NUR 4590 FINAL EXAM 2026/2027 |
Professional Identity Nurse Leader |
100 Real Q&A
SECTION I: LEADERSHIP THEORIES & STYLES (Questions 1-12)
Question 1
A nurse manager encourages staff to participate in decision-making and sets shared goals.
Which leadership style is being demonstrated?
A. Autocratic
B. Laissez-faire
C. Transformational
D. Transactional
Answer: C
Rationale: Transformational leadership inspires and empowers staff to achieve higher goals
through collaboration and shared vision. Autocratic is top-down; laissez-faire is hands-off;
transactional focuses on rewards/punishments.
Question 2
A unit manager gives rewards for completing tasks on time and uses disciplinary action for
errors. This best describes which leadership style?
A. Situational leadership
B. Transactional leadership
C. Servant leadership
D. Quantum leadership
Answer: B
Rationale: Transactional leadership focuses on exchanges (rewards/punishments) to achieve
compliance. Situational adapts style; servant prioritizes follower needs; quantum addresses
complexity.
,Question 3
Which leadership theory emphasizes inspiring followers through a shared vision and fostering
innovation?
A. Transactional leadership
B. Transformational leadership
C. Autocratic leadership
D. Contingency leadership
Answer: B
Rationale: Transformational leadership focuses on inspiring and motivating followers by
creating a shared vision and encouraging innovation, per Bass & Riggio.
Question 4
A new graduate nurse is unsure about delegating tasks. The preceptor provides high direction
and high support. Which situational leadership style is this?
A. Telling (S1)
B. Selling (S2)
C. Participating (S3)
D. Delegating (S4)
Answer: B
Rationale: Situational leadership theory suggests matching style to the follower's
developmental level. A new nurse who is willing but unable needs high direction AND high
support (coaching/Selling).
Question 5
A nurse manager uses a leadership style that involves team input in decision-making. This is an
example of which leadership style?
A. Autocratic leadership
B. Democratic leadership
C. Laissez-faire leadership
D. Transformational leadership
Answer: B
,Rationale: Democratic leadership encourages team participation in decisions, enhancing job
satisfaction.
Question 6
A nurse executive aims to create a culture of innovation and shared vision. They spend time
mentoring future leaders and aligning unit goals with the hospital's mission. This leader is
demonstrating:
A. Transactional leadership
B. Transformational leadership
C. Bureaucratic leadership
D. Situational leadership
Answer: B
Rationale: Transformational leadership focuses on inspiring and motivating followers to achieve
extraordinary outcomes and develop their own leadership capacity.
Question 7
A nurse manager focuses on daily operations, ensures work is completed, and rewards staff
when tasks are finalized but also corrects them when things are done improperly. Which
leadership style is the nurse manager demonstrating?
A. Transformational Leadership
B. Transactional Leadership
C. Servant Leadership
D. Authentic Leadership
Answer: B
Rationale: Transactional leadership is based on a system of rewards and punishments to
maintain the status quo and ensure tasks are completed.
Question 8
According to Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership Theory, a leader should use a "telling"
(directing) style for a staff member who is:
A. Willing and able
B. Unwilling and unable
, C. Willing but unable
D. Unwilling but able
Answer: B
Rationale: Situational leadership suggests matching style to the follower's developmental level.
The "telling" style is appropriate for followers who are unable and unwilling—they need direct,
specific instructions.
Question 9
A leader recognizes that a veteran nurse resists change due to fear of losing expertise. The
leader addresses the fear privately. Which leadership principle is applied?
A. Emotional intelligence
B. Coercive power
C. Reward power
D. Position power
Answer: A
Rationale: Emotional intelligence involves self-awareness, empathy, and managing
relationships—key for addressing resistance. Coercive/reward/position power are authority-
based, not relational.
Question 10
A nurse leader demonstrates self-awareness by:
A. Delegating all decisions to staff
B. Reflecting on personal biases
C. Enforcing strict protocols
D. Avoiding feedback from others
Answer: B
Rationale: Self-awareness involves recognizing personal biases and their impact on leadership.
Question 11
In an emergency situation, a nurse leader must make rapid decisions to ensure patient safety.
