Deck 4: The Leadership Role of the Licensed Practical Nurse

Question 1

To meet patient care needs,the LPN/LVN receives authority to delegate care to unlicensed personnel from the:

A) Physician or registered nurse (RN) who hired them
B) National Nurse Practice Act
C) 1994 Entry Level Competencies Report
D) Nurse Practice Act of the individual state

Answer 1

Nurse Practice Act of the individual state

Question 2

The role of the LPN/LVN as a team leader has been developed to broaden and improve patient care.The statement that reflects this role implementation is which one of the following?

A) As LPN/LVN team leaders, these nurses are totally and only personally responsible, under the terms of licensure, for personal care actions and the nursing actions of the others assigned on their units and shifts.
B) As an LPN/LVN team leader, this nurse, under the supervision and guidance of an RN, is responsible for all aspects of patient care that is assigned to this team.
C) As an LPN/LVN team leader, this nurse uses those skills and judgments learned in school to guide and direct the team members in what the nurse believes is correct patient care. The LPN/LVN is accountable only to patients for the care provided.
D) The team leader LPN/LVN decides on patient care assignments, takes care to promote accident prevention and safety, and is accountable only to self professionalism for the nursing actions of the team.

Answer 2

As an LPN/LVN team leader, this nurse, under the supervision and guidance of an RN, is responsible for all aspects of patient care that is assigned to this team.

Question 3

The leadership style that allows leadership flow among members of the team according to the task at hand is:

A) Democratic
B) Laissez-faire
C) Multicratic
D) Transformational

Answer 3

Transformational

Question 4

A 35-year-old patient,newly admitted to the facility,rings the call bell.However,by the time the nurse arrives,he is found unconscious and barely breathing.The charge nurse calls for a "code blue" and directs the staff on what to do without discussion-one staff member calls the physician,and some to go to other rooms to comfort patients.This is an example of the leadership style of:

A) Autocratic
B) Democratic
C) Laissez-faire
D) Participative

Question 5

A nurse tells the other staff members that she works only for the money and simply wants to "do the job and go home." The leadership style in which this nurse would be most comfortable is:

A) Autocratic
B) Democratic
C) Laissez-faire
D) Participative

Question 6

Laissez-faire leadership is the opposite of:

A) Authoritarian
B) Bureaucratic
C) Democratic
D) Participative

Question 7

The recognition and use of the LPN/LVN began because of RN shortages and a reevaluation of LPN/LVNs as team leaders.The approximate date of this change in staffing occurred in the:

A) 1940s
B) 1950s
C) 1960s
D) 1970s

Question 8

The head nurse puts a blank copy of the shift duty schedule on the table in the break room.The staff is permitted to fill in those shifts that they want to work during the next cycle.This example reflects the leadership style of:

A) Autocratic
B) Democratic
C) Laissez-faire
D) Participative

Question 9

The licensed practical/vocational nurse (LPN/LVN),as a regular staff member,knows all the patients and anticipates many of their needs.Other staff members are comfortable asking for advice.The advice is given freely with a clear explanation or demonstration or both.This nurse can be said to be acting in the role of a(n):

A) Self-appointed teacher
B) Management-assigned instructor
C) Informal leader
D) Designated supervisor

Question 10

On the way to the biohazard disposal closet to dispose intravenous (IV)tubing and a bag used on a patient who is positive for the human immunodeficiency virus,the LPN/LVN drops the IV tubing and bag on the floor,causing a spill.The team leader's most appropriate action would be to do which one of the following?

A) Quickly pick up the dropped supplies and dispose of them in the biohazard bag in the biohazard room. Ask housekeeping to place a small barricade over the spill until it can be mopped up later.
B) Find the floor maintenance person to pick up and dispose of the used equipment and to mop the floor, reminding him or her to wash the hands with soap and water. Chart that the IV was infused and discontinued appropriately.
C) Call and report to designated personnel to come and cordon off the area from staff and patients; have the spill cleaned with approved infection and chemotherapy spill control procedures.
D) Chart the spill in the patient's chart, inform the RN when convenient, and have housekeeping mop up the spill.

Question 11

Some characteristics of both leaders and managers are the same.Such a characteristic is:

A) Motivational skills
B) Sympathy skills
C) Authoritarian style
D) Participative style

Question 12

The team leader is making out the patient care assignment.A new patient needs several extensive dressing changes for open diabetic wounds,a nasogastric (NG)tube feeding,and irrigation of the Foley catheter as needed.The member of the care team best suited for this assignment is:

A) Nurse aide A, who has had 10 years' experience working at this facility, especially because this room is on the hall area where this NA is usually assigned.
B) Nurse aide B, who has just been employed but has recently been through the state nurse aide certificate program and needs the experience of these treatment modalities.
C) Nurse aide C, who is always asking for something new to try out and who is attending LPN/LVN school in off-duty hours.
D) LPN/LVN C, because these treatments are covered under the LPN/LVN State Practice Act.

Question 13

The process of management for the nurse leader consists of the application of steps similar to those of the nursing process.Which one of the following contains all the steps of the management process?

