,Chapter 1: Decision Making, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, And Clinical
Reasoning: Requisites For Successful Leadership And Management
MULTIPLE QUESTIONS
1. What Statement Is True Regarding Decision Making?
A) It Is An Analysis Of A Situation
B) It Is Closely Related To Evaluation
C) It Involves Choosing Between Courses Of Action
D) It Is Dependent Upon Finding The Cause Of A Problem
Answer: C
Assessment:
Decision Making Is A Complex Cognitive Process Often Defined As Choosing A
Particular Course Of Action. Problem Solving Is Part Of Decision Making And Is A
Systematic ProcessThat Focuses On Analyzing A Difficult Situation. Critical Thinking,
Sometimes Referred To AsReflective Thinking, Is Related To Evaluation And Has A
Broader Scope Than Decision Making And Problem Solving.
2. What Is A Weakness Of The Traditional Problem-Solving Model?
A) Its Need For Implementation Time
B) Its Lack Of A Step Requiring Evaluation Of Results
C) Its Failure To Gather Sufficient Data
D) Its Failure To Evaluate Alternatives
Answer: A
Assessment:
The Traditional Problem-Solving Model Is Less Effective When Time Constraints Are
A Consideration. Decision Making Can Occur Without The Full Analysis Required In
ProblemSolving. Because Problem Solving Attempts To Identify The Root Problem In
Situations, Much Time And Energy Are Spent On Identifying The Real Problem.
3. Which Of The Following Statements Is True Regarding Decision Making?
A) Scientific Methods Provide Identical Decisions By Different Individuals For
TheSame Problems
B) Decisions Are Greatly Influenced By Each Person's Value System
C) Personal Beliefs Can Be Adjusted For When The Scientific Approach To
ProblemSolving Is Used
D) Past Experience Has Little To Do With The Quality Of The Decision
Answer: B
Assessment:
Values, Life Experience, Individual Preference, And Individual Ways Of Thinking Will
Influence A Person's Decision Making. No Matter How Objective The Criteria Will Be,
ValueJudgments Will Always Play A Part In A Person's Decision Making, Either
Consciously Or Subconsciously.
,4. What Influences The Quality Of A Decision Most Often?
A) The Decision Maker's Immediate Superior
B) The Type Of Decision That Needs To Be Made
C) Questions Asked And Alternatives Generated
D) The Time Of Day The Decision Is Made
Answer: C
Assessment:
The Greater The Number Of Alternatives That Can Be Generated By The Decision
Maker, TheBetter The Final Decision Will Be. The Alternatives Generated And The
Final Choices Are Limited By Each Person's Value System.
5. What Does Knowledge About Good Decision Making Lead One To Believe?
A) Good Decision Makers Are Usually Right-Brain, Intuitive Thinkers
B) Effective Decision Makers Are Sensitive To The Situation And To Others
C) Good Decisions Are Usually Made By Left-Brain, Logical Thinkers
D) Good Decision Making Requires Analytical Rather Than Creative Processes
Answer: B
Assessment:
Good Decision Makers Seem To Have Antennae That Make Them Particularly
Sensitive To Other People And Situations. Left-Brain Thinkers Are Typically Better
At Processing Language, Logic, Numbers, And Sequential Ordering, Whereas Right-
Brain Thinkers Excel AtNonverbal Ideation And Holistic Synthesizing.
6. What Is The Best Definition Of Decision Making?
A) The Planning Process Of Management
B) The Evaluation Phase Of The Executive Role
C) One Step In The Problem-Solving Process
D) Required To Justify The Need For Scarce Items
Answer: C
Assessment:
Decision Making Is A Complex, Cognitive Process Often Defined As Choosing A
ParticularCourse Of Action. Decision Making, One Step In The Problem-Solving
Process, Is An Important Task That Relies Heavily On Critical Thinking And Clinical
Reasoning Skills.
,7. If Decision Making Is Triggered By A Problem With What Does It End?
A) An Alternative Problem
B) A Chosen Course Of Action
C) An Action That Guarantees Success
D) A Restatement Of The Solution
Answer: B
Assessment:
A Decision Is Made When A Course Of Action Has Been Chosen. Problem Solving Is
Part OfDecision Making And Is A Systematic Process That Focuses On Analyzing A
Difficult Situation. Problem Solving Always Includes A Decision-Making Step.
8. Why Do Our Values Often Cause Personal Conflict In Decision Making?
A) Some Values Are Not Realistic Or Healthy
B) Not All Values Are Of Equal Worth
C) Our Values Remain Unchanged Over Time
D) Our Values Often Collide With One Another
Answer: D
Assessment:
Values, Life Experience, Individual Preference, And Individual Ways Of Thinking Will
Influence A Person's Decision Making. No Matter How Objective The Criteria Will Be,
ValueJudgments Will Always Play A Part In A Person's Decision Making, Either
Consciously Or Subconsciously.
