Test Bank For Leadership {Questions
And Verified Answers}
1. Role theory has its underpinnings in management theory. Management theories
influence managers' leadership styles. Which would a nurse manager be most likely to
follow when redesigning the staffing schedule?
a. Theory X.
b. Productivity theory.
c. Psychological theory.
d. Theory Y.
ANS: D
Theory Y is effective in health care and helps reinforce the concept of team. Because
the manager needs to redesign staffing schedules, it would be important to use this
participatory approach, inasmuch as the change involves a group.
A nurse manager has worked rapidly to persuade the staff to accept changes in the
unit's mission, through innovative use of technology, to avoid downsizing. This nurse
manager is displaying:
a. A focus on past concerns related to the mission.
b. How to teach staff members about self-management.
c. Facilitation of goal accomplishment.
d. A requirement that all staff members need to review and reinforce their technologic
skills.
ANS: C
Nurse managers, who are successful in motivating staff, provide a work environment
that facilitates goal accomplishment and personal satisfaction. In this situation, the
nurse manager worked quickly to avoid downsizing, thus facilitating the goal of avoiding
staff layoffs.
3. The nurse manager, as the leader of the unit's "customer (patient) first" initiative, has
asked the staff nurses to develop and administer a survey to every patient before
discharge. In asking the staff nurses to accomplish this task, the nurse manager is
demonstrating
a. Accountability.
b. Shared governance.
c. A common purpose.
d. Independence in the nursing manager's role.
ANS: B
Engaging staff and others in decision making and in obtaining information is one
characteristic of creating a shared governance structure in which nurses are
encouraged to make decisions.
A nurse manager is encountering considerable conflict among staff members because
of weekend staffing coverage. During a called staff meeting, the nurse manager asks
,the disgruntled staff to meet as a group and determine the best staffing practices. In
doing this, the nurse manager is using the concept of collaboration to:
a. Demonstrate interdependence.
b. Depict flexibility and broadmindedness.
c. Focus all energies of staff members on a win-win strategy.
d. Defuse the possibility that staff members' discontent will escalate when staffing the
unit on weekends.
ANS: C
Conflict resolution skills are important for nursing managers. When collaboration is used
to solve a conflict, all energies are focused on solving the problem, rather than on
defeating other people with opposing views.
5. A nurse manager's responsibility for financial management involves making
budgetary decisions. Budgets that enable the nurse manager to allocate resources at
the unit level allow:
a. Minimal nurse manager input.
b. Limited rationale for budgetary requests.
c. Budgetary allocations at the executive nurse level.
d. Budgetary decision making at the point of service
ANS: D
In organizational structures in which decision making occurs at the point of service,
nurse managers are given responsibility for preparing and implementing a budget that
meets the long- and short-term needs of their unit without requiring hierarchical
approval.
6. Which represents one of the Canadian Nurses Association's top six competencies of
a good nurse manager?
a. Political activism.
b. Conflict resolution skills.
c. Budgetary responsibility.
d. Current clinical practice knowledge.
ANS: B
The top six competencies for nurse managers are: (1) accountability for professional
practice, (2) verbal communication, (3) team-building skills, (4) leadership skills, (5)
conflict resolution, and (6) knowledge of ethical and legal issues.
7. Whenever a staff nurse asks Sue, the nursing manager, about the best way to
perform a new procedure, Sue immediately goes to the computer with the staff nurse
and searches for online best practices related to the procedure in question. What is Sue
demonstrating?
a. Lack of procedural knowledge.
b. Role-modelling evidence-informed decision-making.
c. Empowerment for the staff nurse to do this on her own, rather than involve the
manager.
d. The key role of informatics in the current health care system.
