Nurse Leadership Practice Questions Exam 1

1. What statement is true regarding decision making?

A) It is an analysis of a situation

B) It is closely related to evaluation

C) It involves choosing between courses of action

D) It is dependent upon finding the cause of a problem

Ans: C

Feedback: Decision making is a complex cognitive process often defined as choosing a particular course of action. Problem solving is part of decision making and is a systematic process that focuses on analyzing a difficult situation. Critical thinking, sometimes referred to as reflective thinking, is related to evaluation and has a broader scope than decision making and problem solving.

1. Which represents the management functions that are incorporated into the management process?

A) Planning, directing, organizing, staffing, and evaluating

B) Planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling

C) Organizing, planning, staffing, directing, and evaluating

D) Organizing, staffing, planning, implementing, and controlling

Ans: B

Feedback:

Management functions include planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. These are incorporated into what is known as the management process.

What is the advantage of recruiting from outside the organization?

A. Promotes long-term retention of employees

B. Tends to increase the number of candidates

C. Provides well-motivated candidates

D. Attracts well-qualified candidates

Ans: B

Feedback: recruiting from outside the organization provides an opportunity to increase the pool of candidates for positions but is no guarantee that these canddidates will be more qualified or motivated than those who come from within the organization.

Which information is too much in flux to identify on an organizational chart?

A) Grapevine lines of communication

B) Line and staff authority

C) Span of control

D) Scalar chains

Ans: A

Feedback:

The grapevine lines of communication cannot be placed on an organizational chart because they are constantly in flux. The remaining information is stable and so identified on the chart.

Which statement best describes mentorship?

A) The intensity and duration of relationships are similar in mentorship and

preceptorship

B) Staff cannot be assigned to become mentors. It is a role voluntarily chosen by the mentor

C) "Mentees" must be willing to put aside their personal goals and beliefs in an effort to identify more closely with their mentor

D) Most nurses will have the opportunity for many mentor relationships during their careers

Ans: B

Feedback:

The mentor makes a conscious decision to assist the protEgE in career development, with the relationship usually lasting several years. The remaining statements are not accurate regarding mentorships.

What is employee behavior best reinforced by?

A) Praise from a supervisor

B) An increase in their pay

C) A personally valued reward

D) Threat of punishment

Ans: C

Feedback: Each person is a unique individual who is motivated by different things. The other options lack that element of personal value.

What is the best combination that characterizes the communication process?

A) Sender-receiver-message

B) Receiver-message-sender

C) Sender-message-receiver

D) Message-sender-receiver

Ans: C

Feedback: The combination that best characterizes the communication process is senderñmessageñreceiver. The other options would result in the likelihood of miscommunication.

1. Which is the first step in the time management process?

A. Completing the highest priority task

B. Allowing enough time for sufficient daily planning

C. Reprioritizing based on new information received

D. Delegating work that cannot be accomplished in a day

Ans: B

Feedback: Daily planning is essential if the manager is to manage by efficiency rather than by crisis. The remaining options are steps that occur after that planning.

Max Weber, as part of the scientific management era, contributed immensely to the development of organizational theory. Which statement is not representative of his beliefs?

A) Bureaucracy could provide a rational basis for administrative decisions

B) Worker satisfaction was integral to productivity

C) Organization charts could depict the hierarchy of authority

D) Impersonality of interpersonal relationships should exist in organizations

Ans: B

Feedback:

Max Webers theories did not address worker satisfaction. The other options do represent the Weber organizational theory.

When does communication have the greatest likelihood of being accurately interpreted?

A) More than one mode is used

B) Face-to-face communication is used

C) Written communication is used

D) The sender repeats the message using the same mode

Ans: A

Feedback: Using various communication methods in combination increases the likelihood that everyone in the organization who needs to hear the message actually will hear it. The other options are single methods.

What did motivational theorist Victor Vroom state?

A) Personal motivators could be separated from job satisfiers

B) People are motivated by three basic needs: achievement, affiliation, and power

C) A manager's assumptions about workers directly affect the intrinsic motivation of the workers

D) Employees' expectations about their work environment or a certain event will affect their behavior

Ans: D

Feedback: This theory is called Vroom's expectancy model.

What would be the most helpful intervention to take to help a new RN adjust to the professional nursing role?

A) Advise the new RN to avoid confrontations with doctors whenever possible

B) Advise the new RN that this is the real world not the textbook one

C) Be alert to signs and symptoms of the shock phase of role transition

D) Be alert to signs that the new RN has not shed nursing school values

Ans: C

Feedback:

Managers should be alert to signs and symptoms of the shock phase of role transition. Managers should also ensure that some of the new nurses values are supported and encouraged so that work and academic values can blend. The remaining options do not address the needs of the new RN appropriately.

A new graduate who began their nursing career 6 months ago and who completed orientation 3 months ago is in what stage of professional development?

A) Experimentation

B) Entry

C) Mastery

D) Disengagement

Ans: B

Feedback: the nurse is still in the entry stage and will be until necessary skills are learned. It generally takes an extended period of time to obtain the skills necessary for mastery. The remaining options are not relevant to this question.

2.) What does traditional management science focuses upon?

