ECPI University NUR 475/ NUR475 : Exam 1 Study Guide | Complete with Questions and Answers/ Explained | Updated Fall 2025/26.

ECPI University NUR 475/ NUR475 : Exam 1 Study Guide | Complete with Questions and Answers/ Explained | Updated Fall 2025/26. Exam 1 Study Guide Time Management Ways to improve time management - Prioritizing tasks is one of the most important time management skills. The nurse-manager is creating a list in order to promote efficiency and productivity. What is the manager’s best action? a. Use long-term goals as the framework for creating the list. b. Include slightly more activities than can be completed in a day, in order to motivate. c. Begin by ranking the priority of tasks that need to be accomplished. d. Keep each day’s list as similar as possible to each other day’s lists. Which task should the team leader perform first when planning care for a group of clients? a. Plan so that each client on the team receives equal amounts of nursing care. b. Prioritize the amount and type of nursing care each client requires. c. Identify the staff who will comprise the individual care teams. d. Assign clients to the specific nursing teams. - Starting by planning your day and creating reasonable, flexible lists of tasks that need to be done A manager is trying to get in the habit of creating a daily list of tasks. The manager should: a) avoid changing the list once initial planning is completed. b) Include flexibility in the list implementation. c) include all relevant short-term, intermediate, and long-term goals. d) keep the list highly structured, thus decreasing the possibility of procrastination. - Creating a time inventory to map out activities hour by hour A nurse-manager admits to feeling frustrated and confused by the fact that each day “just slips away,” leaving many important tasks undone. How should this manager begin develop better time management skills? a. Identify a mentor who can plan the manager’s schedule. b. Complete a time inventory to identify how time is used. c. Experiment with adjustments to the daily schedule. d. Request a temporary reduction in workload. - Schedule meetings and interactions rather than having an open-door policy A nurse-manager has recognized that unproductive socialization is making it difficult to complete each day’s tasks. What action should the manager take to prevent this cause of inefficiency? a. Maintain an open-door policy so employees can have more rapid interactions with the manager. b. Schedule appointments so that interactions can be predicted and controlled. c. Request a transfer to a site where the manager knows fewer coworkers and employees. d. Ban socialization on the unit during working hours. - Avoid large, complex plans. Break them into smaller, more manageable pieces A nurse-manager is responsible for implementing a large and complex plan that will require much time and effort. How should the manager address this large task? a. Work on the task with few breaks in order to finish as quickly as possible. b. Delegate as much of the task as possible to employees and focus on evaluation. c. Break the task into smaller, less intimidating units. d. Delay beginning the task until it has the manager’s undivided attention. - Be flexible and re-evaluate your plan as needed How should the nurse-manager most effectively deal with the everchanging nature of the nursing work environment? a. Evaluating the management skills of the nursing team leaders b. Providing time management classes for staff members c. Frequently reassessing personally established priorities d. Encouraging staff to engage in daily planning A nurse-manager makes lists of tasks for each day. What should the manager do in order to ensure that lists accurately reflect changes in priorities? a. Reevaluate the lists on a regular basis and adjust them as needed. b. Ensure that each day’s list is significantly different from the previous day’s list. c. Make lists as detailed as possible in terms of the time allocated and the specifics of each task. d. Have the lists reviewed by a trusted colleague on a regular basis. Time management can be reduced to cyclic steps that include which of the following? Select all that apply. a. Allow time for planning and establish priorities. b. Complete tasks according to their difficulty, from easiest to most difficult. c. Complete the highest priority task, and whenever possible, finish one task before beginning another. d. Reprioritize based on remaining tasks and new information that may have been received. e. Divide each day into 1-hour blocks. , C, D “Do Now” “Do Later” “Don’t Do” - Sorting activities into these categories can help with prioritization - Do now o High priority tasks that need immediate attention or have high importance to the unit or patient  i.e. planning for adequate staffing, solving life threatening situations A nurse-manager is prioritizing tasks. Which tasks should the manager put into the “do now” category? a. Adding follow-up comments to an incident report from the previous day b. Covering sick calls for the upcoming shift to ensure there are enough nurses c. Conducting a new employee’s initial performance review d. Meeting with the chairperson of the hospital’s