Deck 4: Professional Nursing Roles

Question 1

A military recruiter would point out to a potential male RN recruit that:

A) approximately one third of all the nurses in the armed forces are men.
B) not all branches of the military allow men in nursing positions.
C) opportunities for men in nursing are limited and highly competitive.
D) the number of military male nurses is similar to civilian numbers.

Answer 1

approximately one third of all the nurses in the armed forces are men.

Question 2

A charge nurse has decided that a newly hired nurse suffers from role ambiguity.The best action by the charge nurse would be to:

A) assist the new nurse with delegating and prioritizing tasks.
B) help the new nurse organize and manage time more effectively.
C) remind the new nurse that personal calls are allowed on breaks.
D) review and clarify the job description with the new nurse.

Answer 2

review and clarify the job description with the new nurse.

Question 3

A mentor is explaining the causes of role stress to a newly hired nurse.What statement best explains why this occurs? "Role stress often occurs:

A) as nurses rotate shifts and work strict days and hours."
B) because of the multiple roles we have to assume."
C) from not being able to provide care as we see fit."
D) when there is too little time to get our work done."

Answer 3

because of the multiple roles we have to assume."

Question 4

A nursing supervisor thinks that a staff nurse serving on several multidisciplinary committees is not demonstrating collaborative practice behaviors.What behavior by the staff nurse would best illustrate the supervisor's opinion? The staff nurse:

A) agrees with, but does not incorporate, other disciplines' input.
B) does not listen to viewpoints and opinions of other disciplines.
C) feels nursing is the only viewpoint for analyzing patient issues.
D) is territorial and unwilling to share the patients' care plans.

Question 5

A nursing manager believes that the unit staff is suffering from role overload.Which action by the manager would best address this immediate situation?

A) Authorize more overtime and bonus pay.
B) Negotiate for more unit-stock supplies.
C) Request more positions for nurses' aides.
D) Volunteer to help with workplace redesign.

Question 6

A nurse manager wants to plan an intervention for some nurses who seem to be experiencing role incongruity.The manager could best assist these nurses by creating a forum for:

A) role clarification.
B) staff debriefing.
C) values clarification.
D) work redesign.

Question 7

The emotional response to an occurrence of role stress is called role:

A) ambiguity.
B) conflict.
C) overload.
D) strain.

Question 8

A unit manager is concerned about turnover on her unit, which employs many new graduate nurses.There is already a formal and lengthy orientation program in place.Which additional resource should the nursing manager add to the orientation program to best address turnover?

A) Have the new graduates spend more time in the skills practice lab.
B) Include intensive mentoring as part of the orientation program.
C) Invite new nurses to informal meals and breaks with management.
D) Post personal biographies of new nurses so staff gets to know them.

Question 9

A chief nursing officer in a hospital is explaining to unit managers that the federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)can help nursing by potentially:

A) creating employee loyalty.
B) eliminating sick leave.
C) not penalizing illnesses.
D) reducing turnover rates.

Question 10

The student nurse describes to friends the nursing role that involves a systematic method of providing care and precise attention to details.This is the role of:

A) direct caregiver.
B) collaborator.
C) manager.
D) teacher.

Question 11

A nursing manager would like to see the nurses on that unit increase their commitment to patient advocacy.Which action by the manager would best meet this goal?

A) Bring a political activist to the unit for motivational speeches.
B) Lobby for patient and family rights bills to pass state legislation.
C) Organize a political drive for state coverage of all standard vaccinations.
D) Schedule a walkathon for donations to pay for medications.

Question 12

A practicing nurse often volunteers for overtime when the unit is short staffed but now has a child who has a recurring illness and worries about the ability to continue this practice.The nursing manager could help this nurse by educating him or her about role:

A) ambiguity.
B) conflict.
C) integration.
D) stress.

Question 13

A staff nurse works on an inpatient OB-GYN floor that has begun admitting patients for elective abortions.The nurse is not comfortable with this change.When the nurse talks with the unit manager, the manager explains that the nurse may be experiencing role:

A) ambiguity.
B) incongruity.
C) overload.
D) strain.

Question 14

In describing what it means to be a nurse, a student tells friends and family that caring in nursing:

A) only includes using nonscientific methods when choosing appropriate interventions.
B) is easy to teach by experienced mentors for whom it comes naturally.
C) is overlooked when judging a student's clinical performance.
D) means much more than physically caring for someone's needs.

Question 15

A nursing dean who wishes to determine whether students had developed a beginning sense of nursing identity would appraise the students':

A) ability to articulate expected behaviors.
B) commitment to remain in their chosen field.
C) emotional connection to the profession.
D) understanding of the history of nursing.

Question 16

A nurse is explaining to students that the role of researcher is the most fascinating one because of its flexibility at all levels of practice.Which explanation by this nurse would best justify this opinion?

A) Nurses can join research teams in institutions where they already work.
B) Many areas of nursing practice need to be researched.
C) This role can be a part of the nurse's identity at all levels of practice.
D) When a study is finished, research nurses can return to staff nursing.

Question 17

Which nursing role is most closely connected to social justice?

