Chapter 9

1. A nurse manager is experiencing poor staff morale on her unit. While participating in a baccalaureate course, the nurse manager had learned that one of the reasons nurses lack power today is probably because of the past. In the early decades of the profession, nurses lacked power because:

2. Nurses who engage in in-fighting, seek physician support against nursing colleagues, and avoid political advocacy through membership in nursing organizations:

3. A nurse belongs to several professional organizations, serving on a state-level committee of one group and on two task forces at work. The nurse is committed to a range of health issues and knows the state senator from the nurses district, as well as the name of the representative in Washington, DC. This nurse exemplifies which level of political activism in nursing?

4. A manager relies on his director (immediate supervisor) for advice about enrolling in graduate school to prepare for a career as a nurse executive. The director may exercise what kinds of power in the relationship with the manager in this advisory situation?

5. A nurse manager must implement a 2% budget cut on the nursing unit. Which approach should the manager use to most effectively empower the staff of the unit?

6. During orientation of new nurse managers, the chief nursing officer stresses strategies that help nurse managers to achieve a powerful image. Which groups of behaviors best contribute to a powerful image for the nurse manager?

7. Two nurses approach their manager about a conflict regarding the next months schedule. The nurses are talking loudly and at the same time. The manager most effectively uses communication skills to resolve the conflict by:

8. A nurse manager recognizes the need to expand her professional network as she begins a job search for a middle-management position. Which of the following actions is least likely to expand her job-searching network?

9. A staff nurse asks the nurse manager for a few days off for personal reasons. The nurse manager turns in the request to the human resources office with a note indicating that the staff nurse has demonstrated excellent working skills and is a valued employee. The nurse manager has used the influence of her position to help this staff member. Influence is the process of:

10. A nurse is participating in a baccalaureate course. For the class, she has to attend the legislative session regarding the new role of medication assistants. Nurses should be involved in shaping public policy primarily because:

11. Sondra, a new graduate, recently began a position as a registered nurse in a rural hospital, where she is the youngest and newest staff member. Although she has limited experience, she has a strong knowledge base, is confident, and was considered to have strong entry-level skills on graduation. Sondra meets with her former instructor and confides that she is very frustrated that others do not seem to accept her leadership. What might you suggest that would help Sondra to understand what is happening in terms of power and influence?

12. Literature on oppression in nursing has:

13. Politics is usually:

14. Your colleague Mary, a recent graduate, announces one day that she intends to leave nursing in 3 to 4 months to pursue a position in marketing. While at your agency, she plans to give patients excellent care and to learn as much as she can, because Who knows? Nursing is a great job with a great pay and I may return someday. Marys statements most accurately exemplify which orientation to the concept of nursing? Nursing as a(n):

15. Lucy, head nurse on the surgical unit, works with her staff to find ways in which they can work together with other disciplines to provide more effective care for patients on the unit. Lucy likely knows her power is:

16. One day, at coffee, your co-worker suggests that you and she sit with unit members of the hospital research committee. She suggests that this would be an excellent way to get to know people who share her interest in research. Her actions are an example of:

17. The workgroup on NU 23 is marked by apathy toward the wards patients, high absenteeism, open conflict among team members, and high turnover of personnel, including managers. The underlying behavior in this situation may be characterized as:

18. During a unit meeting, you notice that Vivian listens attentively when Mary is speaking and offers support and advice when Mary presents ideas to the group. You are surprised because Vivian has often confided that she does not like Mary. Vivians behavior is best described as:

19. Which of the following interactions is MOST consistent with the idea of networking?

20. The institution where you are a nurse manager has resisted the adoption of a new document management software, citing cost as a concern. You meet with other nurse managers who are in favor of the software and prepare a proposal to take to the senior executive with the goal of persuading the executive to adopt the software. This is an example of:

21. Which of the following is the best example of skilled negotiation?

22. Amy has worked in the dialysis unit on staff for about 12 years. She is frequently consulted by other nursing staff regarding protocols and policies on the unit. What type of power is Amy using?

23. Despite repeated invitations by his colleagues to become involved in regional and state nursing practice committees, Tom refuses. His reason is that nursing committees rarely get anything worthwhile done because of politics and conflicts. According to the text, Toms view of involvement:

24. A unit manager watches a new RN graduate interacting with a patient. When the RN comes out of the room, the unit manager says, I dont know what they taught you in your nursing program, but if I see you do that again, I will write you up. This example demonstrates:

25. Susan, an RN in the ED, would like to pursue leadership roles in her career. She is frustrated that others in her working environment seem to pay little attention to her creative ideas or place her in informal leadership positions. As her colleague, you want to provide her with helpful feedback. Which of the following statements will provide feedback as to how she might communicate power and demonstrate that she is capable of handling other leadership responsibilities?

1. As a new manager in the ED, you meet with each of the staff to ask about their priorities and what they think is going well in the department or what is of concern to them. Almost all of the staff express frustration and distress at being treated rudely or disrespectfully by patients, staff from other departments, and physicians and complain that they feel that nurses in the ED are not valued. With the staff, you brainstorm to raise the profile of nurses. Which of the following strategies would be most effective? (Select all that apply.)