ESSENTIALS OF NURSING LEADERSHIP &
MANAGEMENT
8TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)SALLY WEISS
1
Reference
Ch. 1 — Characteristics of a Profession
Stem
As charge nurse, you observe a newly hired RN who performs
excellent technical skills but refuses to attend mandatory unit
committee meetings that develop policies affecting patient
care. Which action best reflects professional leadership?
A. Praise the nurse’s clinical performance and leave committee
attendance optional.
B. Meet with the nurse to explain responsibilities and require
participation as a professional expectation.
C. Assign the nurse extra clinical shifts to demonstrate
commitment to patient care instead of committee work.
D. Report the nurse immediately to human resources for
insubordination.
,Correct answer: B
Rationales
• B (Correct): Meeting to explain professional expectations
and requiring participation balances respect for clinical skill
with accountability to the profession and unit standards; it
supports professional socialization and shared governance.
• A: Making attendance optional undermines collective
responsibility and the profession’s obligation to self-
regulate and improve practice.
• C: Assigning extra shifts avoids addressing the professional
deficit and may foster resentment; it does not develop
engagement in professional activities.
• D: Immediate HR reporting is premature; progressive
discussion and remediation should precede formal
discipline unless safety or policy violations demand
escalation.
Teaching point: Expect participation in professional activities;
address deficits with coaching and clear expectations.
Citation: Weiss, S. (2024). Essentials of Nursing Leadership &
Management (8th ed.). Ch. 1.
2
Reference
Ch. 1 — Characteristics of a Profession
,Stem
A staff nurse frequently uses a shortcut that is customary on the
unit but contradicts evidence-based practice. As the charge
nurse, what is the most professional, systems-informed
response?
A. Continue the practice since it’s customary and efficient.
B. Privately instruct the nurse to stop and leave it at that.
C. Raise the concern at the next staff meeting and initiate a
review of unit practices against evidence-based standards.
D. Report the nurse to the unit manager for violating policy.
Correct answer: C
Rationales
• C (Correct): Bringing the issue to staff and initiating a
practice review engages the profession’s responsibility to
self-regulate and aligns unit custom with evidence-based
standards, improving patient safety.
• A: Accepting customary but unsafe practices perpetuates
risk and contradicts professional accountability.
• B: Private instruction may stop one occurrence but fails to
address unit-wide practice and systems factors enabling
the shortcut.
• D: Immediate reporting bypasses collaborative
improvement and may damage trust; choose remediation
first unless immediate harm exists.
, Teaching point: Use collective review to align unit customs with
evidence-based professional standards.
Citation: Weiss, S. (2024). Essentials of Nursing Leadership &
Management (8th ed.). Ch. 1.
3
Reference
Ch. 1 — Characteristics of a Profession
Stem
A nurse on your team questions whether professional
appearance policies are outdated. As charge nurse, how should
you evaluate and respond to concerns about the unit’s
professional appearance expectations?
A. Enforce the current policy without discussion because
uniformity is essential.
B. Dismiss the concern because appearance is a trivial matter.
C. Facilitate a discussion to evaluate the policy’s purpose,
patient perceptions, and professional standards, then
recommend revisions if needed.
D. Allow each nurse to decide their own appearance to promote
autonomy.
Correct answer: C
Rationales
MANAGEMENT
8TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)SALLY WEISS
1
Reference
Ch. 1 — Characteristics of a Profession
Stem
As charge nurse, you observe a newly hired RN who performs
excellent technical skills but refuses to attend mandatory unit
committee meetings that develop policies affecting patient
care. Which action best reflects professional leadership?
A. Praise the nurse’s clinical performance and leave committee
attendance optional.
B. Meet with the nurse to explain responsibilities and require
participation as a professional expectation.
C. Assign the nurse extra clinical shifts to demonstrate
commitment to patient care instead of committee work.
D. Report the nurse immediately to human resources for
insubordination.
,Correct answer: B
Rationales
• B (Correct): Meeting to explain professional expectations
and requiring participation balances respect for clinical skill
with accountability to the profession and unit standards; it
supports professional socialization and shared governance.
• A: Making attendance optional undermines collective
responsibility and the profession’s obligation to self-
regulate and improve practice.
• C: Assigning extra shifts avoids addressing the professional
deficit and may foster resentment; it does not develop
engagement in professional activities.
• D: Immediate HR reporting is premature; progressive
discussion and remediation should precede formal
discipline unless safety or policy violations demand
escalation.
Teaching point: Expect participation in professional activities;
address deficits with coaching and clear expectations.
Citation: Weiss, S. (2024). Essentials of Nursing Leadership &
Management (8th ed.). Ch. 1.
2
Reference
Ch. 1 — Characteristics of a Profession
,Stem
A staff nurse frequently uses a shortcut that is customary on the
unit but contradicts evidence-based practice. As the charge
nurse, what is the most professional, systems-informed
response?
A. Continue the practice since it’s customary and efficient.
B. Privately instruct the nurse to stop and leave it at that.
C. Raise the concern at the next staff meeting and initiate a
review of unit practices against evidence-based standards.
D. Report the nurse to the unit manager for violating policy.
Correct answer: C
Rationales
• C (Correct): Bringing the issue to staff and initiating a
practice review engages the profession’s responsibility to
self-regulate and aligns unit custom with evidence-based
standards, improving patient safety.
• A: Accepting customary but unsafe practices perpetuates
risk and contradicts professional accountability.
• B: Private instruction may stop one occurrence but fails to
address unit-wide practice and systems factors enabling
the shortcut.
• D: Immediate reporting bypasses collaborative
improvement and may damage trust; choose remediation
first unless immediate harm exists.
, Teaching point: Use collective review to align unit customs with
evidence-based professional standards.
Citation: Weiss, S. (2024). Essentials of Nursing Leadership &
Management (8th ed.). Ch. 1.
3
Reference
Ch. 1 — Characteristics of a Profession
Stem
A nurse on your team questions whether professional
appearance policies are outdated. As charge nurse, how should
you evaluate and respond to concerns about the unit’s
professional appearance expectations?
A. Enforce the current policy without discussion because
uniformity is essential.
B. Dismiss the concern because appearance is a trivial matter.
C. Facilitate a discussion to evaluate the policy’s purpose,
patient perceptions, and professional standards, then
recommend revisions if needed.
D. Allow each nurse to decide their own appearance to promote
autonomy.
Correct answer: C
Rationales
