b. Standard medical nomenclature. c. Confirmatory evidence from nursing-led studies. d. Strong interdisciplinary cultures.

d. Strong interdisciplinary cultures. ANS: D An integrated clinical information system draws on specific knowledge from many involved disciplines that interface at the patient. Successful integration of clinical information systems requires that the various disciplines work together collaboratively to transform the data into meaningful knowledge.

The nurse educator of the pediatric unit determines that vital signs are frequently not being documented when children return from surgery. According to quality improvement (QI), to correct the problem, the educator, in consultation with the patient care manager, would initially do which of the following? a.Talk to the staff individually to determine why this is occurring. b.Call a meeting of all staff to discuss this issue. c.Have a group of staff nurses review the established standards of care for postoperative patients. d.Document which staff members are not recording vital signs, and write them up.

Call a meeting of all staff to discuss this issue Leadership must identify safety shortcomings and must locate resources at patient care levels to identify and reduce risks. One method of doing this is to invite all staff into a discussion related to solutions to an identified concern. This approach encourages teamwork.

A method commonly used in Quality Assurance to monitor adherence to established standards is: a.A Pareto chart. b.Brainstorming. c.Patient interviews. d.Chart audit.

Chart audit Chart audits are a common method of addressing process standards. Chart audits over time yield trend charts.

A nursing unit is interested in refining its self-medication processes. In beginning this process, the team is interested in how frequently errors occur with different patients. To assist with visualizing this question, which organizational tool is most appropriate? a.Histogram b.Flowchart c.Fishbone diagram d.Pareto chart

Histogram Histograms are bar graphs that are useful in outlining and identifying frequency.

The nurse manager is concerned about the negative ratings her unit has received on patient satisfaction surveys. The first step in addressing this issue from the point of view of quality improvement is to: a.Assemble a team. b.Identify a clinical activity for review. c.Establish a benchmark. d.Establish outcomes

Identify a clinical activity for review In theory, any and all aspects of clinical activity could be improved through the QI process. However, QI efforts should be concentrated on changes to patient care that will have the greatest effect.

Hospital MagnetTM decides against creating a separate department to lead and monitor quality activities because: a.Total organizational involvement is critical to QI. b.Data generated by a single, separate department are generally flawed. c.Monitoring and commitment to QI can come only from senior-level managers. d.Staff resent suggestions for improvement that originate outside of their unit.

A Decentralized approaches are effective in developing unit-level solutions, as well as commitment to strategies and implementation of changes.

5. During coffee and other breaks, Rosalie, the new RN, is shut out of conversations with the other staff. When she approaches other staff on the unit to ask questions, they turn and walk off in the other direction. The behavior of the staff is characteristic of: a. Dislike. b. Lack of trust in Rosalie's abilities. c. Horizontal violence. d. Cultural incompetence.

ANS: C Horizontal or lateral violence and bullying are terms used to describe destructive behaviors towards co-workers, such as the "silent treatment" and shutting others out of socializing.

6. While working with an aggressive patient, it is important for the nurse to: a. Speak firmly. b. Call the individual by name. c. Place herself between the patient and the door. d. Ignore threats against her.

ANS: C In situations where a patient may become aggressive, it is important to ensure that you are not trapped in the room.

An example of an effective patient outcome statement is: a.Eighty percent of all patients admitted to the Emergency Department will be seen by a nurse practitioner within 3 hours of presentation in the Emergency Department. b.Patients with cardiac diagnoses will be referred to cardiac rehabilitation programs. c.The hospital will reduce costs by 3% through the annual budget process. d.Quality is a desired element in patient transactions.

Eighty percent of all patients admitted to the Emergency Department will be seen by a nurse. Practitioner within 3 hours of presentation in the Emergency Department Patient outcomes must be measurable, specific, and patient- centered.

A new graduate is asked to serve on the hospital's quality improvement (QI) committee. The nurse understands that the first step in quality improvement is to: a.Collect data to determine whether standards are being met. b.Implement a plan to correct the problem. c.Identify the standard. d.Determine whether the findings warrant correction.

Identify the standard Before further action (data collection, decision making related to correction, and implementation of a plan) can occur, it is necessary to identify the standards against which data collection and decision making will occur. Institutions may or may not adopt standards that are already established by organizations such as the ANA.

As a nurse manager, you know that the satisfaction of patients is critical in making QI decisions. You propose to circulate a questionnaire to discharged patients, asking about their experiences on your unit. Your supervisor cautions you to also consider other sources of data for decisions because: a.The return rate on patient questionnaires is frequently low. b.Patients are rarely reliable sources about their own hospital experiences. c.Hospital experiences are frequently obscured by pain, analgesics, and other factors affecting awareness. d.Patients are reliable sources about their own experiences but are limited in their ability to gauge clinical competence of staff.

Patients are reliable sources about their own experiences but are limited in their ability to gauge clinical competence of staff Patients are reliable and motivated sources of their own experience but often do not have sufficient knowledge of clinical procedures to provide feedback about clinical competence.

The nurse gives an inaccurate dose of medication to a patient. After assessment of the patient, the nurse completes an incident report. The nurse notifies the nursing supervisor of the medication error and calls the physician to report the occurrence. The nurse who administered the inaccurate medication understands that: a.The error will result in suspension. b.An incident report is optional for an event that does not result in injury. c.The error will be documented in her personnel file. d.Risk management programs are not designed to assign blame.