A) Meeting worker satisfaction

B) Delineating barriers to productivity

C) Using a laissez-faire approach

D) Encouraging employee participation

Ans: B

Feedback:

Classical, or traditional, management science focuses on production in the workplace and on delineating organizational barriers to productivity. Little attention was given to worker job satisfaction, and workers were assumed to be motivated solely by economic rewards.

2. What is the reason that first and middle-level managers experience more interruptions than higher-level managers?

A. They generally interact directly with a greater number of subordinates in daily planning

B. They seldom have that clerical and secretarial help assigned to higher-level managers

C. They are more social in nature and personal interactions

D. They are busier than higher-level managers

ANS: A

Feedback: frequent interruptions are common for first and middle-level managers, who have a larger number of direct reports than do higher-level managers. The other options are not generally true statements

What is the weakness of the traditional problem solving model?

A) Its need for implementation time

B) Its lack of a step requiring evaluation of results

C) Its failure to gather sufficient data

D) Its failure to evaluate alternatives

Ans: A

Feedback:

The traditional problem-solving model is less effective when time constraints are a

consideration. Decision making can occur without the full analysis required in problem

solving. Because problem solving attempts to identify the root problem in situations,

much time and energy are spent on identifying the real problem.

3. Which of the following statements is true regarding decision making?

A) Scientific methods provide identical decisions by different individuals for the

same problems

B) Decisions are greatly influenced by each person's value system

C) Personal beliefs can be adjusted for when the scientific approach to problem

solving is used

D) Past experience has little to do with the quality of the decision

Ans: B

Feedback:

Values, life experience, individual preference, and individual ways of thinking will

influence a person's decision making. No matter how objective the criteria will be, value

judgments will always play a part in a person's decision making, either consciously or

subconsciously.

3. Which time waster does the manager have least control over?

A. Failure to set objectives

B. Inability to say no

C. Procrastination

D. Paperwork overload

ANS: D

Feedback: Excessive paperwork is an external time waster, the others are time wasters created by the manager (internal).

3. What assumption about workers does Theory X hold?

A) Workers will naturally put forth effort

B) Workers need threats to be motivated

C) Workers are diligent and responsible

D) Workers are in tune with organizational needs

Ans: B

Feedback:

Theory X managers believe that their employees are basically lazy, need constant supervision and direction, and are indifferent to organizational needs.

Which reason qualifies as organizational justification for a career development program?

A) Employee attrition can be reduced

B) Personnel can be used more effectively

C) Employees can increase earning power

D) Employment benefits are increased

Ans: C, D

Feedback: organizational justification for career develoment programs includes attrition reduction, improved productivity, and general improved quality of life. Although employees may earn more money and additonal benefits as a result of career development, they are not the reason that organizations undertake career development programs.

Which statement concerning organizational culture is true?

A) It presents how employees "perceive" an organization

B) It defines how power is used by organizations to direct the work of others

C) It describes the predictable stages of group and organizational development

D) It is a system of symbols, beliefs, values, history, and communication patterns

Ans: D

Feedback:

Organizational culture is the symbols and beliefs, values, history, and communication patterns of the organization. It differs from organizational climate, which is how the employees perceive the organization. The other options are not relevant to the term organizational culture.

Which statement best describes the managers role in socialization?

A) Providing the employee with organizational rules and regulations

B) Providing the new employee with a good preceptor

C) Ensuring that there are sufficient numbers of good role models

D) Sharing organizational values, expected attitudes, and history

Ans: D

Feedback:

New group members must be socialized into the group, and these socialization efforts are led by the manager.

Which is a motivating factor identified in Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory?

A) Money

B) A chance for promotion

C) A well-lighted parking lot

D) Free meals in the cafeteria

Ans: B

Feedback: Herzberg maintained that motivators such as promotion are present in work itself; they give people the desire to perform well. The other options were viewed less impactful on motivation.

Which statement concerning nonverbal communication is true?

A) It is consistent across cultures

B) It is given more credence than verbal communication when the two are incongruent

C) It should be minimized because it confuses the receiver regarding the true intent of the message

D) It is a significant part of the communication exchange only when it is not congruent with the verbal exchange

Ans: B

Feedback: Because nonverbal communication indicates the emotional component of the message, it is generally considered more reliable than verbal communication. None of the remaining options present true statements regarding nonverbal communication.

You overhear an experienced nurses say to a new nurse, iSorry you wont be able to join us for our weekly get-together at the local yogurt shop. I see you are going to be here charting for a while yet.i What is this an example of?

A) Behavior that supports positive sanctions

B) An application of a sanction regarding group norms

C) Constructive feedback about expected group norms

D) Role modeling desired behavior

Ans: B

Feedback:

Negative sanctions provide cues that enable people to evaluate their performance and modify behavior when needed. In this case, the experienced nurse is letting the new nurse know that the groups weekly outing is important, and on that day the staff makes sure they finish their work on time. It may also suggest that detailed charting is not valued.

An RN is a team leader for a small module of patients. While listening to a taperecorded report on Mr. Smith, one of your team members remarks, "My mother lives near him and she says his wife is a terrible housekeeper." As the leader of the team, what will the RN do?

