Prime yourself for your Tests – Study Questions
Chapter 24: Communication
Fundamentals of Nursing, 9th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which types of nurses make the best communicators with patients?
a. Those who learn effective psychomotor skills
b. Those who develop critical thinking skills
c. Those who like different kinds of people
d. Those who maintain perceptual biases
ANS: B
Nurses who develop critical thinking skills make the best communicators. Just liking people does
not make an effective communicator because it is important to apply critical thinking standards
to ensure sound effective communication. Just learning psychomotor skills does not ensure that
the nurse will use those techniques, and communication involves more than psychomotor
skills. Critical thinking helps the nurse overcome perceptual biases or human tendencies that
interfere with accurately perceiving and interpreting messages from others. Nurses who maintain
perceptual biases do not make good communicators.
2. A nurse believes that the nurse-patient relationship is a partnership and that both are equal
participants. Which term should the nurse use to describe this belief?
a. Critical thinking
b. Authentic
, Prime yourself for your Tests – Study Questions
c. Mutuality
d. Attend
ANS: C
Effective interpersonal communication requires a sense of mutuality, a belief that the nurse-
patient relationship is a partnership and that both are equal participants. Critical thinking in
nursing, based on established standards of nursing care and ethical standards, promotes effective
communication and uses standards such as humility, self-confidence, independent attitude, and
fairness. To be authentic (one’s self) and to respond appropriately to the other person are
important for interpersonal relationships but do not mean mutuality. Attending is giving all of
your attention to the patient.
3. A nurse wants to present information about flu immunizations to the older adults in the
community. Which type of communication should the nurse use?
a. Public
b. Small group
c. Interpersonal
d. Intrapersonal
ANS: A
, Prime yourself for your Tests – Study Questions
Public communication is interaction with an audience. Nurses have opportunities to speak with
groups of consumers about health-related topics, present scholarly work to colleagues at
conferences, or lead classroom discussions with peers or students. When nurses work on
committees or participate in patient care conferences, they use a small group communication
process. Interpersonal communication is one-on-one interaction between a nurse and another
person that often occurs face to face. Intrapersonal communication is a powerful form of
communication that you use as a professional nurse. This level of communication is also called
self-talk.
4. A nurse is using therapeutic communication with a patient. Which technique will the nurse use
to ensure effective communication?
a. Interpersonal communication to change negative self-talk to positive self-talk
b. Small group communication to present information to an audience
c. Electronic communication to assess a patient in another city
d. Intrapersonal communication to build strong teams
ANS: C
Electronic communication is the use of technology to create ongoing relationships with patients
and their health care team. Intrapersonal communication is self-talk. Interpersonal
communication is one-on-one interaction between a nurse and another person that often occurs
face to face. Public communication is used to present information to an audience. Small group
communication is interaction that occurs when a small number of persons meet. When nurses
work on committees or participate in patient care conferences, they use a small group
communication process.
5. A nurse is standing beside the patient’s bed.
Nurse: How are you doing?
Chapter 24: Communication
Fundamentals of Nursing, 9th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which types of nurses make the best communicators with patients?
a. Those who learn effective psychomotor skills
b. Those who develop critical thinking skills
c. Those who like different kinds of people
d. Those who maintain perceptual biases
ANS: B
Nurses who develop critical thinking skills make the best communicators. Just liking people does
not make an effective communicator because it is important to apply critical thinking standards
to ensure sound effective communication. Just learning psychomotor skills does not ensure that
the nurse will use those techniques, and communication involves more than psychomotor
skills. Critical thinking helps the nurse overcome perceptual biases or human tendencies that
interfere with accurately perceiving and interpreting messages from others. Nurses who maintain
perceptual biases do not make good communicators.
2. A nurse believes that the nurse-patient relationship is a partnership and that both are equal
participants. Which term should the nurse use to describe this belief?
a. Critical thinking
b. Authentic
, Prime yourself for your Tests – Study Questions
c. Mutuality
d. Attend
ANS: C
Effective interpersonal communication requires a sense of mutuality, a belief that the nurse-
patient relationship is a partnership and that both are equal participants. Critical thinking in
nursing, based on established standards of nursing care and ethical standards, promotes effective
communication and uses standards such as humility, self-confidence, independent attitude, and
fairness. To be authentic (one’s self) and to respond appropriately to the other person are
important for interpersonal relationships but do not mean mutuality. Attending is giving all of
your attention to the patient.
3. A nurse wants to present information about flu immunizations to the older adults in the
community. Which type of communication should the nurse use?
a. Public
b. Small group
c. Interpersonal
d. Intrapersonal
ANS: A
, Prime yourself for your Tests – Study Questions
Public communication is interaction with an audience. Nurses have opportunities to speak with
groups of consumers about health-related topics, present scholarly work to colleagues at
conferences, or lead classroom discussions with peers or students. When nurses work on
committees or participate in patient care conferences, they use a small group communication
process. Interpersonal communication is one-on-one interaction between a nurse and another
person that often occurs face to face. Intrapersonal communication is a powerful form of
communication that you use as a professional nurse. This level of communication is also called
self-talk.
4. A nurse is using therapeutic communication with a patient. Which technique will the nurse use
to ensure effective communication?
a. Interpersonal communication to change negative self-talk to positive self-talk
b. Small group communication to present information to an audience
c. Electronic communication to assess a patient in another city
d. Intrapersonal communication to build strong teams
ANS: C
Electronic communication is the use of technology to create ongoing relationships with patients
and their health care team. Intrapersonal communication is self-talk. Interpersonal
communication is one-on-one interaction between a nurse and another person that often occurs
face to face. Public communication is used to present information to an audience. Small group
communication is interaction that occurs when a small number of persons meet. When nurses
work on committees or participate in patient care conferences, they use a small group
communication process.
5. A nurse is standing beside the patient’s bed.
Nurse: How are you doing?
