Question 1

A rapid response team within an acute care hospital is comprised of critical care physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists. The team assists staff throughout the hospital with detecting and managing imminent patient deterioration. This is an example of a _____ organizational form.

Accepted Answer

To address the challenges of purely functional forms, mechanisms in the parallel form assist in coordinating across functional departments (Charnes & Tewksbury, 1993). These mechanisms can include teams, specialists, task forces, liaison roles, and standing committees.

Question 2

According to the contingency theory of organizational performance, an organization must structure and adapt its nursing units to complement which two factors? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Mark and colleagues (1996) applied contingency theory to the evaluation of nursing care delivery system outcomes. The basic premise was that, to perform effectively and produce quality outcomes, an organization must structure and adapt its nursing units to complement the environment and technology.

Question 3

The patient is a 69-year-old woman who has a history of diabetes mellitus, peripheral vascular disease, and myocardial infarctions. She was admitted to the hospital with a stroke and is being transferred to a subacute facility and then to a rehabilitation facility. At every transfer she must review her entire history, provide telephone numbers of family members, list all 30 of her medications, and list all home care and medical supply companies. Which of these processes could improve the fragmentation in work flow?

Accepted Answer

Subdividing work may create breaks or fragmentation in work flow, which can be addressed in organizations by integrating work processes across roles and subunits using coordination devices (Hatch & Cunliffe, 2013). At the work group level, coordination may involve specific roles, standardization (programming), groups, or feedback devices. For example, handoff communication and techniques such as situation, background, assessment, and recommendation (SBAR) are used to coordinate between units or providers in the delivery of care.

Question 4

The network or pattern of social relationships and friendship circles within an organization is known as the:

Accepted Answer

The informal structure is simply the network or pattern of social relationships and friendship circles that are outside the formal structure. It is an interconnected web of relationships that operate in and around the formally designated lines of communication.

Question 5

Which organizational theory emphasized the informal aspects of organization social structure and was influenced by the Hawthorne experiments?

Accepted Answer

Theorists in the human relations school emphasized the informal, rather than formal, aspects of organization social structure. Hawthorne experiments were influential in this school of thought.

Question 6

The structure of authority in an organization is known as the:

Accepted Answer

In bureaucratic and classical management theory, hierarchy is the structure of authority in an organization. Authority is equated with the enforcement of regulations.

Question 7

According to organization theories, there are three perspectives regarding the nature of reality and knowledge within an organization. Which of the following are those perspectives? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

The field of organization theory contains a variety of approaches to and assumptions about the phenomenon of organization. Objectivism, subjectivism, and postmodernism reflect three broad perspectives regarding the nature of reality and the nature of knowledge with respect to the concept of organization.

Question 8

A nurse manager is responsible for a unit consisting of 40 nurses who report to two clinical supervisors. In addition, there are 10 support staff who report to an administrative supervisor. The subordinates reporting to this manager are known as which dimension of organizational design?

Accepted Answer

Span of control is the number of subordinates a manager can efficiently and effectively direct.

Question 9

Which of the following factors influences the structure of an organization?

Accepted Answer

The number of employees influences the structure of an organization. Organizational structure is a consequence of both the division of and the coordination of labor, which results in a formal set of interrelated and interdependent roles and work groups.

Question 10

The phrase "the buck stops here" best describes which of the following terms?

Accepted Answer

Accountability refers to the liability for task performance. Accountability means being answerable and liable. The assignment of responsibility and the granting of authority create accountability.

Question 11

A staff nurse has been working in the neonatal critical care unit for 10 years. She believes that a professional nurse is a lifelong learner. Many staff members come to her for clinical problem solving and advice. This nurse has:

Accepted Answer

This nurse has informal power. She is a staff nurse with a great amount of expertise, with many relationships and alliances in the organization.

Question 12

According to the _____ organizational approach, organizations are logical and predictable with identifiable and scientifically measurable characteristics that can be predicted, observed, or manipulated.

Accepted Answer

According to the objective perspective, an organization exists as an external reality, independent of its social actors. Organizations are viewed as logical and predictable objects with identifiable and scientifically measurable characteristics (e.g., size) that can be predicted, observed, or manipulated.

Question 13

The nursing staff on a critical care unit thought that professional growth could be enhanced. Which of the following interventions would support empowerment of the nursing staff? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Social structures important to the growth of empowerment are having access to information, receiving support, having access to resources necessary to the job, and having the opportunity to learn and grow.

Question 14

Within nursing practice, the use of advanced practice roles is an example of:

Accepted Answer

In health care, specialist roles have emerged to address the increasing complexities of care and technology. Within nursing, specialist roles have also evolved to address particular areas of nursing practice and include advanced practice roles such as clinical nurse educators, nurse practitioners, and nurse anesthetists.

Question 15

The ways in which work is divided and coordinated among members and the resulting network of relationships, roles, and work groups is the:

Accepted Answer

Organizational social structure is defined as the ways in which work is divided and coordinated among members and the resulting network of relationships, roles, and work groups (e.g., units, departments).

Question 16

Patient surveys convey that they are uncertain about who is the registered nurse (RN). The CEO makes a decision that mandates that white nursing caps will be worn by all RNs and blue nursing caps by all licensed practical nurses to differentiate professional nurses and occupational nurses from nurses' aides and other ancillary staff. Which type of structure does this represent?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of centralized structure. The CEO makes a top-down decision, and lower-level managers and staff have little decision-making discretion.

Question 17

An organizational chart with one line of management and one line of staff reflects which of the following types of organizational structures?

Accepted Answer

A flat or horizontal structure has few administrative layers between management and employees. Employees have more decision-making power in this type of hierarchy.

Question 18

Standardization of _____ provides a uniform structure for information delivery and flow in order to facilitate exchange among those involved in common work processes.

Accepted Answer

Standardization of communication methods coordinates work by providing a uniform infrastructure of information to facilitate exchange among those involved in common work processes.

Question 19

The division of work by occupation or function is a form of:

Accepted Answer

The division (or differentiation) of work by occupation or by function is a form of specialization. Specialization is the extent to which work is divided and assigned to positions and divisions.

Question 20

The nursing chief executive officer (CEO) works in a major rehabilitation and subacute facility network. Her span of control refers to the number of:

Accepted Answer

Span of control refers to the number of nurses and non-nurses reporting to a manager.

Quiz 12: Organizational Structure