A) Ask the informant to be quiet

B) Include the information in report for the next shift

C) Ask the team member what the purpose was in sharing the information D) Ignore the comment

Ans: C

Feedback: The role of the leader is to encourage communication that is appropriate and discourage communication that is inappropriate among staff. The other options fail to convey that responsibility

Which statement most accurately defines intrinsic motivation?

A) Motivation that is directly related to a person's internal level of aspiration

B) Motivation that is enhanced by the job's environmental conditions

C) Motivation that is not shaped by personal values

D) Motivation that is not related to achievement

Ans: A

Feedback: Intrinsic motivation comes from within the individual. To be intrinsically motivated at work, the worker must value job performance and productivity. The other options are not as relevant to this factor.

4. What does the good manager have to remember about creating a daily list?

A. It should remain changed once initial planning is completed

B. It is a planning tool, and thus must have flexibility in its implementation

C. It should include all the planner's short-term, intermediate, and long-term goals

D. It should be highly structured, thus decreasing the possibility of procrastination

ANS: B

Feedback: the daily list should be flexible, changeable, leave some time for the unexpected, and includ appropriate short-term goals.

Which statement is true regarding depiction of staff positions on an organizational chart?

A) They are depicted as unbroken lines

B) They are represented by double dotted lines

C) They are shown as a solid, vertical line

D) They are identified with a dotted line.

Ans: D

Feedback:

Dotted or broken lines on the organization chart represent staff positions. Formal relationships, lines of communication, and authority are depicted on a chart by unbroken (solid) lines. Double dotted lines are not generally used on an organizational chart.

4.) What does the Hawthorne effect implied about people?

A) Human beings under investigation will respond to the fact that they are being

studied

B) Production will increase or decrease as light in a factory is increased or decreased C) Membership in small groups forms social control

D) People are inherently good and will seek out work

Ans: A

Feedback:

Hawthorne effect indicated that people respond to the fact that they are being studied, attempting to increase whatever behavior they feel will continue to warrant the attention. The other statements do not reflect implied beliefs about people.

4. What influences the quality of a decision most often?

A) The decision maker's immediate superior

B) The type of decision that needs to be made

C) Questions asked and alternatives generated

D) The time of day the decision is made

Ans: C

Feedback:

The greater the number of alternatives that can be generated by the decision maker, the

better the final decision will be. The alternatives generated and the final choices are

limited by each person's value system.

Which statment is true regarding career planning?

A. It is the employer's responsibility

B. It results in the spontaneous assessment of goals

C. It requires the development of a long-term plan

D. Functions best when the planning is episodic in nature

Ans: C

Feedback: Effective career planning requires long-term planning; it is the responsibility of the indivdual and requires constant attention to function properly.

What does the term unity of command mean?

A) The number of individuals directly reporting to a manager

B) Having a limited number of top-level managers

C) Each employee having only one boss

D) A flexible structure that encourages participative decision making

Ans: C

Feedback:

Unity of command means one immediate boss per employee. None of the other options correctly describes the term unity of command.

According to McClelland, what does achievement motivation focus on? A) The extrinsic rewards to be acquired

B) A need to nurture others

C) A need to have legitimate power over others

D) The intrinsic need to be successful

Ans: D

Feedback: McClelland stated that achievement-oriented people will focus on improving (succeeding) through action. None of the other options have that impact on motivation.

Which action would be the most likely to result in encouraging evidence-based practice?

A) Stress the need to base practice on research findings during orientation of new graduates.

B) Include a statement of the need for evidence-based practice in the philosophy.

C) Reprimand nurses who do not use research during the annual evaluations.

D) Provide a computer program to nurses for access to the latest nursing research.

Ans: D

Feedback:

Providing available research for the staff is the most concrete action an organization could take to encourage nurses to incorporate research in practice. None of the remaining options provides the staff with the tools to implement or encourage evidence- based practice.

The hospital is facing low census and downsizing. However, the RNs have been assured that everyone on the unit will keep their jobs and downsizing will occur through normal attrition and voluntary absences without pay. Today, the evening charge nurse reported that last evening the staff was discussing various rumors about mass layoffs. What is the best approach to take?

A) Tell an informal leader on the evening shift the truth and let the leader spread the news informally

B) Hold a meeting for all staff members and tell them that the rumor is not true

C) Ignore the rumor because it will soon pass

D) Find out who started the rumor and correct the information

Ans: B

Feedback: Nurse-leaders should intervene appropriately when communication problems (in this case, rumors) arise. The remaining options fail to fulfill that responsibility as effectively as the correct option does.

Which principle is key in resumes' constriction?

A. Emphasize strong and weak points equally

B. Be at least four to five pages in length

C. Reflect complex, scholarly language

D. Be concise and easy to read

Ans: D

Feedback: the content of a resume should be albe to be grasped quickly by the individual oind the hiring, so conciseness and readability are of key importance. The remaining options do not express correct information concerning resume construction.

5.) Managing conflict among staff members would occur in which part of the management process?

A) Planning

B) Organizing

C) Directing

D) Evaluating

Ans: C

Feedback:

Directing sometimes includes several staffing functions. However, this phases functions usually entail human resource management responsibilities, such as motivating, managing conflict, delegating, communicating, and facilitating collaboration. Planning encompasses determining philosophy, goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and rules; carrying out long- and short-range projections; determining a fiscal course of action; and managing planned change. Organizing includes establishing the structure to carry out plans, determining the most appropriate type of patient care delivery, and grouping activities to meet unit goals.

