ATI Leadership: Conflict Resolution & Communication Practice Pack
Exam Questions |Answers |Rationales
1. A nurse manager is mediating a dispute between two staff nurses. One nurse
states, ‘I will just work the weekend so there is no more arguing.’ Which conflict
resolution strategy is this nurse using?
A. Cooperating/Accommodating
B. Collaborating
C. Compromising
D. Smoothing
Answer: A
Rationale: In cooperating or accommodating, one party sacrifices their own desires to
allow the other party to get what they want, often to maintain harmony.
2. A charge nurse is dealing with a conflict between two nurses regarding a
patient assignment. Which of the following is the first stage of the conflict
process?
A. Latent conflict
B. Perceived conflict
C. Felt conflict
D. Manifest conflict
Answer: A
Rationale: Latent conflict is the first stage, where conditions exist that could lead to
conflict, though no conflict has actually occurred yet.
,3. A nurse believes that the night shift is leaving too much work for the day
shift. The nurse feels tension and anger but has not spoken to anyone about it.
What stage of conflict is this?
A. Manifest conflict
B. Felt conflict
C. Perceived conflict
D. Conflict aftermath
Answer: B
Rationale: Felt conflict occurs when the individual internalizes the conflict and feels
emotional responses like stress, anxiety, or anger.
4. Which conflict resolution strategy results in a ‘win-win’ situation for all
parties involved?
A. Compromising
B. Avoiding
C. Competing
D. Collaborating
Answer: D
Rationale: Collaborating is a win-win strategy where both parties set aside original goals
to work together to form a new common goal.
5. A nurse manager tells a staff nurse, ‘If you can’t get along with the team, I will
have to move you to a different unit.’ Which conflict resolution strategy is the
manager using?
A. Negotiating
B. Smoothing
C. Competing/Coercing
D. Avoiding
Answer: C
, Rationale: Competing or coercing involves one party pursuing what they want at the
expense of others, often using power or threats.
6. Two nurses are arguing over who gets to take a lunch break first. The charge
nurse says, ‘You both have good points, but let’s focus on how well we handled
that emergency earlier.’ This is an example of:
A. Competing
B. Compromising
C. Collaborating
D. Smoothing
Answer: D
Rationale: Smoothing is an attempt to complement the other party and focus on
agreement rather than disagreement, often leaving the root conflict unresolved.
7. A nurse is using the SBAR tool to communicate with a provider. Which of the
following statements represents the ‘A’ in SBAR?
A. The patient’s heart rate is 110 beats per minute.
B. I think the patient is developing a pulmonary embolism.
C. The patient was admitted two days ago for hip surgery.
D. I suggest we order a chest X-ray and ABGs.
Answer: B
Rationale: Assessment (A) in SBAR refers to the nurse’s clinical interpretation or what
they think is going on with the patient.
Exam Questions |Answers |Rationales
1. A nurse manager is mediating a dispute between two staff nurses. One nurse
states, ‘I will just work the weekend so there is no more arguing.’ Which conflict
resolution strategy is this nurse using?
A. Cooperating/Accommodating
B. Collaborating
C. Compromising
D. Smoothing
Answer: A
Rationale: In cooperating or accommodating, one party sacrifices their own desires to
allow the other party to get what they want, often to maintain harmony.
2. A charge nurse is dealing with a conflict between two nurses regarding a
patient assignment. Which of the following is the first stage of the conflict
process?
A. Latent conflict
B. Perceived conflict
C. Felt conflict
D. Manifest conflict
Answer: A
Rationale: Latent conflict is the first stage, where conditions exist that could lead to
conflict, though no conflict has actually occurred yet.
,3. A nurse believes that the night shift is leaving too much work for the day
shift. The nurse feels tension and anger but has not spoken to anyone about it.
What stage of conflict is this?
A. Manifest conflict
B. Felt conflict
C. Perceived conflict
D. Conflict aftermath
Answer: B
Rationale: Felt conflict occurs when the individual internalizes the conflict and feels
emotional responses like stress, anxiety, or anger.
4. Which conflict resolution strategy results in a ‘win-win’ situation for all
parties involved?
A. Compromising
B. Avoiding
C. Competing
D. Collaborating
Answer: D
Rationale: Collaborating is a win-win strategy where both parties set aside original goals
to work together to form a new common goal.
5. A nurse manager tells a staff nurse, ‘If you can’t get along with the team, I will
have to move you to a different unit.’ Which conflict resolution strategy is the
manager using?
A. Negotiating
B. Smoothing
C. Competing/Coercing
D. Avoiding
Answer: C
, Rationale: Competing or coercing involves one party pursuing what they want at the
expense of others, often using power or threats.
6. Two nurses are arguing over who gets to take a lunch break first. The charge
nurse says, ‘You both have good points, but let’s focus on how well we handled
that emergency earlier.’ This is an example of:
A. Competing
B. Compromising
C. Collaborating
D. Smoothing
Answer: D
Rationale: Smoothing is an attempt to complement the other party and focus on
agreement rather than disagreement, often leaving the root conflict unresolved.
7. A nurse is using the SBAR tool to communicate with a provider. Which of the
following statements represents the ‘A’ in SBAR?
A. The patient’s heart rate is 110 beats per minute.
B. I think the patient is developing a pulmonary embolism.
C. The patient was admitted two days ago for hip surgery.
D. I suggest we order a chest X-ray and ABGs.
Answer: B
Rationale: Assessment (A) in SBAR refers to the nurse’s clinical interpretation or what
they think is going on with the patient.
