lOMoAR cPSD| 5967629
RS test bank questions, study questions exam 1-3
Role, Scope, Quality, and Leadership in Professional Nursing (Rasmussen
College)
Chapter 06: Making Decisions and Solving Problems
week 5
1. The risk manager informs the nurse manager of an orthopedic unit that her unit has had
an increase in incident reports about patients falling during the 11-7 shift. The nurse
manager knows that the best way to resolve the problem is to:
a. Use creativity.
b. Obtain support from the 7-3 shift.
c. Use institutional research.
d. Identify the problem.
ANS: D
Identification of a problem is the first step in problem solving and occurs before any other
step. The most common cause for failure to resolve problems is the improper identification
of the problem/issue; therefore, problem recognition and identification are considered the
most vital steps.
REF: Page 109 | Page 110
TOP: AONE competency: Knowledge of the Health Care Environment
2. The nurse manager of a rehab unit wants to purchase a new anti-embolic stocking. To
make a high-quality decision, the nurse manager would:
a. Involve the rehab staff in the decision.
b. Involve the sales representative.
c. Make the decision alone.
d. Involve administration in the decision.
ANS: A
In a shared decision model, the decisions are made through an interactive, deliberate
process and the staff may express and discuss options and preferences. The shared
decision model has been shown to increase work performance and productivity, decrease
employee turnover, and enhance employee satisfaction.
REF: Page 103 TOP: AONE competency: Communication and Relationship-Building
, lOMoAR cPSD| 5967629
3. Several nurses on an adolescent psychiatric unit complain that the teens are becoming
unmanageable on the 0700-1900 shift. To resolve this problem, the nurse manager decides
that the staff should have a brainstorming session. The goal of brainstorming is to:
a. Evaluate problem solutions.
b. Critique the ideas of others.
c. Generate as many solutions as possible.
d. Identify only practical and realistic ideas.
ANS: C
Brainstorming encourages creativity when one is beginning to problem-solve and avoids
premature shutting down of ideas through early evaluation. The goal is to generate ideas,
no matter how seemingly unrealistic or absurd.
REF: Page 106 | Page 107
TOP: AONE competency: Communication and Relationship-Building
4. During a fire drill, several psychiatric patients become agitated. The nurse manager
quickly assigns a staff member to each patient. This autocratic decision style is most
appropriate for:
a. Routine problems.
b. Crisis situations.
c. Managers who prefer a telling style.
d. Followers who cannot agree on a solution.
ANS: B
An autocratic style is appropriate when rapid decision making is required, such as in a crisis
situation.
REF: Page 103 | Page 104 TOP: AONE competency: Leadership
5. After the nurses who work on an adolescent psychiatric unit have had a brainstorming
session, they are ready to resolve the problem of teenagers who are unmanageable. To
maximize group effectiveness in decision making and problem solving, the nurse manager
has:
a. Prevented conflict.
b. Formed highly cohesive groups.
c. Used majority rule to arrive at decisions.
, lOMoAR cPSD| 5967629
d. Encouraged equal participation among members.
ANS: D
Groups are more likely to be effective if members are involved, the group is cohesive,
communication is encouraged, and members demonstrate some understanding of the group
process. The nurse leader or manager should provide a nonthreatening and positive
environment in which group members are encouraged to participate actively.
REF: Page 105 TOP: AONE competency: Communication and Relationship-Building
6. To solve a problem, the nurse manager understands that the most important problem-
solving step is:
a. The implementation phase.
b. Identification of numerous solutions.
c. Accurate identification of the problem.
d. Evaluation of the effectiveness of problem resolution.
ANS: C
To proceed effectively, it is important to determine if a problem exists and to accurately
identify a problem. Failure to resolve problems is most often linked to improper
identification of the problem.
REF: Page 109 | Page 110
TOP: AONE competency: Knowledge of the Health Care Environment
7. A clinic nurse has observed another nurse deviating from agency policy in performing
wound care. The best approach for the clinic nurse to take is to:
a. Stay out of it.
b. Inform the nursing supervisor.
c. Fill out a notification form (incident report).
d. Assess the risk to the client and the agency before proceeding.