Which policy implemented by a manager will minimize unproductive socialization?

A. An open-door policy

B. Scheduled appointments

C. Informal, impromptu meetings

D. Maintaining strict professional boundaries

Ans: B

Feedback:

Appointments will discourage unproductive socialization since time will be allotted and a schedule maintained. Open-door policies and impromptu meetins encourage socialization while strict professional boundaries may actually interfere with communication.

5. What does knowledge about good decision making lead one to believe?

A) Good decision makers are usually right-brain, intuitive thinkers

B) Effective decision makers are sensitive to the situation and to others

C) Good decisions are usually made by left-brain, logical thinkers

D) Good decision making requires analytical rather than creative processes

Ans: B

Feedback:

Good decision makers seem to have antennae that make them particularly sensitive to

other people and situations. Left-brain thinkers are typically better at processing

language, logic, numbers, and sequential ordering, whereas right-brain thinkers excel at

nonverbal ideation and holistic synthesizing.

6. What is the best definition of decision making?

A) The planning process of management

B) The evaluation phase of the executive role

C) One step in the problem-solving process

D) Required to justify the need for scarce items

Ans: C

Feedback:

Decision making is a complex, cognitive process often defined as choosing a particular

course of action. Decision making, one step in the problem-solving process, is an

important task that relies heavily on critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills.

6. Which plan is an effective way of handling a large task?

A. Plan to finish the task with few breaks

B. Delegate portions of the task to qualified staff

C. Break the task into smaller, less intimidating units

D. Delay beginning the task until it has your undivided attention

Ans: C

Feedback: breaking down a task, or chunking, prevents the person from becoming overwhelemed by the size of the task. It may not be possible or adviasable to finish the task without breaks or delegating it to staff.

6. What is the idea that workers should be hired, trained, and promoted based on their competence and abilities related to?

A) Part of the management functions identified by Fayol

B) The result of the human relations studies

C) The outcome of studies done by Mayo at the Hawthorne Works

D) One of the four overriding principles of scientific management

Ans: D

Feedback:

Frederick Taylor, the ifather of scientific management,i had the idea that workers should be hired, trained, and promoted based on their competence and abilities. This concept is not associated with any of the other options.

Which activity is a personal responsivility for career management?

A. Developing career ladders

B. Establishing career paths

C. Providing challenging assignments

D. Developing a career plan

Ans: D

Feedback: Only the development of a career plan is the responsibility of the individual. The first three chioces are management responsibilites.

Which position is characteristic of a middle-level manager?

A) Primary care nurse

B) Team leader

C) Charge nurse

D) Nursing supervisor

Ans: D

Feedback: Nursing supervisors are middle-level managers. All the others are first-level managers.

What is the relationship between an employee and a role model?

A) Active

B) Nonverbal

C) Encouraged by the role model

D) Passive

Ans: D

Feedback: The relationship between an employee and a role model is passive in that the role model does not actively seek the emulation of the employee.

According to McGregor, what do Theory X assumptions hold?

A) Putting forth effort is natural

B) Workers are diligent, responsible, and helpful

C) Workers are lazy, uncreative, and indifferent toward work

D) Increased rewards will motivate workers

Ans: C

Feedback: McGregor believed that how the manager views the employees will affect motivation and productivity. Theory Y managers thought workers were motivated, but Theory X managers thought they were lazy, uncreative, and indifferent. The remaining options are not addressed by these assumptions.

Which behaviors would be associated with a group in the ìnormingî stage?

A) Group members actively attempt to impress each other with their credentials

B) Group members establish short- and long-term goals for the group to accomplish

C) Group members achieve stated goals

D) The group terminates and celebrates its accomplishments

Ans: B

Feedback: In the norming stage, consensus evolves as group cohesion develops. This is the only option that describes a behavior associated with a group's norming stage.

Which statement describes assertive communication?

A) It makes you respect yourself and allows you to get what you want

B) Although it is unfeminine, it is a necessary communication skill for female managers

C) It involves rights and responsibilities for all parties in the communication

D) Assertive communication will never offend anyone

Ans: C

Feedback: Assertive communication allows people to express themselves in direct, honest, and appropriate ways that do not infringe on another's rights. The remaining statements do not correctly describe assertive communication.

Which intervention by the unit supervisor best assist the RN who has just been promoted to charge nurse to adjust to the new role?

A) Take the RN out to lunch to congratulate the nurse on the promotion

B) Encourage the RN to meet with staff peers in the organization

C) Explain to the RN on the need for underling respect

D) Inform the RN of the past performance of new employees

Ans: B

Feedback: There should be a management group in the organization with which the new manager can consult. The new manager should be encouraged to use the group as a resource. The remaining options are limited in their importance in successfully adjusting to a management role.

What is the implication in a hierarchy of needs?

A) All needs have equal power in motivation

B) Unsatisfied needs trigger behavior

C) Lower level needs are less valued

D) Some individuals have hereditary needs

Ans: B

Feedback: Hierarchy of need implies that people are motivated to satisfy certain needs, ranging from basic survival to complex psychological needs, and people seek a higher need only when the lower needs have been predominantly met.