strategic planning committee The nurse-manager of a hospital unit has categorized some tasks in the “do now” category. The tasks most likely reflect: a. the unit’s day-to-day operational needs. b. issues related to long-term goals. c. large, time-consuming tasks. d. problems that cannot be safely delegated. - Do later o Tasks that don’t need to be done immediately or are not life threatening  I.e. baths, education - Don’t do o Unimportant tasks, tasks that can wait until the next shift  i.e. learning module due a week from now Career Development Portfolio – a document with all of your work experience, educational background, achievements, and certifications - Keep this up to date to give to employers to give examples of your professional growth A nurse has applied for a new position and has presented a nursing portfolio to the human resources department. This portfolio will allow the nurse to: a. present his or her specific career goals. b. justify salary expectations. c. give examples of professional growth. d. showcase his or her academic credentials. Benner’s Novice to Expert Theory - New graduate nurses start off as novices. Over time as they gain more experience and learn new things, they become more competent and get to the level of an expert. They move from being task oriented to being able to view the whole patient picture and think critically. A nurse who has transferred to a new workplace setting self-identifies as “competent” on Benner’s continuum from novice to expert. What characteristic does this nurse most likely possess? a. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree b. Two to 3 years of clinical experience c. Basic health-care management skills d. A well-defined career plan Obsolescence - As nurses age in the field, they must continue to gain new skills and learn about new technology/best practices to avoid becoming obsolete A nurse has more than four decades of experience. In order to ensure that the nurse is not seen as obsolete by peers and colleagues, the nurse should: a. seek a leadership position. b. offer to mentor newly graduated nurses. c. change jobs as frequently as possible. d. continually seek new knowledge and experience. Cover Letter - Given with a resume to introduce yourself as a candidate. You should introduce yourself, give key points/achievements from your resume, and explain why you want the job A nurse is applying for a job and is now writing a cover letter. The nurse should integrate what characteristics of a cover letter? Select all that apply. a. Introduce the applicant. b. Briefly highlight key points of the resume. c. List the contact information for the nurse’s references. d. Make a positive first impression. e. Always used when submitting a resume. , B, D, E Certification - Specializing in a certain field of nursing (i.e. psych, pediatrics, cardiac, etc...) shows employers that you have a higher level of expertise in that area. How can a nursing professional best demonstrate advanced achievement of competencies? a. Participating in career planning b. Achieving a new specialty certification c. Transfer to a new department d. Maintaining ethical standards of practice - Benefits o Higher self esteem o Higher wage o Resume booster A nurse is considering certification in an area of specialty. What potential benefits of certification should the nurse consider? Select all that apply. a. A personal sense of accomplishment b. Exemption from continuing education requirements c. Increased career options d. Increased potential for advancement and promotions e. Higher salaries , C, D, E Career Stage - Promise: first ten years of nursing career A nurse is currently in the “promise” phase of career development. What goal should the nurse prioritize during this stage? a. Acting as a role model to recent graduates b. Gaining exposure to a variety of experiences c. Avoiding obsolescence d. Graduating from nursing school - Milestones: socialization to the nursing role; building knowledge, skills, abilities, credentials, and an education base; gaining exposure to a variety of experiences; identifying strengths and building confidence; and positioning for the future - Momentum: middle phase, 11-29 years o Milestones: further building confidence in one’s competence; developing experience, gaining mastery, and establishing a professional track record; and finding a voice through aligning strengths with passion A nurse is currently in the “momentum” career phase. What activity is most appropriate during this stage of the nurse’s career? a. Adjusting from the student role to the professional role b. Avoiding obsolescence c. Beginning to participate in continuing education d. Being a role model to other nurses A nurse is described by peers and colleagues as having expert knowledge, skills, abilities, credentials, and education base. What career stage is this nurse most likely in? a. Promise b. Momentum c. Harvest d. Legacy - Harvest: late in the career o Milestones: elevating mastery to sage practice for advancing the profession, positioning as a professional statesperson, and establishing a legacy Engaging in reflective practice - Reflecting on your strengths and weaknesses can help you set goals and seek out learning