ANS: B
Nurse managers can help staff use research evidence in their practice decision making
by valuing research, role modelling, providing encouragement, ensuring policies are
based on research and are up to date, and monitoring practice and patient outcomes
,8. In planning a new wing, the nurse manager complies with the workplace safety
requirements of the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Which
of the following groups is considered to be at high risk for violence in the workplace?
a. Pediatric staff.
b. Postsurgical unit staff.
c. Emergency department staff.
d. Medical oncology unit staff.
ANS: C
Emergency department staff members are considered to be at high risk for violence
9. In orienting a 25-year-old nurse, the unit manager understands that this worker
probably
a. Likes to attend to detail.
b. Is highly proficient in math and reading skills.
c. Enjoys being managed by superiors.
d. Likes to solve problems without being given solutions
ANS: D
A role of the manager is to understand various motivations of staff and to bring these
together in the accomplishment of goals. In general, younger workers are motivated
strongly by shared governance and decision making.
10. Nurses on Unit 4 are unhappy and frustrated with their nurse manager. They
complain that "nothing is ever good enough for him." Such statements suggest that the
nurse manager's goals may be:
a. Measurable.
b. Unrealistic.
c. Attainable.
d. Too low.
ANS: B
Nurse managers need to set goals that are high enough to achieve excellence but
reasonable enough to enable achievement. Lack of achievement can result in
frustration.
11. Budgeting and protection of revenues is a function of:
a. Leadership.
b. Management.
c. Team leadership.
d. Followers
ANS: B
Managers address complex issues such as planning, budgeting, and allocating
resources, whereas leaders address change.
12. Which of the following is important in a positive work environment?
a. One-way communication.
b. Accountability and clarity of roles and responsibilities.
c. Hierarchical decision making.
d. Challenge and striving for excellence
ANS: B
One of the six competencies of a good nursing manager is accountability for
professional practice; clarity of roles and responsibilities enhances accountability.
, 13. As the manager of a unit with a high percentage of young professionals, you
increase job satisfaction among this young staff by:
a. Providing high levels of job structure and task orientation.
b. Developing schedules that are fair and observing contractual obligations.
c. Utilizing skills in the staffing mix to optimize the delivery of patient care.
d. Establishing opportunities to self-schedule.
ANS: D
A manager is challenged to motivate staff and increase organizational commitment
across different generations of workers. Carver and Candela's (2008) findings
suggested that strategies such as shared governance and self-scheduling increase
satisfaction among younger staff.
14. On the first day of every month, the nursing manager on the surgical unit posts a
staff nurse's name on the bulletin board with the caption "Look what this great nurse did
this month" and outlines nursing behaviours that were displayed by that particular nurse.
This is an example of:
a. Negative reinforcement.
b. Valuing employees.
c. Obtaining evidence for performance appraisals.
d. Reinforcing the vision and goals of the organization.
ANS: B
Nurse managers must communicate their commitment so that staff members know they
are valued in accomplishing the work of the unit that furthers the mission of the
organization. One way of demonstrating that employees are valued is through
recognition. Recognizing staff's efforts is part of effective management practices.
15. As a nurse manager, you determine that a shift in nursing care models might
decrease workplace violence. Members of the hospital administration are reluctant to
adopt this new approach to care. To leverage your ideas, you:
a. Ask staff to send e-mails to administration members encouraging consideration of
your option.
b. Invite a senior member of administration to your staff meeting, so you can tell him
what you are planning.
c. Write a letter of complaint to a member of the institutional board about the lack of
openness of the administration.
d. Identify influential members of your nurse manager group with similar ideas and
request an opportunity to meet with administration members to discuss options.
ANS: D
In addressing issues with higher administration, it is important to develop power
strategies such as seeking support from other influences in the organization.
16. During staff meetings you make it a regular practice to encourage shared problem
solving, and to recognize employees who go beyond basic roles and responsibilities to
contribute to a positive team environment and to quality patient care. This practice
exemplifies:
a. Values-based management.
b. Shaping of workplace behaviour.
c. Cooperation and collaboration.
d. Recognition of institutional priorities.
