Leadership and Management for Nurses, 3e (Finkelman)
Chapter 1 Conceptual Base for Leadership and Management
1) The nurse manager has asked that all staff nurses develop effective leadership competencies.
How should the staff nurses interpret this request?
1. This is an unrealistic expectation, because only managers are leaders.
2. This is possible if the nurses learn about and use relevant leadership and management theories
and styles.
3. In order to become leaders, the staff nurses will have to emphasize control, competition, and
getting the job done.
4. Unless the staff nurses possess the traits of a natural born leader, this is an unrealistic
expectation.
2) Peter Drucker’s view of management stimulated the shift toward the realization of the
importance of participatory organizations. Which option provides a scenario that is an example
of a participatory organization?
1. The control of the organization is centralized, and decisions are made by upper-level
management.
2. Staff nurses are expected to provide support and nurturing for management’s decisions.
3. The organization’s approach to leadership is autocratic and bureaucratic.
4. Staff nurses provide input into planning and changes for their own unit.
3) Which behavior demonstrates the nurse’s competency as an emotionally intelligent leader?
1. The nurse is proficient in technical skills.
2. The nurse relies on policies, not options.
3. The nurse supports team members.
4. Productivity is not a major concern.
4) The nurse executive of a healthcare organization wishes to prepare and develop nurse
managers for several new units that the organization will open next year. What should be the
primary goal for this work?
1. Focus on rewarding current staff for doing a good job with their assigned tasks by selecting
them for promotion.
2. Prepare these managers so that they will focus on maintaining standards of care.
3. Prepare these managers to oversee the entire healthcare organization.
4. Prepare these managers to interact with hospital administration.
5) Describe the primary focus of a manager in a knowledge work environment.
1. Developing the most effective teams.
2. Taking risks.
3. Routine work.
4. Understanding the history of the organization.
6) The nursing staff communicates that the new manager has a focus on the “bottom line,” and
little concern for the quality of care. What is likely true of this nurse manager?
1. The manager is looking at the total care picture.
2. The manager is communicating the importance of a caring environment.
3. The manager understands the organization’s values and how they mesh with the manager’s
values.
4. The manager is unwilling to listen to staff concerns unless they have an impact on costs.
7) A very young nurse has been promoted to nurse manager of an inpatient surgical unit. The
nurse is concerned that older nurses may not respect the manager’s authority because of the age
difference. How can this nurse manager best exercise authority?
1. Use critical thinking to solve problems on the unit.
2. Give assignments clearly, taking staff expertise into consideration.
3. Understand complex healthcare environments.
4. Maintain an autocratic approach to influence results.
8) What statement, made in the morning shift report, would help an effective manager develop
trust on the nursing unit?
1. “I know I told you that you could have the weekend off, but I really need you to work.”
2. “The others work many extra shifts, why can’t you?”
3. “I’m sorry, but I do not have a nurse to spare today to help on your unit. I cannot make a
change now, but we should talk further about schedules and needs.”
4. “I can’t believe you need help with such a simple task. Didn’t you learn that in school?”
9) The nurse has just been promoted to unit manager. Which advice, offered by a senior unit
manager, will help this nurse become inspirational and motivational in this new role?
1. “If you make a mistake with your staff, admit it, apologize, and correct the error if possible.”
2. “Don’t be too soft on the staff. If they make a mistake, be certain to reprimand them
immediately.”
3. “Give your best nurses extra attention and rewards for their help.”
4. “Never get into a disagreement with a staff member.”
10) A key skill in today’s healthcare environment is the ability to collaborate with others. A nurse
identifies need to improve in this area. Which skills or traits would be essential for an effective
nurse manager to develop to improve collaboration with others? Select all that apply.
1. Flexibility
2. The ability to share information and ideas
3. A service orientation
4. A desire to work hard
5. The ability to listen to others
11) The new chief operating officer (COO) of the healthcare facility states, “I believe that Fiedler
had it right in his Contingency theory.” The nurse executive understands that this COO will work
to create which type of environment in the facility? Select all that apply.
1. Positive relationships between leaders and employees
2. A low amount of structure in task assignments
3. A decentralization of power from the leadership to the employees
4. A static approach to leadership matters
5. Leadership must change as the situation changes
12) The nurse wishes to improve personal Emotional Intelligence (EI) in hopes of a promotion to
nurse manager. Which skills are important for this nurse to improve? Select all that apply.
1. Self-confidence
2. Knowledge base of nursing
3. Proficiency in technical skills
4. Empathy
5. Ability to initiate change
13) The nurse executive wishes to be a transformational leader. What should this nurse focus on
to become effective in this role? Select all that apply.
1. Improving interpersonal skills
2. Advancing personal formal education
3. Identifying mentors
4. Becoming an expert clinician
5. Creating a vision for the future of nursing in the facility
14) Compare and contrast manager roles and leadership roles by choosing the options that are
more aligned with the manager role. Select all that apply.
1. Focus is change
2. Have the ability to influence others
3. Control the environment
4. Focus is on people
5. Focus on efficiency
15) Which scenarios are examples of issues facing nursing in an age of healthcare change? Select
all that apply.
1. Six of the 18 nurses working on a unit speak English as their second language.
2. The hospital has decreased medication errors dramatically in each of the last two quarters.
3. The unit manager has been asked to use a creative strategy for scheduling with fewer staff.
4. There was a report on the nightly news about recruitment and retention of nurses.
5. An Emergency Room nurse was injured by a patient seeking drugs.
16) Typically, the nurse manager of a unit uses a participatory style of leadership. Today, a
patient suffered a cardiac arrest. The manager took over the patient’s care, issuing orders, and
expecting staff to obey them immediately. Which type of leadership did this manager exhibit
today? Select all that apply.
1. Bureaucratic
2. Autocratic
3. Permissive
4. Directive
5. Authoritarian