Which leadership style is most effective in this context?
Professional Identity Nurse Leader |
100 Real Q&A
SECTION I: LEADERSHIP THEORIES & STYLES (Questions 1-12)
Question 1
A nurse manager encourages staff to participate in decision-making and sets shared goals.
Which leadership style is being demonstrated?
A. Autocratic
B. Laissez-faire
C. Transformational
D. Transactional
Answer: C
Rationale: Transformational leadership inspires and empowers staff to achieve higher goals
through collaboration and shared vision. Autocratic is top-down; laissez-faire is hands-off;
transactional focuses on rewards/punishments.
Question 2
A unit manager gives rewards for completing tasks on time and uses disciplinary action for
errors. This best describes which leadership style?
A. Situational leadership
B. Transactional leadership
C. Servant leadership
D. Quantum leadership
Answer: B
Rationale: Transactional leadership focuses on exchanges (rewards/punishments) to achieve
compliance. Situational adapts style; servant prioritizes follower needs; quantum addresses
complexity.
,Question 3
Which leadership theory emphasizes inspiring followers through a shared vision and fostering
innovation?
A. Transactional leadership
B. Transformational leadership
C. Autocratic leadership
D. Contingency leadership
Answer: B
Rationale: Transformational leadership focuses on inspiring and motivating followers by
creating a shared vision and encouraging innovation, per Bass & Riggio.
Question 4
A new graduate nurse is unsure about delegating tasks. The preceptor provides high direction
and high support. Which situational leadership style is this?
A. Telling (S1)
B. Selling (S2)
C. Participating (S3)
D. Delegating (S4)
Answer: B
Rationale: Situational leadership theory suggests matching style to the follower's
developmental level. A new nurse who is willing but unable needs high direction AND high
support (coaching/Selling).
Question 5
A nurse manager uses a leadership style that involves team input in decision-making. This is an
example of which leadership style?
A. Autocratic leadership
B. Democratic leadership
C. Laissez-faire leadership
D. Transformational leadership
Answer: B
,Rationale: Democratic leadership encourages team participation in decisions, enhancing job
satisfaction.
Question 6
A nurse executive aims to create a culture of innovation and shared vision. They spend time
mentoring future leaders and aligning unit goals with the hospital's mission. This leader is
demonstrating:
A. Transactional leadership
B. Transformational leadership
C. Bureaucratic leadership
D. Situational leadership
Answer: B
Rationale: Transformational leadership focuses on inspiring and motivating followers to achieve
extraordinary outcomes and develop their own leadership capacity.
Question 7
A nurse manager focuses on daily operations, ensures work is completed, and rewards staff
when tasks are finalized but also corrects them when things are done improperly. Which
leadership style is the nurse manager demonstrating?
A. Transformational Leadership
B. Transactional Leadership
C. Servant Leadership
D. Authentic Leadership
Answer: B
Rationale: Transactional leadership is based on a system of rewards and punishments to
maintain the status quo and ensure tasks are completed.
Question 8
According to Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership Theory, a leader should use a "telling"
(directing) style for a staff member who is:
A. Willing and able
B. Unwilling and unable
, C. Willing but unable
D. Unwilling but able
Answer: B
Rationale: Situational leadership suggests matching style to the follower's developmental level.
The "telling" style is appropriate for followers who are unable and unwilling—they need direct,
specific instructions.
Question 9
A leader recognizes that a veteran nurse resists change due to fear of losing expertise. The
leader addresses the fear privately. Which leadership principle is applied?
A. Emotional intelligence
B. Coercive power
C. Reward power
D. Position power
Answer: A
Rationale: Emotional intelligence involves self-awareness, empathy, and managing
relationships—key for addressing resistance. Coercive/reward/position power are authority-
based, not relational.
Question 10
A nurse leader demonstrates self-awareness by:
A. Delegating all decisions to staff
B. Reflecting on personal biases
C. Enforcing strict protocols
D. Avoiding feedback from others
Answer: B
Rationale: Self-awareness involves recognizing personal biases and their impact on leadership.
Question 11
In an emergency situation, a nurse leader must make rapid decisions to ensure patient safety.
Which leadership style is most effective in this context?
