RN ATI Capstone Leadership & Community
Health 2026/2027 – Exam Review, Questions
and Answers with Rationales
Section 1: Leadership & Management
1. Which action best demonstrates effective nursing leadership?
A. Making all decisions independently
B. Encouraging staff participation in problem-solving
C. Avoiding delegation
D. Assigning tasks without explanation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Effective leaders involve team members in appropriate decision-
making, promote communication, and create an environment where staff can
contribute to solutions.
2. Which leadership style involves the leader making most decisions
independently?
A. Democratic
B. Autocratic
C. Laissez-faire
D. Transformational
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Autocratic leadership is characterized by centralized decision-making.
It can be useful during emergencies when rapid decisions are necessary.
,3. Which leadership style encourages staff participation in decisions?
A. Autocratic
B. Democratic
C. Authoritarian
D. Passive
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Democratic leadership involves team members in decision-making and
promotes collaboration.
4. A nurse manager encourages staff to develop innovative solutions and
supports professional growth. Which leadership style is this?
A. Transformational
B. Autocratic
C. Laissez-faire
D. Bureaucratic
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Transformational leaders inspire employees, encourage innovation,
and promote professional development.
5. Which behavior demonstrates accountability by a nurse?
A. Blaming another nurse for an error
B. Reporting and addressing a medication error
C. Hiding an error
D. Altering documentation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Accountability requires taking responsibility for one's actions and
reporting errors according to policy.
,6. A nurse manager notices increasing staff conflict. Which action should occur
first?
A. Ignore the conflict.
B. Assess the situation and identify the underlying issues.
C. Immediately terminate one employee.
D. Transfer all involved nurses.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Effective conflict management begins with assessment of the situation
and identification of contributing factors.
7. Which approach is most appropriate for resolving workplace conflict?
A. Avoid communication.
B. Focus on the problem rather than personalities.
C. Assign blame.
D. Discuss the conflict publicly.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Professional conflict resolution focuses on facts, behaviors, and
solutions rather than personal attacks.
8. A nurse manager asks staff for input before implementing a scheduling
change. This demonstrates:
A. Shared governance
B. Micromanagement
C. Autocratic leadership
D. Avoidance
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Shared governance promotes staff participation in decisions affecting
nursing practice.
, 9. Which behavior demonstrates emotional intelligence?
A. Ignoring coworkers' emotions
B. Recognizing one's emotions and responding appropriately
C. Avoiding difficult conversations
D. Reacting impulsively
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Emotional intelligence involves recognizing, understanding, and
appropriately managing one's own emotions and responding effectively to others.
10. Which action promotes a healthy work environment?
A. Discouraging reporting of concerns
B. Encouraging respectful communication
C. Punishing staff who ask questions
D. Avoiding feedback
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Respectful communication, psychological safety, teamwork, and open
reporting contribute to a healthy work environment.
Section 2: Delegation
11. Which task can an RN delegate to an experienced assistive personnel (AP)?
A. Initial assessment of a newly admitted client
B. Development of a nursing care plan
C. Ambulating a stable client
D. Evaluation of a client's response to treatment
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Ambulation of a stable client is an appropriate routine task for AP
when the client is stable and the AP is competent.
Health 2026/2027 – Exam Review, Questions
and Answers with Rationales
Section 1: Leadership & Management
1. Which action best demonstrates effective nursing leadership?
A. Making all decisions independently
B. Encouraging staff participation in problem-solving
C. Avoiding delegation
D. Assigning tasks without explanation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Effective leaders involve team members in appropriate decision-
making, promote communication, and create an environment where staff can
contribute to solutions.
2. Which leadership style involves the leader making most decisions
independently?
A. Democratic
B. Autocratic
C. Laissez-faire
D. Transformational
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Autocratic leadership is characterized by centralized decision-making.
It can be useful during emergencies when rapid decisions are necessary.
,3. Which leadership style encourages staff participation in decisions?
A. Autocratic
B. Democratic
C. Authoritarian
D. Passive
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Democratic leadership involves team members in decision-making and
promotes collaboration.
4. A nurse manager encourages staff to develop innovative solutions and
supports professional growth. Which leadership style is this?
A. Transformational
B. Autocratic
C. Laissez-faire
D. Bureaucratic
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Transformational leaders inspire employees, encourage innovation,
and promote professional development.
5. Which behavior demonstrates accountability by a nurse?
A. Blaming another nurse for an error
B. Reporting and addressing a medication error
C. Hiding an error
D. Altering documentation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Accountability requires taking responsibility for one's actions and
reporting errors according to policy.
,6. A nurse manager notices increasing staff conflict. Which action should occur
first?
A. Ignore the conflict.
B. Assess the situation and identify the underlying issues.
C. Immediately terminate one employee.
D. Transfer all involved nurses.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Effective conflict management begins with assessment of the situation
and identification of contributing factors.
7. Which approach is most appropriate for resolving workplace conflict?
A. Avoid communication.
B. Focus on the problem rather than personalities.
C. Assign blame.
D. Discuss the conflict publicly.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Professional conflict resolution focuses on facts, behaviors, and
solutions rather than personal attacks.
8. A nurse manager asks staff for input before implementing a scheduling
change. This demonstrates:
A. Shared governance
B. Micromanagement
C. Autocratic leadership
D. Avoidance
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Shared governance promotes staff participation in decisions affecting
nursing practice.
, 9. Which behavior demonstrates emotional intelligence?
A. Ignoring coworkers' emotions
B. Recognizing one's emotions and responding appropriately
C. Avoiding difficult conversations
D. Reacting impulsively
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Emotional intelligence involves recognizing, understanding, and
appropriately managing one's own emotions and responding effectively to others.
10. Which action promotes a healthy work environment?
A. Discouraging reporting of concerns
B. Encouraging respectful communication
C. Punishing staff who ask questions
D. Avoiding feedback
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Respectful communication, psychological safety, teamwork, and open
reporting contribute to a healthy work environment.
Section 2: Delegation
11. Which task can an RN delegate to an experienced assistive personnel (AP)?
A. Initial assessment of a newly admitted client
B. Development of a nursing care plan
C. Ambulating a stable client
D. Evaluation of a client's response to treatment
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Ambulation of a stable client is an appropriate routine task for AP
when the client is stable and the AP is competent.
