FUNCTIONS IN NURSING
THEORY AND APPLICATION
11TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)CAROL J. HUSTON
TEST BANK
1
Reference: Ch. 1 — Decision Making, Problem Solving, Critical
Thinking, and Clinical Reasoning — Requisites for Successful
Leadership and Management
Stem: As charge nurse on a busy medical-surgical unit you
receive conflicting reports about a patient’s falling risk. Time is
limited and staff expect immediate direction. Which decision
approach should you use to ensure patient safety and
appropriate follow-up?
,A. Use a satisficing decision (choose the first option that meets
minimum safety criteria) and implement fall precautions now.
B. Use a maximizing approach and convene a multidisciplinary
team to analyze root causes before acting.
C. Delay action until the nurse manager reviews the full incident
report.
D. Apply an intuitive decision and assume the patient is not at
high risk based on prior shifts.
Correct answer: A
Rationales
• Correct (A): A satisficing approach is appropriate when
time is limited and safety is the priority; immediate fall
precautions protect the patient while further assessment
continues. Huston emphasizes balancing timeliness and
safety in routine, recurrent situations.
• Incorrect (B): Maximizing is ideal for complex, strategic
problems but is impractical in an immediate safety
situation that requires prompt action.
• Incorrect (C): Delaying until the manager reviews risks
patient harm; frontline leaders must act within scope to
maintain safety.
• Incorrect (D): Relying solely on intuition without data risks
underestimating risk and compromising safety.
Teaching point: When time is limited, choose safe, satisfactory
actions first; refine later.
,Citation: Huston, C. J. (2024). Leadership Roles and
Management Functions in Nursing (11th ed.). Ch. 1.
2
Reference: Ch. 1 — Marquis–Huston Critical-Thinking Teaching
Model — Vicarious Learning and Simulation
Stem: A nurse manager wants staff to improve clinical
reasoning for escalation decisions. Which strategy best aligns
with the Marquis–Huston model to develop critical thinking?
A. Assign staff to read articles and write reflective summaries
individually.
B. Implement simulated case scenarios with debriefing and role
rotation.
C. Require staff to complete online quizzes with
correct/incorrect feedback.
D. Provide a lecture on clinical pathways and expect staff to
memorize steps.
Correct answer: B
Rationales
• Correct (B): Simulation with debriefing and role rotation
provides experiential and vicarious learning—key
components of the Marquis–Huston model that build
applied critical thinking.
, • Incorrect (A): Individual reading and reflection are
beneficial but insufficient without group processing and
experiential practice.
• Incorrect (C): Quizzes test recall; they do not provide the
group problem solving and personalized learning central to
the model.
• Incorrect (D): Didactic teaching alone fosters knowledge
acquisition, not the integrated critical thinking the model
requires.
Teaching point: Use simulation + debriefing for applied critical-
thinking skill building.
Citation: Huston, C. J. (2024). Leadership Roles and
Management Functions in Nursing (11th ed.). Ch. 1.
3
Reference: Ch. 1 — Traditional Problem-Solving Process —
Define Objectives Clearly
Stem: A unit is experiencing repeated medication
documentation lapses. As nurse manager, you convene a small
task force. What is the first action the team must take to use
the traditional problem-solving process effectively?
A. Generate multiple corrective action alternatives.
B. Gather baseline data on documentation errors.
C. Define the problem and objectives clearly with measurable
outcomes.