ANS: D
If the situation is subjective, non-routine, and unstructured or if outcomes are unknown or
unpredictable, the nurse leader and manager may need to take a descriptive or behavioral
approach. More information (such as degree of risk to the client and to the agency) needs
to be gathered to address this situation effectively.
REF: Page 103 TOP: AONE competency: Knowledge of the Health Care Environment
, lOMoAR cPSD| 5967629
8. In a rural hospital, the unit for which you are charge nurse has a particularly busy
morning. A 52-year-old patient is complaining of left-sided chest pain and a multiparous
patient is about to deliver. A child with asthma is experiencing early signs of an attack. The
other RN on the unit is a recent graduate who has not yet been orientated to the labor
room and has limited cardiac nursing experience. An unregulated assistant is also available.
You must decide which patient situation you will take and where the RNs skills can best be
used. Given the limitations in skills and experience, number of staff available, and time
constraints, you must make a decision that involves:
a. A higher-order thinking process.
b. Selecting the best option for reaching a predefined goal.
c. Optimizing.
d. Satisficing.
ANS: D
With this approach, the decision maker selects an acceptable solution, one that may
minimally meet the objective or standard for a decision. This approach allows for quick
decisions and may be the most appropriate when lack of time is an issue.
REF: Page 103 TOP: AONE competency: Knowledge of the Health Care Environment
9. The risk manager wants to evaluate the reasons for an increased number of falls on the
rehab unit. The risk manager devises a fishbone diagram. A fishbone diagram is a useful
tool to:
a. Identify the root causes of problems.
b. List possible solutions to problems.
c. Help leaders select the best options.
d. Evaluate the outcomes of decisions made.
ANS: A
A fishbone diagram, also known as a cause-and-effect diagram, is useful for determining
the reasons (causes) for an effect (falls).
REF: Page 111 TOP: AONE competency: Knowledge of the Health Care Environment
10. An outpatient surgery manager is evaluating infusion pumps for the operating room.
The manager should:
a. Select the least expensive brand.
RS test bank questions, study questions exam 1-3
Role, Scope, Quality, and Leadership in Professional Nursing (Rasmussen
College)
Chapter 06: Making Decisions and Solving Problems
week 5
1. The risk manager informs the nurse manager of an orthopedic unit that her unit has had
an increase in incident reports about patients falling during the 11-7 shift. The nurse
manager knows that the best way to resolve the problem is to:
a. Use creativity.
b. Obtain support from the 7-3 shift.
c. Use institutional research.
d. Identify the problem.
ANS: D
Identification of a problem is the first step in problem solving and occurs before any other
step. The most common cause for failure to resolve problems is the improper identification
of the problem/issue; therefore, problem recognition and identification are considered the
most vital steps.
REF: Page 109 | Page 110
TOP: AONE competency: Knowledge of the Health Care Environment
2. The nurse manager of a rehab unit wants to purchase a new anti-embolic stocking. To
make a high-quality decision, the nurse manager would:
a. Involve the rehab staff in the decision.
b. Involve the sales representative.
c. Make the decision alone.
d. Involve administration in the decision.
ANS: A
In a shared decision model, the decisions are made through an interactive, deliberate
process and the staff may express and discuss options and preferences. The shared
decision model has been shown to increase work performance and productivity, decrease
employee turnover, and enhance employee satisfaction.
REF: Page 103 TOP: AONE competency: Communication and Relationship-Building
, lOMoAR cPSD| 5967629
3. Several nurses on an adolescent psychiatric unit complain that the teens are becoming
unmanageable on the 0700-1900 shift. To resolve this problem, the nurse manager decides
that the staff should have a brainstorming session. The goal of brainstorming is to:
a. Evaluate problem solutions.
b. Critique the ideas of others.
c. Generate as many solutions as possible.
d. Identify only practical and realistic ideas.
ANS: C
Brainstorming encourages creativity when one is beginning to problem-solve and avoids
premature shutting down of ideas through early evaluation. The goal is to generate ideas,
no matter how seemingly unrealistic or absurd.
