Question 1

The nurse manager is reviewing the current staff to determine who should precept a newly licensed nurse. Which nurse is the most logical choice?

Accepted Answer

The most logical choice for precepting a newly licensed nurse is a nurse who is clinically competent and has the desire to assume the responsibility to train new staff. This ensures that the new nurse receives quality training, which in turn supports safe and effective patient care. The other options do not prioritize the needs and safety of the patient population.

Question 2

After the second week of orientation the new nurse witnesses the death of a child in the ED. Which role should this nurse's preceptor focus on at this time?

Accepted Answer

After witnessing such a traumatic event, the new nurse may need counseling and emotional support. The preceptor should focus on providing the nurse with appropriate resources for counseling and help the nurse process the experience. It is important to prioritize the nurse's mental health and well-being before orientation or socialization to the staff.

Question 3

The newly licensed nurse is delighted to have been hired at a Magnet hospital and says, "They even assigned me a mentor." What is erroneous about this statement?

Accepted Answer

1. Magnet hospitals do hire new graduates.
2. Magnet hospitals do use mentor programs.
3. The mentor-protégé relationship is typically between an experienced nurse and a younger, inexperienced nurse. They are not assigned.
4. The nurse is mistakenly describing a preceptor as a mentor. Preceptors are assigned, whereas mentors choose protégés.

Question 4

A registered nurse is dissatisfied with the wages and health benefits available in his current position and decides to seek other employment. This employee's frustration is most linked to which motivational theory?

Accepted Answer

Content theories focus on identifying the specific factors that motivate individuals, including basic needs (such as the need for fair compensation and benefits). This nurse's dissatisfaction with wages and benefits is directly linked to content theory.

Question 5

Which findings associated with an employee are likely to be considered when discussing performance?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which findings associated with an employee are...

Question 6

The nurse has expressed job dissatisfaction to the unit manager. The manager assigns another staff member as a coach for this nurse. What is the most important aspect of the coach's job?

Accepted Answer

It is important for the coach to conduct the relationship in a confidential manner to ensure the nurse feels comfortable discussing their job dissatisfaction. This will create a safe space for the nurse to discuss their concerns and work through potential solutions with the support and guidance of the coach.

Question 7

A nurse manager wishes to use a model of job performance to help match employees and tasks to achieve the greatest effectiveness. What should the manager do first?

Accepted Answer

Before matching employees and tasks, it is important to establish clear expectations for each task in writing. This allows for a more objective evaluation of job performance and can help guide employee training and development. Evaluating educational and experiential background, considering variation from standard, and reviewing unit statistics are all important steps in assessing job performance, but should come after establishing clear expectations for each task.

Question 8

In an attempt to decrease tardiness, a hospital gives employees an extra hour's pay for each wage period that the employee has not been late for work. This incentive program is an example of which theory?

Accepted Answer

This incentive program uses the Expectancy theory, which proposes that individuals are motivated to engage in behaviors that they believe will lead to desired outcomes or rewards. In this case, the desired outcome is an extra hour's pay, and by not being late for work, employees increase their belief and expectation that they will receive this reward.

Question 9

The hospital has initiated a new fall risk assessment tool. The nurse manager would like to reward those staff members who use the tool regularly. Which method of reinforcement would be most successful in getting long-term compliance?

Accepted Answer

Option C is the most successful method of reinforcement because it rewards staff members who consistently use the tool correctly, as evidenced by their nursing documentation. This method also provides objective data for evaluation rather than relying on self-report or observation. Coupons for free lunch may provide a short-term incentive but may not be as effective in promoting long-term compliance. Option B, a counseling session with the nurse manager, may be seen as negative reinforcement and may not be perceived as rewarding. Option D, the pizza party, may be effective in promoting compliance initially, but may lose its impact over time and may not be feasible in the long-term.

Question 10

The staff development nurse has elected to use coaching as a staff development technique. Which situation is an example of this technique?

Accepted Answer

1. Pairing a newly licensed nurse with a nurse who has worked on the unit for 5 years more closely describes preceptorship.
2. Matching a new male nurse and a new female nurse does not describe coaching.
3. Coaching is a strategy suggested to address a nurse's job dissatisfaction.
4. Assigning educational offerings on the basis of similar educational and cultural backgrounds does not represent coaching.

Question 11

The nurse manager tells a newly licensed nurse that having a mentor is a benefit to career development. What should the new nurse expect from a mentor-protégé relationship?

