ESSENTIALS OF NURSING LEADERSHIP &
MANAGEMENT
8TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)SALLY WEISS
Ch. 1 — Characteristics of a Profession
Stem: During change-of-shift report a newly graduated nurse
avoids asking questions about a complex patient assignment
because they fear appearing incompetent. The charge nurse
notices and must decide how to respond to promote
professional development and patient safety. Which action by
the charge nurse is best?
A. Reassure the new nurse that asking questions makes them
look unprofessional and let them figure it out.
B. Interrupt the unit’s workflow to reteach every skill to the new
nurse in front of colleagues.
C. Privately model how to ask clarifying clinical questions and
arrange a brief precepted check-in during the shift.
D. Reassign the new nurse to a less complex patient without
discussion.
Correct answer: C
,Rationales — Correct Option: C (3–4 sentences)
Modeling how to ask clarifying questions and scheduling
precepted check-ins supports professional socialization, fosters
psychological safety, and directly reduces risk to patients by
ensuring competence. This approach aligns with professional
development principles in Chapter 1: promoting lifelong
learning and accountability while maintaining workflow. It
balances supervision with autonomy growth.
Rationales — Incorrect Options:
A. (1–2 sentences) Discouraging questions undermines
professional standards and increases risk to patient safety by
allowing incompetence to persist.
B. (1–2 sentences) Public reteaching can humiliate and damage
professional identity; education should be supportive and
private when possible.
D. (1–2 sentences) Unilateral reassignment avoids addressing
learning needs and deprives the nurse of growth opportunities
while not assuring patient safety.
Teaching point: Promote psychological safety and brief
precepted checks to support novice nurse competence.
Citation: Weiss, S. (2024). Essentials of Nursing Leadership &
Management (8th ed.). Ch. 1.
Ch. 1 — Characteristics of a Profession
,Stem: A staff nurse discovers a persistent documentation error
in the unit’s medication administration records that could affect
several patients. The nurse contemplates reporting the issue
but worries about retaliation. What is the most professional
action?
A. Ignore the error because documenting it risks conflict with
colleagues.
B. Report the error through the unit’s established incident
reporting and notify the nurse manager.
C. Correct only the records for patients the nurse cares for and
do not tell anyone.
D. Post a general memo blaming “system users” for
documentation mistakes.
Correct answer: B
Rationales — Correct Option: B (3–4 sentences)
Reporting via official incident channels and notifying
management demonstrates accountability and commitment to
patient safety—core professional characteristics. This action
allows for system analysis, corrective action, and protects
patients, while adhering to ethical and legal responsibilities
described in Chapter 1. It also helps prevent recurrence through
organizational learning.
Rationales — Incorrect Options:
A. (1–2 sentences) Ignoring errors violates professional
accountability and endangers patients.
C. (1–2 sentences) Selective correction circumvents system
, improvement and conceals the scope of risk.
D. (1–2 sentences) A blame memo fosters culture of shame
rather than collaborative problem solving and professional
responsibility.
Teaching point: Use formal reporting systems to address safety
hazards and support system improvement.
Citation: Weiss, S. (2024). Essentials of Nursing Leadership &
Management (8th ed.). Ch. 1.
Ch. 1 — Characteristics of a Profession
Stem: A nurse is offered a position on the hospital ethics
committee. Participation requires reading monthly case briefs
and attending quarterly meetings. From a professionalism
perspective, what is the most appropriate reason for the nurse
to accept?
A. To add a résumé line regardless of interest in ethics.
B. To influence organizational policy and represent staff nursing
perspectives on ethical issues.
C. To avoid direct patient care responsibilities without
managerial approval.
D. To ensure the committee adopts the nurse’s preferred
religious values.
Correct answer: B
Rationales — Correct Option: B (3–4 sentences)
Serving on an ethics committee aligns with professional
MANAGEMENT
8TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)SALLY WEISS
Ch. 1 — Characteristics of a Profession
Stem: During change-of-shift report a newly graduated nurse
avoids asking questions about a complex patient assignment
because they fear appearing incompetent. The charge nurse
notices and must decide how to respond to promote
professional development and patient safety. Which action by
the charge nurse is best?
A. Reassure the new nurse that asking questions makes them
look unprofessional and let them figure it out.
B. Interrupt the unit’s workflow to reteach every skill to the new
nurse in front of colleagues.
C. Privately model how to ask clarifying clinical questions and
arrange a brief precepted check-in during the shift.
D. Reassign the new nurse to a less complex patient without
discussion.
Correct answer: C
,Rationales — Correct Option: C (3–4 sentences)
Modeling how to ask clarifying questions and scheduling
precepted check-ins supports professional socialization, fosters
psychological safety, and directly reduces risk to patients by
ensuring competence. This approach aligns with professional
development principles in Chapter 1: promoting lifelong
learning and accountability while maintaining workflow. It
balances supervision with autonomy growth.
Rationales — Incorrect Options:
A. (1–2 sentences) Discouraging questions undermines
professional standards and increases risk to patient safety by
allowing incompetence to persist.
B. (1–2 sentences) Public reteaching can humiliate and damage
professional identity; education should be supportive and
private when possible.
D. (1–2 sentences) Unilateral reassignment avoids addressing
learning needs and deprives the nurse of growth opportunities
while not assuring patient safety.
Teaching point: Promote psychological safety and brief
precepted checks to support novice nurse competence.
Citation: Weiss, S. (2024). Essentials of Nursing Leadership &
Management (8th ed.). Ch. 1.
Ch. 1 — Characteristics of a Profession
,Stem: A staff nurse discovers a persistent documentation error
in the unit’s medication administration records that could affect
several patients. The nurse contemplates reporting the issue
but worries about retaliation. What is the most professional
action?
A. Ignore the error because documenting it risks conflict with
colleagues.
B. Report the error through the unit’s established incident
reporting and notify the nurse manager.
C. Correct only the records for patients the nurse cares for and
do not tell anyone.
D. Post a general memo blaming “system users” for
documentation mistakes.
Correct answer: B
Rationales — Correct Option: B (3–4 sentences)
Reporting via official incident channels and notifying
management demonstrates accountability and commitment to
patient safety—core professional characteristics. This action
allows for system analysis, corrective action, and protects
patients, while adhering to ethical and legal responsibilities
described in Chapter 1. It also helps prevent recurrence through
organizational learning.
Rationales — Incorrect Options:
A. (1–2 sentences) Ignoring errors violates professional
accountability and endangers patients.
C. (1–2 sentences) Selective correction circumvents system
, improvement and conceals the scope of risk.
D. (1–2 sentences) A blame memo fosters culture of shame
rather than collaborative problem solving and professional
responsibility.
Teaching point: Use formal reporting systems to address safety
hazards and support system improvement.
Citation: Weiss, S. (2024). Essentials of Nursing Leadership &
Management (8th ed.). Ch. 1.
Ch. 1 — Characteristics of a Profession
Stem: A nurse is offered a position on the hospital ethics
committee. Participation requires reading monthly case briefs
and attending quarterly meetings. From a professionalism
perspective, what is the most appropriate reason for the nurse
to accept?
A. To add a résumé line regardless of interest in ethics.
B. To influence organizational policy and represent staff nursing
perspectives on ethical issues.
C. To avoid direct patient care responsibilities without
managerial approval.
D. To ensure the committee adopts the nurse’s preferred
religious values.
Correct answer: B
Rationales — Correct Option: B (3–4 sentences)
Serving on an ethics committee aligns with professional