7. Which statement about time management is true?

A. Most people have an accurate perception of the time they spend on a particular task or the total amount of time they are productive during the day.

B. nurses who are self-aware and have clearly identified personal goals and priorities have greater control over how they spend their time.

C. Writing goals down is not necessary if the goals are limited to fewer than five in number.

D. A time inventory for 2 or 3 days is sufficient to identify a time management pattern.

Ans: B

Feedback: nurses who are self-aware and have clearly identified personal goals and priorities have greater control over how they spend their time. The other options are not true statements regarding time management.

How does decentralized organizational structure promote decision making?

A) Allows problems to be solved at the level at which they occur

B) Encourages decisions to be made by top-level hierarchy

C) Limits communication to managers at various levels

D) Assigns responsibility at the highest practical level

Ans: A

Feedback: Decentralized organizational structure allows decision making to be made at the level at which problems occur. None of the other options describes how decentralized organizational structure promotes decision making.

7. Max Weber, a well-known German sociologist, began to study large-scale organizations to determine what made some more efficient than others. What was his conclusion?

A) Workers had to have a say in management to work most effectively

B) Consistent rules and regulations for workers increased efficiency

C) Employees should feel appreciated and valued

D) Workers need frequent rest periods to increase overall production

Ans: B

Feedback:

Weber saw the need for legalized, formal authority and consistent rules and regulations for personnel in different positions. He thus proposed bureaucracy as an organizational design. None of the other options reflect his conclusions.

7. If decision making is triggered by a problem with what does it end?

A) An alternative problem

B) A chosen course of action

C) An action that guarantees success

D) A restatement of the solution

Ans: B

Feedback:

A decision is made when a course of action has been chosen. Problem solving is part of

decision making and is a systematic process that focuses on analyzing a difficult

situation. Problem solving always includes a decision-making step.

Which statement is true regarding long-term coaching for career development?

A. It occurs annually at performance appraisal reveiws

B. It focuses on employee perofrmance deficits

C. It requires the same intensity as a mentoring relationship

D. It occurs over the entire employment tenure of an employee

Ans: D

Feeback: long-term coaching should occur over the entire employment of the employee. The remaining options are not true statements regarding career development.

Which statement about organizational centrality is true?

A) It refers to the decision-making structure in an organization

B) It occurs when there is consonance of subunit cultures in the organization

C) It is a position on the organizational chart where types of communication occur

D) It occurs primarily in line relationships

Ans: C

Feedback: Centrality is a position on an organizational chart where it is possible to have many different types of communication (upward, downward, lateral, and diagonal). The other statements do not describe organizational centrality accurately.

What did Victor Vroom emphasize the importance of?

A) Managers knowing each employee's expectation of reward

B) Managers being honest with their employees

C) Making sure that the employees' lower-level needs are met

D) Understanding that individuals react in a stimulus-response mode

Ans: A

Feedback: Victor Vroom emphasized the importance of managers knowing each employee's expectation of reward. The other options are not related to Vroom's theory.

What is the initial task when organizing a class to prepare nurses to function in the new neonatal ICU?

A) Identifying possible learning resources

B) Identifying any difference between current and needed skills

C) Identifying current level of knowledge

D) Identifying the knowledge or skill needed

Ans: D

Feedback: Developing a training program starts with identifying the knowledge or skill needed. The other options are relevant but do not have the priority of the correct option.

An RN is orienting a new graduate nurse to the unit and has found this individual's charting to be inadequate. What is the most appropriate statement to initiate a discussion with the new RN?

A) "Tell me in your own words what you intend your charting to convey."

B) "Your charting is non-descriptive."

C) "Do you think a refresher course in charting would help you?"

D) "Are you having difficulty assessing your patient?"

Ans: A

Feedback: Assertive communication is not rude or insensitive, nor is it passive-aggressive.

A nurse has been transferred to another unit in the hospital to perform the same type of duties. What type of transfer is this called?

A. Accommodating

B. Lateral

C. Diagonal

D. Downward

Ans: B

Feedback: doing the same type of duties in another location is called later transfer. The remaining terms do not infer this type of transfer.

8. Which leadership style maintains strong control over the work group and uses coercion to motivate others?

A) Authoritarian

B) Democratic

C) Laissez-faire

D) A contingency approach

Ans: A

Feedback:

Lewin identified three common leadership styles: authoritarian, democratic, and laissez- faire. Authoritarian leadership results in well-defined group actions that are usually predictable, reducing frustration in the work group and giving members a feeling of security. Productivity is usually high, but creativity, self-motivation, and autonomy are reduced. Authoritarian leadership is frequently found in very large bureaucracies such as the armed forces. Coercion to motivate is not associated with the other options.

8. Which task should the team leader initially engage in when planning care for a group of patients?

A. Plan so that each patient on the team receives equal amounts of nursing care.

B. Prioritize the amount and type of nursing care each patient requires

C. Identify the staff who will comprise the individual care teams

D. Assign patients to the specific nursing teams.

Ans: B

Feedback: prioritzing the care each patient will require is the intial step in care planning. The other options are considered bur implementation will happen after the prioritizing.