9. Which Statement Is True Concerning Critical Thinking?
A) It Is A Simple Approach To Decision Making
B) It Is Narrower In Scope Than Decision Making
C) It Requires Reasoning And Creative Analysis
D) It Is A Synonym For The Problem-Solving Process
Answer: C
Assessment:
Critical Thinking Has A Broader Scope Than Decision Making And Problem
Solving. It IsSometimes Referred To As Reflective Thinking. Critical Thinking Also
Involves ReflectingUpon The Meaning Of Statements, Examining The Offered
Evidence And Reasoning, And Forming Judgments About Facts.
,10. How Do Administrative Man Managers Make The Majority Of Their Decisions?
A) After Gathering All The Facts
B) In A Manner Good Enough To Solve The Problem
C) In A Rational, Logical Manner
D) After Generating All The Alternatives Possible
Answer: B
Assessment:
Many Managers Make Decisions That Are Just ―Good Enough‖ Because Of Lack Of
Time, Energy, Or Creativity To Generate A Number Of Alternatives. This Is Also
Called
―Satisficing.‖ Most People Make Decisions Too Quickly And Fail To Systematically
Examine A Problem Or Its Alternatives For Solution.
11. What Needs To Be Considered In Evaluating The Quality Of One's Decisions?
A) Is Evaluation Necessary When Using A Good Decision-Making Model?
B) Can Evaluation Be Eliminated If The Problem Is Resolved?
C) Will The Effectiveness Of The Decision Maker Be Supported?
D) Will The Evaluation Be Helpful In Increasing One's Decision-Making Skills?
Answer: D
Assessment:
The Evaluation Phase Is Necessary To Find Out More About One's Ability As A
DecisionMaker And To Find Out Where The Decision Making Was Faulty.
12. Which Statement Concerning The Role Of The Powerful In Organizational Decision
MakingIs True?
A) They Exert Little Influence On Decisions That Are Made
B) They Make Decisions Made That Are In Congruence With Their Own Values
C) They Allow Others To Make The Decisions However They Wish
D) They Make All The Important Decisions With Consideration To Others
Answer: B
Assessment:
Not Only Does The Preference Of The Powerful Influence Decisions Of Others In The
Organization, But The Powerful Are Also Able To Inhibit The Preferences Of The Less
Powerful. Powerful People In Organizations Are More Likely To Have Decisions Made
ThatAre Congruent With Their Own Preferences And Values.
,13. One Of The NURSES On The Unit Said, ―Male Patients Have A Low Threshold
For Pain.‖ This Is An Example Of What Type Of Illogical Thinking?
A) Affirming The Consequences
B) Arguing From Analogy
C) Deductive Reasoning
D) Overgeneralizing
Answer: D
Assessment:
This Type Of ―Crooked‖ Thinking Occurs When One Believes That Because A Has A
Particular Characteristic, Every Other A Also Has The Same Characteristic. This Kind
Of Thinking Is Exemplified When Stereotypical Statements Are Used To Justify
Arguments AndDecisions.
14. What Effect Of Organizational Power On Decision Making Is Often Reflected
In TheTendency Of Staff?
A) Making Decisions Independent Of Organizational Values
B) Not Trusting Others To Decide
C) Desiring Personal Power
D) Having Private Beliefs That Are Separate From Corporate Ones
Answer: D
Assessment:
The Ability Of The Powerful To Influence Individual Decision Making In An
OrganizationOften Requires Adopting A Privnate Personality And An Organizational
Personality.
15. What Does A Decision Grid Allow The Decision Maker To Do?
A) Examine Alternatives Visually And Compare Each Against The Same Criteria
B) Quantify Information
C) Plot A Decision Over Time
D) Predict When Events Must Take Place To Complete A Project On Time
Answer: A
Assessment:
A Decision Grid Allows One To Visually Examine The Alternatives And Compare
Each Against The Same Criteria. Although Any Criteria May Be Selected, The
Same Criteria AreUsed To Analyze Each Alternative.
,16. What Statement Regarding Management Decision-Making Aides Is True?
A) They Are Subject To Human Error
B) They Ensure Good Decision Making
C) They Eliminate Uncertainty And Risk
D) They Tend To Save Management Time
Answer: A
Assessment:
Management Decision-Making Aides Are Subject To Human Error. Some Of These
Aides Encourage Analytical Thinking, Others Are Designed To Increase Intuitive
Reasoning, And A Few Encourage The Use Of Both Hemispheres Of The Brain.
Despite The Helpfulness Of TheseTools, There Is A Strong Tendency For Managers To
Favor First Impressions When Making A Decision, And A Second Tendency, Called
Confirmation Biases, Often Follows.
17. What Is Heuristics?
A) Discrete, Unconscious Process To Allow Individuals To Solve Problems Quickly
B) Set Of Rules To Encourage Learners To Discover Solutions For Themselves
C) Formal Process And Structure In The Decision-Making Process
D) Trial-And-Error Method Or Rules-Of-Thumb Approach
Answer: A
Assessment:
Most Individuals Rely On Discrete, Often Unconscious Processes Known As
Heuristics, Which Allows Them To Solve Problems More Quickly And To Build
Upon Experiences TheyHave Gained In Their Lives. Thuns, Heuristics Use Trial-And-
Error Methods Or A
Rules-Of-Thumb Approach, Rather Than Set Rules, And In Doing So, Encourages Learners To
Discover Solutions For Themselves.
