Leadership and Management for Nurses, 3e (Finkelman)
Chapter 14 Effective Staff Communication and Working Relationships
1) The nurse team leader asks the nursing assistant to ambulate a patient after morning care. This
is an example of which type of communication?
1. Upward communication
2. Lateral communication
3. Diagonal communication
4. Downward communication
2) A physician is giving orders to a nurse regarding a newly admitted patient. The physician is
gesturing, maintaining eye contact, and using a loud tone of voice. These factors illustrate
primarily which type of communication?
1. Cultural
2. Nonverbal
3. Verbal
4. Metacommunication.
3) Which statements illustrate the benefits of productive communication? Select all that apply.
1. Quick resolution of misunderstandings
2. A more motivational climate
3. Less staff turnover
4. Less need for staff to express different points of views
5. A productive rumor mill
4) The nurse observes the patient to be smiling, nodding, and saying “OK” when the physician
explains a painful procedure that is planned for the patient. How should the nurse react to this
observation?
1. Clarify that the patient understands the explanation.
2. Tell the physician that the nurse does not think the patient understands the explanation.
3. Seek an interpreter to assist the patient in understanding the explanation.
4. Understand that this is the patient’s way of dealing with stress.
5) Which staff action would indicate a staff communication problem?
1. Participative management
2. Metacommunication
3. Silence
4. Asking for information to be repeated
6) Which situations illustrate barriers to communication? Select all that apply.
1. The nurse uses active listening when completing the admission interview of a new patient.
2. The nurse assistant frowns and crosses her arms when the nurse is giving instruction.
3. The nurse asks says to the patient, “Tell me about why you came to the hospital today.”
4. The nurse assistant says, “Show me how you want input and output recorded.”
5. The nurse always says, “it will be alright” when there is a problem on the unit.
7) Which options illustrate an open communication environment? Select all that apply.
1. The nurse manager gives staff time to respond to questions.
2. The nurse manager reinforces positive behaviors.
3. The nurse manager often shares critical information about the unit with nurses and asks them
to keep it a secret.
4. The nurse manager makes false inferences about information.
5. Communication skills are included in the performance evaluations of all staff.
8) The nurse manager would like to increase staff feedback. Which action would encourage the
staff to give feedback to the manager?
1. Using the grapevine
2. Written communication
3. Downward communication
4. Walk-around management
9) Which statement demonstrates correct supervisory feedback?
1. “You have been late three times this week. Why are you so lazy?”
2. “I think you ought to be more concerned with finishing one project before starting another.”
3. “The staff really worked hard on making sure all documentation was completed before the
afternoon shift arrived.”
4. “All the staff need to do a better job.”
10) Which statement reflects a possible barrier to effective listening?
1. The staff members feel that the manager communicates with them.
2. The staff members have known each other and the manager for a long time.
3. There is open-ended questioning by the manager.
4. The manager seeks out information that might be negative.
11) Which option illustrates the manager’s role in supporting effective communication?
1. The manager should always use reassuring statements with the staff.
2. The manager should use selective listening when talking to staff about problems.
3. The manager should always reach forward and touch the staff member when delivering
feedback.
12) Analyze these statements and choose the response that best reflects paraphrasing.
1. “You are saying you didn’t sleep well last night because the unit was so noisy?”
2. “Can you tell me why you didn’t sleep well last night?”
3. “You should have told the night nurse you needed medication to help you sleep.”
4. “Did you talk to your doctor about not sleeping last night?”
13) Analyze these statements and choose the response that indicates reflection.
1. “Did you receive your test results?”
2. While the nurse is nodding, she says, “Um, I see.”
3. “You seem very sad about your test results.”
4. “Did you understand the instructions?”
14) Evaluate these statements and choose the response that indicates summarization.
1. “I thought you were supposed to go home today. What happened?”
2. “What I think I’m hearing you say is that you are angry you have to wait one more day before
you can go home.”
3. “We have no beds available for any admissions.”
4. “I don’t know the answer to your question, but I will check.”
15) The nurse is using effective communication by summarizing the other person’s position,
reading body language and nonverbal messages, and demonstrating curiosity about the other
person’s views. These features demonstrate which critical element of effective communication?
1. Solving
2. Exploring
3. Talking
4. Listening
16) The Institute for Medicine (IOM) includes communication in the core competency of
providing patient-centered care. Which option reflects the IOM’s position on communication?
1. Disclosure of patient information should be done only if the patient has a need to know.
2. Information should always be provided in a written format.
3. Communication should be done in a language the patient understands.
4. Using medical terminology is the most accurate method of providing patient information.