8. Why do our values often cause personal conflict in decision making?

A) Some values are not realistic or healthy

B) Not all values are of equal worth

C) Our values remain unchanged over time

D) Our values often collide with one another

Ans: D

Feedback:

Values, life experience, individual preference, and individual ways of thinking will

influence a person's decision making. No matter how objective the criteria will be, value

judgments will always play a part in a person's decision making, either consciously or

subconsciously.

9. Which statement is true concerning critical thinking?

A) It is a simple approach to decision making

B) It is narrower in scope than decision making

C) It requires reasoning and creative analysis

D) It is a synonym for the problem-solving process

Ans: C

Feedback:

Critical thinking has a broader scope than decision making and problem solving. It is

sometimes referred to as reflective thinking. Critical thinking also involves reflecting

upon the meaning of statements, examining the offered evidence and reasoning, and

forming judgments about facts.

9. What will the nurse-manager do to best reduce paper clutter in the workspace?

A. support face-to-face communication between staff members

B. Encourage paper clutter to be thrown away at the end of each shift.

C. Deal with paper correspondence as soon as possible after it arrives.

D. Place additional recycling and trash receptacles throughout the unit

Ans: C

Feedback: Whenever possible, incoming correspondence should be handled the day it arrives. It should either be thrown away or filed according to the date to be completed. The other options do not have the same amount of impact on controlling clutter.

9. Which statement about situational or contingency leadership theory is correct?

A) High relationship behavior is much more essential to a good manager than high

task behavior

B) This leadership model is effective in bureaucratic organizations because it is task

focused

C) Management should be consistent in different situations so workers understand

what is expected of them

D) The leadership style chosen by a manager should reflect the task/relationship

behavior of those being managed

Ans: D

Feedback:

The idea that leadership style should vary according to the situation or the individuals involved was first suggested almost 100 years ago by Mary Parker Follett, one of the earliest management consultants and among the first to view an organization as a social system of contingencies. The other options present statements that are incorrect.

Which statment is accurate concerning management development classes?

A. They are not cost-effective, but increase worker satisfaction

B. They are necessart for advancement to management positions

C. They require the inclusion of social learning activities

D. They are a responsibility of middle-level managment

Ans: C

Feedback: the inclusion of social learning activities in managment development increases the possibility for employee retention. Managment development is cost-effective for the organizatoin but may not be necessary for all managers. Top executies in the organizatoin have a responsibility to support the managment development program.

Which is a symptom of poor organizational structure?

A) Communication follows the chain of command

B) The smallest possible number of managers exists to keep units functioning

C) The chain of command is fairly short

D) There is a heavy reliance on committees to solve unit problems

Ans: D

Feedback: A heavy reliance on committees to solve problems is an indication of a poorly structured organization and often results in delays in critical decision making. The other options describe examples of good organizational structure.

Which statement about education is the accurate?

A) Education generally has an immediate use

B) Managers have a responsibility to see that their staff is well educated C) Recognizing and encouraging educational pursuits are a leadership role

D) Education always results in increased productivity

Ans: C

Feedback: Although training has an immediate use, education is designed to develop the person in a broader sense. A leader will encourage continuous learning from all employees. Education is not a guarantee of productivity.

What did the motivational theorist Saul Gellerman argue?

A) Individuals should be ìstretchedî on a regular basis to increase their productivity and motivation levels

B) "Stretching" should be used as a motivational strategy only for affiliation-oriented individuals

C) "Stretching" should be used as a motivational strategy only when an individual is already demotivated

D) Employees should be ìstretchedî intermittently to complete tasks more difficult than what they are used to doing

Ans: D

Feedback: Gellerman suggested stretching, which involves assigning tasks that are more difficult than what the person is used to doing. Stretching should not, however, be a routine or daily activity. The remaining options are not true statements regarding "stretching."

The RN overhears the nurses' aide speaking in a harsh tone to Mrs. Smith, who has some early Alzheimer's memory loss. Which statement will the RN make to begin addressing this issue?

A) "You must remember to watch your tone of voice with patients. Someone might overhear."

B) "Do you think it would be a good idea to have an in-service on dealing with Alzheimer's patients?"

C) "I am concerned about your conversation with Mrs. Smith. It seemed short and impatient."

D) "I have decided to reassign Mrs. Smith to another aide."

Ans: C

Feedback: Assertive communication effectively identifies and addresses an issue without being rude, insensitive, or passive-aggressive. None of the remaining options actually identifies the communication problem.

Which statement describes the informal communication referred to as ìthe grapevine?

A) Most personnel engaging in the unofficial exchange of information.

B) Information exchange is initiated by subordinates and directed upward C) Information is conveyed unofficially by administration through department heads

D) The exchange of information initiated by someone in a staff position to someone in a line position

Ans: A

Feedback: Informal communication through the ìgrapevineî occurs when most personnel are involved in the unofficial exchange of information. This process is not accurately described by any of the other options.

According to Skinner, how should rewards used as a way to reinforce behavior be given?

A) At established intervals

B) Specific to a particular performance

C) Sometime after the event for maximum reinforcement

D) Very sparingly to make them more valuable

Ans: B

Feedback: If rewards are to succeed as motivational strategies, they should represent genuine accomplishment on the part of the employee. Rewards can be spontaneous, as long as they are truly deserved. The other options are not supportive of Skinner's thoughts on rewards.