A) Advocate
B) Caregiver
C) Manager
D) Researcher

Question 18

A staff nurse has been appointed to a multidisciplinary patient care task force.The unit manager notes that the meetings have been less productive since this nurse joined; furthermore, the staff nurse seems unhappy with this assignment.What action by the manager would most likely help this staff nurse become a productive member of the task force?

A) Ask the nurse whether there are problems with the other members.
B) Instruct the nurse to observe for the next few meetings.
C) Remind the nurse to focus mainly on patient outcomes.
D) Ask the nurse to explain his or her feelings about the assignment.

Question 19

A nursing faculty member explains to students that the nursing role with a significant effect on patients' health and quality of life is the role of:

A) caregiver.
B) collaborator.
C) educator.
D) manager.

Question 20

A health care organization is investigating a new computerized documentation system.Which question by nursing management would address a source of work-related distress in nurses related to documentation?

A) "How can we ensure the nurses get adequate training or updates?"
B) "How can we make these computerized units more portable?"
C) "How much more accurate and complete will this charting be?"
D) "How will this system save my nurses time when documenting?"

Question 21

The nursing manager evaluates which nurse as the best representative of the phrase "high tech, high touch"?

A) Able to form close bonds with patients requiring highly technological nursing care.
B) Combines clinical and people skills to provide holistic patient-centered care.
C) Uses ethics to make decisions and to guide daily nursing practice.
D) Willingly works with the most difficult or complex patients as a team member.

Question 22

What terms and definitions about role stress does the nurse learn? (Select all that apply.)

A) Role ambiguity: expectations of a role are not clearly defined
B) Role conflict: personal values conflict with job requirements
C) Role discrepancy: conflict between conception and expectation of a role
D) Role extension: expansion of duties associated with a role
E) Role overload: demands of the role are overwhelming and endless

Question 23

A novice nurse trying actively to create a nursing identity and synthesize role into self-image formulates a personal view of praxis that includes: (Select all that apply.)

A) a broader understanding of nursing.
B) both reflection and specific actions.
C) caring for others as a central theme.
D) nursing as both an art and a science.
E) performing skills without supervision.

Question 24

The nurse studying the image of nursing in society would conclude that: (Select all that apply.)

A) gender roles still strongly drive nursing image and perception.
B) portrayal in the popular media affects nursing's image.
C) racial and ethnic stereotypes drive viewpoints of caregiving.
D) society's view of nursing helps to create media images.
E) the status of women strongly influences societal perceptions.

Question 25

A chief nursing officer (CNO)wishes to ensure that the organization has a strong ethical orientation.Which actions by the CNO would be priorities? (Select all that apply.)

A) Create an ethics committee that can support organizational values.
B) Establish a corps of in-house chaplains to respond to all emergencies.
C) Model assertive communication when working with other disciplines.
D) Offer frequent onsite education on organizational ethics and values.
E) Publish procedures employees can use when they see ethical violations.

Question 26

A student of nursing history understands Nightingale's use of the term "art" when describing nursing as having what context?

A) Care activities that were driven by experience and intuition
B) Little scientific knowledge on which to base most nursing actions
C) Nursing roles that were fluid and defined by context and environment
D) Patient preferences dictating nursing actions when providing care

Question 27

A nurse on the oncology unit is distraught because a patient died alone while the nurse was charting and believes that the demands of documentation are excessive and harm patient care.What action by the unit manager would be most helpful?

A) Ask the nurse about a job transfer.
B) Encourage the nurse to delegate more.
C) Hold a debriefing on the situation.
D) Refer the nurse to Employee Assistance.

Question 28

An informal leader on the inpatient unit has just returned to work after giving birth and finds it increasingly stressful to manage the roles of nurse, informal leader at work, and new parent at home.What suggestion by the manager might help this nurse find more life balance?

A) Limit work-related activities at home to when your baby is sleeping.
B) Try some role segmentation techniques after you leave the hospital.
C) Use role integration techniques to create a seamless blend between roles.
D) You might consider working part time until your child is older.

Question 29

A new nursing manager has created a template for working with role-related problems.The manager's mentor does not feel this is an effective approach to solving these issues.Which statement by the mentor would best explain this position?

A) "As a new manager, you should not be dealing with role stress by yourself."
B) "If you assume role problems will occur, you are inviting them to happen."
C) "Interventions need to be based on specific stresses, not a generic template."
D) "Role problems are usually due to a poor fit between employee and the job."

Question 30

A nursing manager understands that nurses need to experience which of the following in order to find happiness in their chosen profession?

A) Alignment of professional role and personal identity
B) Clear separation of personal and professional roles
C) Opportunities to change work situations based on personal need
D) Respect from physicians and the broader environment where they work

Question 31

A nurse is asking the manager for help with role segmentation strategies.What suggestion by the manager would be best?

A) Develop an "I'm at home now" routine such as changing clothes immediately.
B) Distract yourself by exercising, reading a book, or doing some other activity.
C) Limit yourself to checking work e-mails only once on each day off.
D) Try to forget about work when you get home and in the house.

Question 32

The preceptor for a new nursing graduate determines that the nurse is most able to practice with caring and compassion when demonstrating which behaviors?

A) Describes methods used to decrease stress after working.
B) Makes inappropriate jokes in the lounge to relieve stress.
C) Routinely skips breaks to care for patients' special needs.
D) Understands that asking for a different assignment may be necessary.