ATI Leadership | Exam 1 Study Guide Leadership Concepts Exam 2026
|Questions |Answers |Rationales
1. A nurse manager is utilizing an authoritarian leadership style during a cardiac
arrest. Which characteristic is most associated with this style?
A. Input is sought from all team members.
B. Rewards are used to motivate the team toward a goal.
C. The leader provides little to no direction to the staff.
D. Communication flows downward and decisions are made quickly.
Answer: D
Rationale: Authoritarian (autocratic) leadership is characterized by downward
communication and rapid decision-making, which is often necessary in emergency
situations.
2. Which management function involves the recruitment, hiring, and orientation
of new nursing staff?
A. Planning
B. Organizing
C. Controlling
D. Staffing
Answer: D
Rationale: The staffing function of management focuses on managing the personnel,
including hiring, orientation, and scheduling.
,3. A nurse is using the SBAR tool to communicate with a provider. Which
statement represents the ‘Assessment’ portion of the tool?
A. The patient’s heart rate is 110 beats per minute and they are short of breath.
B. I believe the patient is developing pulmonary edema.
C. I am calling because the patient’s condition has deteriorated.
D. I suggest we order a chest X-ray and a diuretic.
Answer: B
Rationale: Assessment in SBAR refers to the nurse’s clinical judgment or what they think is
going on with the patient.
4. Which of the following is an example of the ethical principle of ‘Fidelity’?
A. Telling the truth to a patient about their diagnosis.
B. Ensuring the patient’s privacy is protected at all times.
C. Treating all patients fairly regardless of their status.
D. Returning to a patient’s room when you promised to do so.
Answer: D
Rationale: Fidelity is the agreement to keep promises and follow through on commitments
made to patients.
5. A charge nurse is delegating tasks to an Assistive Personnel (AP). Which task
is appropriate to delegate?
A. Evaluating a patient’s pain level after medication.
B. Assisting a stable patient with ambulation.
C. Performing a sterile dressing change.
D. Teaching a patient how to use an incentive spirometer.
Answer: B
Rationale: APs are trained for non-invasive, routine tasks such as ADLs and assisting
stable patients with ambulation.
, 6. When resolving a conflict, a nurse decides to give up their own desires to
satisfy the other party. Which conflict resolution strategy is this?
A. Avoiding
B. Smoothing
C. Competing
D. Accommodating
Answer: D
Rationale: Accommodating is a strategy where one party neglects their own needs to
satisfy the concerns of the other.
7. A nurse is caring for four patients. Which patient should the nurse assess
first?
A. A patient scheduled for discharge in 2 hours.
B. A patient with a pain level of 4 out of 10.
C. A patient who is 1 day postoperative and has not voided in 8 hours.
D. A patient with a tracheostomy who has a productive cough.
Answer: C
Rationale: Prioritization follows Maslow’s or ABCs. A patient who hasn’t voided for 8
hours requires immediate assessment for urinary retention, which is more urgent than
routine discharge or stable pain.
8. The nurse acts to ensure a patient’s right to self-determination. This is an
example of:
A. Justice
B. Paternalism
C. Advocacy
D. Beneficence
Answer: C
|Questions |Answers |Rationales
1. A nurse manager is utilizing an authoritarian leadership style during a cardiac
arrest. Which characteristic is most associated with this style?
A. Input is sought from all team members.
B. Rewards are used to motivate the team toward a goal.
C. The leader provides little to no direction to the staff.
D. Communication flows downward and decisions are made quickly.
Answer: D
Rationale: Authoritarian (autocratic) leadership is characterized by downward
communication and rapid decision-making, which is often necessary in emergency
situations.
2. Which management function involves the recruitment, hiring, and orientation
of new nursing staff?
A. Planning
B. Organizing
C. Controlling
D. Staffing
Answer: D
Rationale: The staffing function of management focuses on managing the personnel,
including hiring, orientation, and scheduling.
,3. A nurse is using the SBAR tool to communicate with a provider. Which
statement represents the ‘Assessment’ portion of the tool?
A. The patient’s heart rate is 110 beats per minute and they are short of breath.
B. I believe the patient is developing pulmonary edema.
C. I am calling because the patient’s condition has deteriorated.
D. I suggest we order a chest X-ray and a diuretic.
Answer: B
Rationale: Assessment in SBAR refers to the nurse’s clinical judgment or what they think is
going on with the patient.
4. Which of the following is an example of the ethical principle of ‘Fidelity’?
A. Telling the truth to a patient about their diagnosis.
B. Ensuring the patient’s privacy is protected at all times.
C. Treating all patients fairly regardless of their status.
D. Returning to a patient’s room when you promised to do so.
Answer: D
Rationale: Fidelity is the agreement to keep promises and follow through on commitments
made to patients.
5. A charge nurse is delegating tasks to an Assistive Personnel (AP). Which task
is appropriate to delegate?
A. Evaluating a patient’s pain level after medication.
B. Assisting a stable patient with ambulation.
C. Performing a sterile dressing change.
D. Teaching a patient how to use an incentive spirometer.
Answer: B
Rationale: APs are trained for non-invasive, routine tasks such as ADLs and assisting
stable patients with ambulation.
, 6. When resolving a conflict, a nurse decides to give up their own desires to
satisfy the other party. Which conflict resolution strategy is this?
A. Avoiding
B. Smoothing
C. Competing
D. Accommodating
Answer: D
Rationale: Accommodating is a strategy where one party neglects their own needs to
satisfy the concerns of the other.
7. A nurse is caring for four patients. Which patient should the nurse assess
first?
A. A patient scheduled for discharge in 2 hours.
B. A patient with a pain level of 4 out of 10.
C. A patient who is 1 day postoperative and has not voided in 8 hours.
D. A patient with a tracheostomy who has a productive cough.
Answer: C
Rationale: Prioritization follows Maslow’s or ABCs. A patient who hasn’t voided for 8
hours requires immediate assessment for urinary retention, which is more urgent than
routine discharge or stable pain.
8. The nurse acts to ensure a patient’s right to self-determination. This is an
example of:
A. Justice
B. Paternalism
C. Advocacy
D. Beneficence
Answer: C