Accepted Answer

Mentoring relationships typically develop through several stages, including initiation, cultivation, separation, and redefinition. The protégé may have input in selecting a mentor, but it is not a requirement. The relationship does not necessarily last forever, but can end naturally or be terminated by either party. There is no requirement for mentors and protégés to be of opposite genders.

Question 12

The nurse manager has identified physical assessment skills lacking in a new registered nurse. Using goal-setting theory, which statement by the manager would be the most effective in enhancing the nurse's assessment skills?

Accepted Answer

Option D is the most effective statement as it follows the principles of goal-setting theory by being specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. It outlines a clear pathway for the nurse to develop their assessment skills in a systematic and goal-oriented manner. Option A is not specific or time-bound, and option B does not ensure that the nurse takes an active role in their own development. Option C does not provide a clear plan or timeline for skill development.

Question 13

A nurse manager has planned orientation activities for a new registered nurse. The new nurse is required to observe shift report and UAP delegation for a week. Then the new nurse is required to take shift report and delegate UAP assignments for a week. What is the rationale for making this orientation assignment?

Accepted Answer

By having the new nurse observe and then perform shift report and UAP delegation, the nurse manager is focusing on skills that are essential for the new nurse's role as a registered nurse. This assignment helps to ensure that the new nurse is able to effectively communicate with other members of the healthcare team and delegate tasks appropriately. It is not necessarily true that delegation is not taught in all nursing schools, and while shift report may differ slightly between hospitals, the basic concepts and skills are universal. The assignment is not intended to be a minimal task, but rather a necessary and important aspect of the new nurse's orientation.

Question 14

A nurse manager is investigating the application of the principles of equity theory to rewarding staff. Which options are rewards that the manager could influence?

Accepted Answer

The answer of A nurse manager is investigating the application...

Question 15

Which job behaviors would the nurse executive consider troublesome no matter which unit employed the nurse?

Accepted Answer

The nurse executive would consider behaviors that jeopardize client safety or violate policies to be troublesome, regardless of the unit. Making medication errors, using malfunctioning equipment, and not reporting to work are all examples of potentially harming clients or disrupting the functioning of the unit. Tardiness and rudeness can also be problematic, but not as severe as the other behaviors listed.

Question 16

An experienced nurse often answers less experienced nurses' questions about client care and teaches hemodynamics during orientation to the unit. The nurse has also participated in research into hemodynamic monitoring of ICU clients. Which clinical ladder designation does this nurse best exemplify?

Accepted Answer

This nurse exemplifies the highest designation of the clinical ladder as a Clinical Expert, as they have extensive knowledge and experience in their specialty, are sought after for advice by others, and have contributed to the advancement of knowledge through research participation.

Question 17

The nurse manager is concerned about the apparent lack of staff motivation to improve client care on a unit. How should this manager use motivational theories to help improve this situation?

Accepted Answer

The best approach would be to combine theories to develop a plan specific to this unit. Motivational theories are not one-size-fits-all and combining theories can provide a more comprehensive approach to addressing the issue. This also allows for flexibility in case one theory is not effective in improving staff motivation.

Question 18

The nursing administration has instituted a "horizontal promotion" system within the nursing department. What benefit is this program to the staff nurse?

Accepted Answer

A horizontal promotion system rewards the nurse's clinical excellence, which means that staff nurses who excel in their clinical work can be recognized and promoted without having to take on management responsibilities. This provides an opportunity for further career development while still allowing the nurse to continue providing direct patient care.

Question 19

A unit secretary is chronically late returning from breaks. The rest of the secretary's work is excellent and he is always helpful and supportive of nurses and client families. The nurse manager has discussed the lateness with him, but it has not stopped. Thinking this might be an attention-seeking behavior, the manager decides to use extinction as a strategy. What should the manager do?

Accepted Answer

The answer of A unit secretary is chronically late returning...

Question 20

There is substantial unrest among the staff of an intensive care unit that has resulted in negative client outcomes. Which employee factors should the manager assess first?

Accepted Answer

1. Research has found an employee's ability and motivation to be the two major dimensions that most affect the employee's effectiveness.
2. The age of employees and their social background may influence job performance but are not as significant as other factors.
3. Educational preparation and gender may influence job performance but are not as significant as other factors.
4. The experience base of employees and their attitude toward the job may influence job performance but are not as significant as other factors.

Quiz 17: Motivating and Developing Staff