A) At the end of the shift report, the team leader tells the staff that charting will be reviewed, medication Cardex checked, and patient rounds made a hour early today to obtain a more detailed patient profile of care provided during that shift.
B) The team leader has been unavoidably late, has missed most of the shift report, and grabs the staffing roster to make out patient assignments. The assignments are scheduled by alphabetical order by the geographic areas of the unit. No incidents appear to have occurred on the unit during the shift.
C) The nurse is perpetually late for duty and frequently leaves before the end of the shift report, asking others to help in completing the patient assignment. The team leader ignores this as long as patient care is completed.
D) The staff member is noted to leave some patients in strange positions on several occasions. On rounds, the team leader notices this and correctly repositions the patients. The team leader thinks that the staff could probably use some in-service training on proper positioning; however, she decides that no time is available to schedule this training.

Question 14

A case conference is called to plan for a patient who has caused stress in the staff with constant calls and trivial requests.The nurse leader expresses personal views,leads the discussion about approaches to the problem,and then makes the decision for care based on the discussion.This leadership style is an example of:

A) Autocratic
B) Democratic
C) Laissez-faire
D) Participative

Question 15

The director of nursing in a nursing home appoints an LPN/LVN to be project head to coordinate a review of end-of-shift reporting times and to develop a new,more timely format for the entire agency to use.This LPN/LVN's role would be as a(n):

A) Goal-setting organizer
B) Organizing leader
C) Assigned manager
D) Manager-leader

Question 16

The team leader is preparing to type the evening shift report.The comment that should be included in the report is that:

A) Patient A complained of a headache until his wife arrived to visit. She was 20 minutes late because of unavoidable traffic.
B) Patient B ate everything on her dinner tray-roast beef, mashed potatoes, and green beans-and the dessert, too, which is her usual pattern.
C) Patient C was so restless that the dressing on her sacrum came off and had to be replaced. No change occurred in the assessment of the decubitus.
D) Patient D had her usual visitors. She is sleeping after her regular evening medications, which were given as ordered at 8 PM.

Question 17

The team leader nurse is attending college classes for a degree after work and spends much of the day reading and writing.As a result,the staff is given few directions.They make their own patient assignments,time schedules,and solve problems among themselves.As a result,significant confusion is evident on the unit.This leader is practicing which leadership style?

A) Autocratic
B) Democratic
C) Laissez-faire
D) Participative

Question 18

The LPN/LVN in charge of two units on the evening shift notices that two of the nursing assistants (NAs)are constantly bickering.This appears to be interfering with patient care time.Both units are extremely busy with care needs.The solution that reflects the process of accommodation is:

A) Their issues are trivial and do not affect patient care actions. No time is presently available for extended discussions. Send one of the NAs to another area, and allow time for both to defuse. Good patient care in an expedient manner is the priority at this time.
B) Call the supervisor to send the arguing dissenters home.
C) Call the dissenters into the office. Listen to their concerns, and make a decision about the resolution of their trivial matters.
D) Allow the NAs to leave the building and settle their differences before they come back. Make no notation of their absence on their timesheets or in the report.

Question 19

Leadership is different from management.Which one of the following definitions best describes this difference?

A) The leadership function comes after the manager decides on it.
B) Management refers to providing the means to inspire people.
C) A leader selects the role, and a manager is appointed.
D) A manager selects goals and the means to achieve them.

Question 20

When staff members complain about being pulled to other areas to work without prior notice,the leader agrees with their request to develop a more effective system and does so with assistance and input from the entire staff.This is an example of leadership theory:

A) X
B) Y
C) Z
D) Not representative of any theory

Question 21

The team leader assigns LPN/LVN A to patient care in rooms 123 and 129,explaining some of the special higher level care that these patients will need.Nurse aides G and F are assigned to the rest of the hall,splitting the numbers of patients needing total care versus partial care.Their care duties are discussed in detail.Making assignments according to skill level is an example of:

A) Planning
B) Organizing
C) Evaluating
D) Directing

Question 22

The professional nurse has the skills and knowledge to direct the care provided by other staff through the nursing care organization of:

A) Primary nursing
B) Functional nursing
C) Rehabilitative nursing
D) Team nursing

Question 23

Planning,organizing,directing,and controlling are major functions of ____________________.

Question 24

The task to which nurse aides may be delegated is:

A) Updating a nursing care plan
B) Developing a teaching plan
C) Weighing a patient
D) Evaluating pain medication responses

Question 25

An LPN/LVN took the responsibility of working with the equipment company representative to learn about some new equipment coming to the facility.The LPN/LVN then developed and presented in-service teaching to the rest of the staff.This LPN/LVN is managing under management theory ____________________.

Question 26

To establish an effective team,the team leader must be able to: (Select all that apply.)

A) Establish a clear purpose, and clarify its significance.
B) Be firm to maintain focus on one idea, not sidetracked by the ideas of others.
C) Listen to all input in an active manner.
D) Demonstrate concern for stress of the team members.
E) Be honest concerning own opinions and attitudes.