Which statement best describes andragogy?

A) Andragogy techniques are usually ineffective for mature learners

B) Andragogy relies on structure and direction

C) Andragogy works well with people who have had life experiences

D) Andragogy works best with teacher-led activities

Ans: C

Feedback: Andragogy works well with those who have had life experiences, because they are mature and can take part in their own learning experiences. In this type of learning the learner is self-directed rather than dependent. None of the remaining options accurately describes andragogy.

Research supports that which factor may lead nurses to become disengated in their careers?

A. They do not feel that nursing is valued as a career

B. Boredom increases with time on the same job

C. Many nurses interrupt their careers for childrearing

D. Nursing is low paying compared with other careers

Ans: B

Feeback: research has shown that boredome and job indifference leading to disengaement increase with time on the same job. While the other options may be factors they are not research supported.

Which term is used to identify having official power to act?

A) Responsibility

B) Authority

C) Accountability

D) Leadership

Ans: B

Feedback: Authority means having the official power to act. None of the other terms is used to identify having official power to act.

10. Which technique will help the manager prioritize?

A. Doing "trivial" items first to get them out of the way

B. Putting some items in the "don't do" category

C. "Breaking of" overwhelming tasks

D. "Delegating" the most important things to someone else

Ans: B

Feedback: The "don't do" list contains items that will take care of themselves, are already outdated, or are best accomplished by someone else. In the case of items that are best done by someone else, the manager should pass these along in a timely fashion. None of the remaining options address prioritization.

10. How do administrative managers make the majority of their decisions?

A) After gathering all the facts

B) In a manner good enough to solve the problem

C) In a rational, logical manner

D) After generating all the alternatives possible

Ans: B

Feedback:

Many managers make decisions that are just "good enough" because of lack of time,

energy, or creativity to generate a number of alternatives. This is also called "satisficing." Most people make decisions too quickly and fail to systematically examine a problem or its alternatives for solution.

10. Which statement depicts leadership?

A) A leadership position is assigned

B) A leadership position carries a legitimate source of power

C) Members of a group will follow a person in a leadership position only by choice

D) Leadership requires meeting organizational goals

Ans: C

Feedback:

A leader is the person who guides direction, opinion, and course of action without having an assigned position within the formal organization and so people choose to follow them. The other options are not accurate descriptions of leadership

What does the term ìoptimum span of controlî mean?

A) It defines the manager's decision-making authority

B) It identifies the manager's abilities and responsibilities

C) It refers to a line-and-staff organizational structure model

D) It is the number of subordinates and manager is responsible for

Ans: B

Feedback: The number of people directly reporting to any one manager represents that manager's span of control and determines the number of interactions expected of him or her. None of the remaining options correctly describes this term.

What is the purpose for a manager to engage in ìnetworkingî?

A) To bolster self-esteem

B) To unwind from work

C) To further professional goals

D) To meet altruistic needs

Ans: C

Feedback: A manager networks by joining a professional group to which one can contribute and that serves to further professional goals. The goal of networking is not stated by any of the other options.

What does readiness to learn imply for individuals?

A) Have acquired the skills necessary for what is to be learned

B) Have the necessary motivation to learn

C) Are in an atmosphere that encourages learning

D) Are mature students with much experience

Ans: A

Feedback: Readiness means that the individual has the prerequisites to move to the next stage of learning. The prerequisites could be behavior or prior learning. None of the other options accurately describe readiness to learn.

Which statement regarding a memo is true?

A) A memo makes it main point at least twice

B) A memo is written using an authoritative format

C) Headings are not used in a memo to avoid confusing the reader

D) Only essential information is included in a memo

Ans: D

Feedback: Only essential information is included in a memo since extraneous information will detract from the message. None of the other options presents correct information concerning a memo.

Why would an experienced nurse voluntarily opt for a self-selected downward transfer?

A) Doing so increases the chances of long-term career success

B) It allows for keeping a similar salary while decreasing energy expenditure

C) In times of downsizing, it allows a nurse to stay employed

D) It occurs when a nurse is physically impaired and productivity is affected

Ans: A

Feedback: for individuals to gain experience in a new area and to enhance long-term career goals, a self-selected downward transfer may be used. None of the other options accurately desribe the reason for a self-selected downward transfer.

11. Gardner states that integrated leaders-managers distinguish themselves from more traditional managers in six ways. Which is a distinguishing trait of a traditional manager rather than an integrated leader-manager?

A) They are politically astute

B) They look outward, toward the larger organization

C) They extend influence only to their own group

D) They emphasize vision, values, and motivation

Ans: C

Feedback:

Traditional managers influence those in their own groups while integrated leaders influence others beyond their own group. The remaining options represent traits that may be shared by both types.

Which is the foundational principle of nursing time management?

A) Short-term planning

B) Strategic planning

C) Immediate attention to care needs

D) Adhering to a daily plan

Ans: A

Feedback: The foundational principle of time management is sort-term planning. Strategic planning is a long-term activity while the other options lack the flexibility needed by time management.

11. What needs to be considered in evaluating the quality of one's decisions?

A) Is evaluation necessary when using a good decision-making model?

B) Can evaluation be eliminated if the problem is resolved?

C) Will the effectiveness of the decision maker be supported?