opportunities to help your professional growth A nurse is selecting areas to focus on for continuing education and personal growth over the next year. During this process, the nurse should: a. prioritize learning that can take place in a college or university setting. b. ask the manager to perform this task, if possible. c. prioritize areas of study that are new to the nurse. d. engage in reflective practice. A nurse will soon be creating a plan for continuing competence. What activity should the nurse prioritize when making this plan? a. Reflecting on his or her own practice b. Eliciting input from trusted nursing colleagues c. Eliciting input from members of other health disciplines d. Setting 3-year and 5-year career goals Organizing Patient Care Types of nursing care models - Total patient care o One nurse cares for a group of patients over the course of their shift o Most common model - Functional nursing o Each person on the team has one job for all the patients  i.e. medication nurse, IV/phlebotomy nurse, care tech for ADLs Which aspect of care at a long-term care facility most clearly suggests that a functional model of care delivery is being used? a. One nurse is assigned to provide all of a resident’s care during a shift. b. Unlicensed assistive personnels (UAPs) coordinate each resident’s care and occasionally delegate to practical nurses. c. Registered nurses perform all assessments while UAPs provide all feeding and hygiene. d. A pairing of one registered nurse and one practical nurse provides all the care for a designated pool of residents. The nurse is assigned to administer medications to all patients throughout the shift. What is this an example of? a. Team nursing b. Case method nursing c. Primary care delivery d. Functional nursing care - Team and modular nursing o One nurse leads a team of ancillary staff to care for a group of patients  Team would include LPNs, care techs, and housekeeping staff A registered nurse is providing care in a setting that uses modular nursing. What task should the nurse perform during a shift? a. Providing every aspect of care to one half to one third of the mini-team’s assigned patients b. Collaborating with another registered nurse to plan the care of all the mini-team’s assigned patients c. Confirming that each member of the mini-team is completing his or her assigned tasks d. Providing total patient care to the most acutely ill patients that the mini-team is assigned - Primary nursing o One nurse organizes the care plan of a patient for a 24-hour period and gives specific instructions for the oncoming staff that cares for the patient when the nurse is off. This lasts from admission to discharge A nurse has accepted a position as a staff nurse and will practice primary care nursing. The nurse will be the only RN on the team. What is an appropriate role expectation for role fulfillment? a. Planning nursing care independently of others b. Assigning work according to the expertise of group members c. Being responsible for care planning only during the shift when he or she works d. Carrying out the majority of personal care for assigned patients - Case management o A case manager connects a patient to resources and specialties throughout their entire stay o Uses multidisciplinary action plans o Provides cost effective plans for the care of the patient A nurse-manager has recently learned that the health-care facility will be moving toward a case management approach. What factor is most likely driving this change? a. The need to address cost-effective options for care b. The need to provide challenging work for nurses and other members of the care team c. The need to enhance professionalism throughout the organization d. The need to obtain magnet designation Changing care models - No one model is the best, but each one has its strengths and weaknesses. This must be assessed prior to changing models - Model changes should be based on patient needs - Changing models can affect the dynamic and social interactions of the care team A change in the patient care delivery system has been mandated on a hospital unit. The manager can best ensure the successful introduction of a new delivery system by: a. assigning a senior registered nurse to lead the implementation. b. explaining the implications of the proposed change to patients and families. c. carefully studying the best method for implementing the planned change. d. hiring nurses who have experience in providing the new delivery system. Nurse navigators - Guide patients through their chronic disease process - Connects them to resources needed to manage their disease - Nurses specialize in certain disease processes and what care the population needs (i.e. diabetes, COPD, hear failure, etc...) A patient who has just been diagnosed with lung cancer has been assigned a nurse navigator. What task should the nurse prioritize in this role? a. Providing evidence-based guidance on treatment options and treatment decisions b. Providing clinical leadership and ensuring quality for the patient’s care c. Guiding the patient in an effort to provide high-quality managed care d. Guiding the patient and family through their various interactions with the health-care system