REF: Page 106 | Page 107
TOP: AONE competency: Communication and Relationship-Building
4. During a fire drill, several psychiatric patients become agitated. The nurse manager
quickly assigns a staff member to each patient. This autocratic decision style is most
appropriate for:
a. Routine problems.
b. Crisis situations.
c. Managers who prefer a telling style.
d. Followers who cannot agree on a solution.
ANS: B
An autocratic style is appropriate when rapid decision making is required, such as in a crisis
situation.
REF: Page 103 | Page 104 TOP: AONE competency: Leadership
5. After the nurses who work on an adolescent psychiatric unit have had a brainstorming
session, they are ready to resolve the problem of teenagers who are unmanageable. To
maximize group effectiveness in decision making and problem solving, the nurse manager
has:
a. Prevented conflict.
b. Formed highly cohesive groups.
c. Used majority rule to arrive at decisions.
, lOMoAR cPSD| 5967629
d. Encouraged equal participation among members.
ANS: D
Groups are more likely to be effective if members are involved, the group is cohesive,
communication is encouraged, and members demonstrate some understanding of the group
process. The nurse leader or manager should provide a nonthreatening and positive
environment in which group members are encouraged to participate actively.
REF: Page 105 TOP: AONE competency: Communication and Relationship-Building
6. To solve a problem, the nurse manager understands that the most important problem-
solving step is:
a. The implementation phase.
b. Identification of numerous solutions.
c. Accurate identification of the problem.
d. Evaluation of the effectiveness of problem resolution.
ANS: C
To proceed effectively, it is important to determine if a problem exists and to accurately
identify a problem. Failure to resolve problems is most often linked to improper
identification of the problem.
REF: Page 109 | Page 110
TOP: AONE competency: Knowledge of the Health Care Environment
7. A clinic nurse has observed another nurse deviating from agency policy in performing
wound care. The best approach for the clinic nurse to take is to:
a. Stay out of it.
b. Inform the nursing supervisor.
c. Fill out a notification form (incident report).
d. Assess the risk to the client and the agency before proceeding.
ANS: D
If the situation is subjective, non-routine, and unstructured or if outcomes are unknown or
unpredictable, the nurse leader and manager may need to take a descriptive or behavioral
approach. More information (such as degree of risk to the client and to the agency) needs
to be gathered to address this situation effectively.
REF: Page 103 TOP: AONE competency: Knowledge of the Health Care Environment
, lOMoAR cPSD| 5967629
8. In a rural hospital, the unit for which you are charge nurse has a particularly busy
morning. A 52-year-old patient is complaining of left-sided chest pain and a multiparous
patient is about to deliver. A child with asthma is experiencing early signs of an attack. The
other RN on the unit is a recent graduate who has not yet been orientated to the labor
room and has limited cardiac nursing experience. An unregulated assistant is also available.
You must decide which patient situation you will take and where the RNs skills can best be
used. Given the limitations in skills and experience, number of staff available, and time
constraints, you must make a decision that involves:
a. A higher-order thinking process.
b. Selecting the best option for reaching a predefined goal.
c. Optimizing.
d. Satisficing.
ANS: D
With this approach, the decision maker selects an acceptable solution, one that may
minimally meet the objective or standard for a decision. This approach allows for quick
decisions and may be the most appropriate when lack of time is an issue.
REF: Page 103 TOP: AONE competency: Knowledge of the Health Care Environment
9. The risk manager wants to evaluate the reasons for an increased number of falls on the
rehab unit. The risk manager devises a fishbone diagram. A fishbone diagram is a useful
tool to:
a. Identify the root causes of problems.
b. List possible solutions to problems.
c. Help leaders select the best options.
d. Evaluate the outcomes of decisions made.
ANS: A
A fishbone diagram, also known as a cause-and-effect diagram, is useful for determining
the reasons (causes) for an effect (falls).
REF: Page 111 TOP: AONE competency: Knowledge of the Health Care Environment
10. An outpatient surgery manager is evaluating infusion pumps for the operating room.
The manager should:
a. Select the least expensive brand.