Risk management programs are not designed to assign blame QM stresses improving the system, and the detection of staff errors is not stressed. If errors occur, reeducation of staff is emphasized rather than imposition of punitive measures such as disciplinary action or blaming.

9. The chief nursing officer understands that to be able to compare data across client populations and sites, it is important that nurses use: a. Similar settings. b. Information systems. c. Knowledge systems. d. Structured nursing languages.

d. Structured nursing languages. ANS: D Data are standardized and use structured terminology, which enables cross-site comparisons.

The outcome statement "Patients will experience a ten percent reduction in urinary tract infections as a result of enhanced staff training related to catheterization and prompted voiding" is: a.Physician-sensitive and nonmeasurable. b.Measurable and nursing-sensitive. c.Precise, measurable, and physician-sensitive. d.Patient care-centered and nonmeasurable

Measurable and nursing-sensitive Nursing-sensitive outcomes refer to outcomes that are affected by nursing activity and are precise, measurable, and patient- centered.

19. Becky, RN, works as a staff nurse in mental health; Sharon works as a data entry clerk in Admissions; Sarah is an emergency room physician; and Donna is a housekeeper in geriatrics. Which of these four is most at risk for violence and aggression? a. Becky b. Sarah c. Sharon d. Donna

ANS: A Nurses are the primary target of violence in healthcare settings. Hader (2008) found that nurses experienced their colleagues as primary targets of violence 79.7% of the time

3. In which of the following situations would you, as the head nurse, be concerned about potential safety issues? a. Jordan comes to your office to complain about inadequate staffing on the unit. He says that he is concerned because he attributes a recent incident to the staffing levels. b. Henry, a long-standing RN on the unit, has begun to miss work regularly. He calls in but is vague about his reasons for the absences. c. Carla, RN, has just ended a relationship with Jake, RN, and he will not leave her alone. You are meeting with Jake today because colleagues on nights have reported that Jake seems to have been intoxicated last night and the previous night. d. Sarah is very quiet and says almost nothing in team meetings. Lately, she has been much more animated since becoming friendly with a couple of other RNs on the unit.

ANS: C Jake seems at most risk for violence because of his alcohol use and the end of what may be an obsessive relationship with Carla. In the other situations, Jordan is expressing a legitimate concern and is behaving assertively; Henry may have health concerns or other issues that are private and interfering with his work life; and Sarah's change in behavior is likely related to a higher level of comfort with work and colleagues.

As a nurse manager, you know that the satisfaction of patients is critical in making QI decisions. You propose to circulate a questionnaire to discharged patients, asking about their experiences on your unit. Your supervisor cautions you to also consider other sources of data for decisions because: a.The return rate on patient questionnaires is frequently low. b.Patients are rarely reliable sources about their own hospital experiences. c.Hospital experiences are frequently obscured by pain, analgesics, and other factors affecting awareness. d.Patients are reliable sources about their own experiences but are limited in their ability to gauge clinical competence of staff.

Patients are reliable sources about their own experiences but are limited in their ability to gauge clinical competence of staff Patients are reliable and motivated sources of their own experience but often do not have sufficient knowledge of clinical procedures to provide feedback about clinical competence.

The nurse gives an inaccurate dose of medication to a patient. After assessment of the patient, the nurse completes an incident report. The nurse notifies the nursing supervisor of the medication error and calls the physician to report the occurrence. The nurse who administered the inaccurate medication understands that: a. The error will result in suspension. b. An incident report is optional for an event that does not result in injury. c. The error will be documented in her personnel file. d. Risk management programs are not designed to assign blame.

Risk management programs are not designed to assign blame QM stresses improving the system, and the detection of staff errors is not stressed. If errors occur, reeducation of staff is emphasized rather than imposition of punitive measures such as disciplinary action or blaming.

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 five years earlier and was last updated three 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.

a. Avoid this site. 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.

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.

b. Central data repository. 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.

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.

b. Reduced wait times to see specialists. 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.

21. 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.

b. The type of speech required for voice recognition is unlikely to occur in a pressured situation. 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.

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."

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.

12. 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.

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

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 so as to modify practice is an example of: a. Information. b. Cost-effective care. c. Meeting standards. d. Evidence-based practice.

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 (Lang, 2008; Lang et al., 2006; Staggers & Brennan, 2007).

18. 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

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.

9. In the Emergency Department waiting room, you notice a patient sitting, with his head in his hands, who has been waiting for about 5 hours for relief of his headache. When you approach him to ask him how he is doing, he says "I can't believe that I have to wait this long for help! Do you know what it is like to be in pain for 10 hours?" Your response to him would be: a. "It is frustrating to wait when you are in pain and when you are expecting to receive relief right away." b. "Don't talk to me. If you are going to be rude, then you will not receive treatment here." c. "We are very busy and don't have enough staff to deal with problems such as yours." d. "Perhaps you should go elsewhere. We do not have time for you here, as many more sick patients are waiting."

ANS: A Empathizing helps the other person to know and feel that he has been understood and is powerful in de-escalating a situation that has potential for aggression and violence