18. Which Statement Is True Regarding An Economic Man Style Manager?
A) Lacks Complete Knowledge And Generates Few Alternatives
B) Makes Decisions That May Not Be Ideal But Result In Solutions That Have An
AdequateOutcome
C) Makes Most Management Decisions Using The Administrative Man
Model OfDecision Making
D) These Managers Gather As Much Information As Possible And Generate
ManyAlternatives
Answer: D
Assessment:
Economic Managers Gather As Much Information As Possible And Generate Many
Alternatives. Most Management Decisions Are Made By Using The Administrative
Man Model Of Decision Making. The Administrative Man Never Has Complete
Knowledge AndGenerates Fewer Alternatives.
,19. What Is A Characteristic Of A Left-Brain Thinker?
A) Creative
B) Intuitive
C) Analytical
D) Holistic
Answer: C
Assessment:
Analytical, Linear, Left-Brain Thinkers Process Information Differently From
Creative, Intuitive, Right-Brain Thinkers. Left-Brain Thinkers Are Typically Better At
Processing Language, Logic, Numbers, And Sequential Ordering, Whereas Right-
Brain Thinkers Excel AtNonverbal Ideation And Holistic Synthesizing.
20. What Type Of Brain Dominance Creates A Management Style That Is Highly
Organized AndDetail Oriented?
A) Upper Left Brain
B) Upper Right Brain
C) Lower Left Brain
D) Lower Right
BrainAnswer: C
Assessment:
Individuals With Lower-Left-Brain Dominance Are Highly Organized And Detail
Oriented And Individuals With Upper-Left-Brain Dominance Truly Are Analytical
Thinkers Who Like
Working With Factual Data Andnnumbers. These Individuals Deal With Problems In
A Logical And Rational Way. Individuals With Upper-Right-Brain Dominance Are Big
Picture Thinkers Who Look For Hidden Possibilities And Are Futuristic In Their
Thinking. IndividualsWith Lower-Right-Brain Dominance Experience Facts And
Problem Solve In A More Emotional Way Than The Other Three Types.
21. Which Problem-Solving Learning Strategy Provides The Learner With The Most
Realistic,Risk-Free Learning Environment?
A) Case Studies
B) Simulation
C) Problem-Based Learning (PBL)
D) Grand
RoundsAnswer: B
Assessment:
Simulation Provides Learners Opportunities For Problem Solving That Have Little Or
No RiskTo Patients Or To Organizational Performance While Providing Models, Either
Mechanical Or Live, To Provide Experiences For The Learner. While The Other
Options Provide Learning Opportunities That Include Problem Solving, Simulation Is
The Most Realistic While Also Being Low Risk.
, 22. Which Statement Demonstrates A Characteristic Of A Critical Thinker? Select All That Apply.
A) ―Since That Didn't Work Effectively, Let's Try Something Different.‖
B) ―The Solution Has To Be Something The Patient Is Willing To Do.‖
C) ―I'll Talk To The Patient's Primary Care Giver About The Problem.‖
D) ―Maybe There Is No New Solution To This Particular Problem.‖
Answer: A, B, C
Assessment:
A Critical Thinker Displays Persistence, Empathy, And Assertiveness. The
RemainingOptions Reflect Limited Thinking And An Inability To Think Outside
The Box.
23. What Is The Value Of Using A Structured Approach To Problem Solving For The
NoviceNURSE?
A) Facilitates Effective Time Management
B) Supports The Acquisition Of Clinical Reasoning
C) Supplements The Orientation Process
D) Encourages Professional Autonomy
Answer: B
Assessment:
A Structured Approach To Problem Solving And Decision Making Increases
Clinical Reasoning And Is The Best Way To Learn How To Make Quality Decisions
Because It Eliminates Trial And Error And Focuses The Learning On A Proven
Process. This Is Particularly Helpful To The Novice NURSE With Limited Clinical
Experience And Intuition. The Other Options Are Outcomnes Of The Possession Of
Critical Thinking Skills And Clinical Reasoning.
24. Which Situation Is Characteristic Of The Weakness Of The NURSING Process?
A) The Frequent Absence Of Well-Written Patience-Focused Objectives
B) The Confusion Created By The Existence Of Numerous NURSING Diagnoses
C) The Ever-Increasing Need For Effective Assessment Skills Required Of The NURSE
D) The Amount Of NURSING Staff Required To Implement The Patients'
Plans OfCareanswer: A
Assessment:
The Weakness Of The NURSING Process, Like The Traditional Problem-Solving
Model, Is Innot Requiring Clearly Stated Objectives. Goals Should Be Clearly Stated
In The Planning Phase Of The Process, But This Step Is Frequently Omitted Or
Obscured. While The Remaining Options Relate To The NURSING Process, They
Are Not Directly A Result OfThe Process Itself.