Nurse Leadership - Exam 1 2025-2026
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS
ALREADY GRADED A+
What is leadership? - ANSWERSThe ability to inspire others to achieve a desired outcome
What is management? - ANSWERSThe process of planning, organizing, directing, & coordinating the
work within an organization
Usually possess good leadership skills
Effective leaders are not always in management
What is the authoritative leadership style? - ANSWERSMakes decisions for the group
Motivates by coercion
Communication occurs down chain of command
Work output high
Good for crisis situations
Effective for employees w/ little or no formal education
What is the democratic leadership style? - ANSWERSIncludes group when decisions are made
Motivates by supporting staff achievements
Communication up & down chain of command
Work output good
Good when cooperating & collaborating
What is the laissez-faire leadership style? - ANSWERSMakes very few decisions, does little planning
,Motivation is the responsibility of individual staff members
Communication up & down, or b/t group members
Work output low unless informal leader evolves
Effective w/ professional employees
What are the differences b/t a transformational leader vs. a transactional leader? -
ANSWERSTransformational
- Leaders empower followers to assume responsibility for communal vision
- Personal development is a secondary outcome
Actional
- Focus on immediate problems
- Maintain status quo
- Uses rewards to motivate followers
What is emotional intelligence? - ANSWERSAbility of an individual to perceive & manage emotions of
self & others
What are the five major management functions? - ANSWERSPlanning - what needs to be done, who is
doing it
Organizing - lines of authority, communication, decisions
Staffing- adequate staff & staffing mix
Directing - manager influences & motivates staff
Controlling - evaluation of staff & goals to make sure outcomes are being made
What is critical thinking? - ANSWERSInterpretation
Analysis
Evaluation
Inference
Explanation
,Skills that assist the nurse to determine the most appropriate action to take - "thinking outside the box"
What is clinical reasoning? - ANSWERSProcess of assessing & compiling data
Selecting & discarding data used on relevance
Using knowledge to make decisions about client care
Problem solving (part of making a decision)
Mental process used when analyzing the elements of a clinical situation & using analysis to make a
decision
What is clinical judgement? - ANSWERSAnalyze data & related evidence
Ascertain the meaning of the data & evidence
Determine client outcomes desired &/or achieved as indicated by EBP
Decision made requiring the course of action based off a critical analysis of data when using knowledge
applied to clinical situation
What should be prioritized? - ANSWERSSystemic before local
- "Life before limb"
- Client in shock over client w/ localized limb injury
Acute before chronic
- Mental confusion, chest pain over a client w/ chronic long-term illness
Actual problems before potential future problems
- Admin of med to client w/ acute pain over ambulation of a client at risk for thrombophlebitis
Listen to clients carefully, don't assume
, - Post op pain could be due to pain in another location rather than expected surgical pain
Recognize & respond to trends vs. transient findings
- Gradual deterioration of LOC/GSC
Recognize signs of medical emergencies & comps vs. "expected findings"
- Signs of increasing ICP on pt w/ newly diagnosed stroke vs. clinical findings expected following a stroke
Apply clinical knowledge to procedural standards to determine the priority action
- Timing of admin of anti diabetic & antimicrobial meds is more important than admin of some other
meds
What should you think about when trying to manage your time? - ANSWERSWhat must be done
immediately?
- Analgesics ir antiemetic admin
- Assessment of an unstable client
What must be done by a specific time to ensure safety, quality care, & compliance?
- Med admin
- Vitals
- Blood glucose
What must be done by the end of shift?
- Ambulation of the client
- Diacharge &/or discharge teaching
- Dressing change
What can be delegated?
- What can only be done by RN?
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS
ALREADY GRADED A+
What is leadership? - ANSWERSThe ability to inspire others to achieve a desired outcome
What is management? - ANSWERSThe process of planning, organizing, directing, & coordinating the
work within an organization
Usually possess good leadership skills
Effective leaders are not always in management
What is the authoritative leadership style? - ANSWERSMakes decisions for the group
Motivates by coercion
Communication occurs down chain of command
Work output high
Good for crisis situations
Effective for employees w/ little or no formal education
What is the democratic leadership style? - ANSWERSIncludes group when decisions are made
Motivates by supporting staff achievements
Communication up & down chain of command
Work output good
Good when cooperating & collaborating
What is the laissez-faire leadership style? - ANSWERSMakes very few decisions, does little planning
,Motivation is the responsibility of individual staff members
Communication up & down, or b/t group members
Work output low unless informal leader evolves
Effective w/ professional employees
What are the differences b/t a transformational leader vs. a transactional leader? -
ANSWERSTransformational
- Leaders empower followers to assume responsibility for communal vision
- Personal development is a secondary outcome
Actional
- Focus on immediate problems
- Maintain status quo
- Uses rewards to motivate followers
What is emotional intelligence? - ANSWERSAbility of an individual to perceive & manage emotions of
self & others
What are the five major management functions? - ANSWERSPlanning - what needs to be done, who is
doing it
Organizing - lines of authority, communication, decisions
Staffing- adequate staff & staffing mix
Directing - manager influences & motivates staff
Controlling - evaluation of staff & goals to make sure outcomes are being made
What is critical thinking? - ANSWERSInterpretation
Analysis
Evaluation
Inference
Explanation
,Skills that assist the nurse to determine the most appropriate action to take - "thinking outside the box"
What is clinical reasoning? - ANSWERSProcess of assessing & compiling data
Selecting & discarding data used on relevance
Using knowledge to make decisions about client care
Problem solving (part of making a decision)
Mental process used when analyzing the elements of a clinical situation & using analysis to make a
decision
What is clinical judgement? - ANSWERSAnalyze data & related evidence
Ascertain the meaning of the data & evidence
Determine client outcomes desired &/or achieved as indicated by EBP
Decision made requiring the course of action based off a critical analysis of data when using knowledge
applied to clinical situation
What should be prioritized? - ANSWERSSystemic before local
- "Life before limb"
- Client in shock over client w/ localized limb injury
Acute before chronic
- Mental confusion, chest pain over a client w/ chronic long-term illness
Actual problems before potential future problems
- Admin of med to client w/ acute pain over ambulation of a client at risk for thrombophlebitis
Listen to clients carefully, don't assume
, - Post op pain could be due to pain in another location rather than expected surgical pain
Recognize & respond to trends vs. transient findings
- Gradual deterioration of LOC/GSC
Recognize signs of medical emergencies & comps vs. "expected findings"
- Signs of increasing ICP on pt w/ newly diagnosed stroke vs. clinical findings expected following a stroke
Apply clinical knowledge to procedural standards to determine the priority action
- Timing of admin of anti diabetic & antimicrobial meds is more important than admin of some other
meds
What should you think about when trying to manage your time? - ANSWERSWhat must be done
immediately?
- Analgesics ir antiemetic admin
- Assessment of an unstable client
What must be done by a specific time to ensure safety, quality care, & compliance?
- Med admin
- Vitals
- Blood glucose
What must be done by the end of shift?
- Ambulation of the client
- Diacharge &/or discharge teaching
- Dressing change
What can be delegated?
- What can only be done by RN?