D) Will the evaluation be helpful in increasing one's decision-making skills?

Ans: D

Feedback:

The evaluation phase is necessary to find out more about one's ability as a decision

maker and to find out where the decision making was faulty.

12. Which statement concerning the role of the powerful in organizational decision making

is true?

A) They exert little influence on decisions that are made

B) They make decisions made that are in congruence with their own values

C) They allow others to make the decisions however they wish

D) They make all the important decisions with consideration to others

Ans: B

Feedback:

Not only does the preference of the powerful influence decisions of others in the

organization, but the powerful are also able to inhibit the preferences of the less

powerful. Powerful people in organizations are more likely to have decisions made that

are congruent with their own preferences and values.

Which activity is associated with a leadership role in time management?

A. Assisting followers in working cooperatively to maximize time use

B. Prioritizing day-to-day planning to meet short-term and long-term unit goals

C. Building time for time management planning into the work schedule

D. Utilizing technology to facilitate timely communication and documentation.

Ans: A

Feedback: A leadership role is to assist followers in working cooperatively to maximize time use. Managment functions include the following: appropriately prioritizes day-to-day planning to meet short-term and long-term unit goals; builds time for planning into the work schedule; utilizes technology to facilitate timely communication and documentation.

12. What concept does early leadership-theory development suggest?

A) Leadership is a process of influencing others within an organizational culture

B) The interactive relationship between the leader and the follower is significant

C) Some are born to lead, whereas others are born to be led

D) Vision and empowerment are two of the most critical leadership skills

Ans: C

Feedback:

Early leadership theorists focused on broad conceptualizations of leadership that assumed that people have certain characteristics or personality traits that make them better leaders than others. The remaining options do not describe a concept suggested by early leadership-theory development.

How is competency of an employee best determined?

A) An examination of patient records by a review team

B) Self-reporting on an administered skills checklist

C) Evidence of attendance in continuing education classes

D) Documentation of effectively meeting role demands

Ans: D

Feedback: Competency relates to role and is determined by each role demand. None of the other options are able to determine competency as effectively as documentation of performance.

Which characteristics are associated with a constructive culture? 1.Affiliative norms

2.Self-actualization

3.Encouragement of humanism

4.Perfectionist norms

A) 1, 2, 3

B) 1, 2, 4

C) 1, 3, 4

D) 2, 3, 4

Ans: A

Feedback: Affiliation, self-actualization, and encouragement are all characteristics of a constructive culture, whereas perfectionist norms are a characteristic of destructive organizational cultures.

How can the RN best teach a patient how to self-administer insulin?

A) Schedule a long, uninterrupted session

B) Explain the most complicated part first

C) Use a dynamic lecture technique

D) Teach in short, frequent sessions

Ans: D

Feedback: When learning motor skills, spaced practice is more effective than massed practice. The other options would be less effective.

Which statement is typically true of job satisfaction levels?

A) They are higher for subordinates than for management staff

B) They decline as the level of participation in unit decision making increases

C) They are related to the degree of work life control subordinates perceive they have

D) They are fairly static given that unit cultures are traditionally very difficult to change

Ans: C

Feedback: Job satisfaction levels can be correlated with the degree of control subordinates perceive they have over their work life. The remaining statements are not true regarding job satisfaction

Regarding group building, what is the responsibility of the gatekeeper?

A) Mediating, harmonizing, and resolving conflict

B) Accepting and praising the contributions and viewpoints of group members

C) Facilitating and promoting open communication of all group members D) Recording the group's process and providing feedback to the group

Ans: C

Feedback: The gatekeeper makes sure all voices in the group are heard in order to facilitate and promote open communication. The role of gatekeeper is not accurately described by any of the other options.

What statement about the maintenance of confidentiality is true?

A) It must never be breached

B) It is made easier with electronic technology

C) It is primarily the duty of the medical records staff

D) It can be breached when necessary for legitimate professional need

Ans: D

Feedback: Confidentiality of patients must be upheld, unless there is a legitimate professional need to know, such as when a provider must share information about a patient with another provider so that the other provider can assume care. None of the other options is an accurate statement regarding confidentiality.

Which course of action would be most apt to help a demotivated RN with personal and professional renewal?

A) Begin job hunting in a new field

B) Start practicing self-care

C) Take a management class

D) Start leaving work early

Ans: B

Feedback: For self-care, the manager should seek time off on a regular basis to meet personal needs, have recreation, form relationships outside the work setting, and have fun. Friends and colleagues are essential for emotional support, guidance, and renewal. A proper diet and exercise are important to maintain physical as well as emotional health. The remaining options are not practical and lack the focus on self.

What does social learning theory suggest?

A) Mentors are not effective in social learning

B) Most behavior is learned by direct experience and observation

C) Individuals who make mistakes learn better than those who do not

D) Individuals learn best when left on their own

Ans: B

Feedback: According to social learning theory, knowledge is frequently obtained through vicarious experiences, such as observing someone's actions. None of the other options accurately describe a true statement regarding the social learning theory.

What is the focus of the entry job stage?

A. Skill development

B. Job esteem

C. Sense of purpose

D. Indifference

Ans: A

Feedback: during the entry phase of learning a job, an individual concentrates on skill development. None of the other options is the focus of this stage.