Integrated Healthcare Leadership and Administration (D519)

Correct Answer B. Work with the staff to identify the source of conflict and come to a resolution and earn their respect

Explanation

Effective leadership involves proactive problem-solving and open communication. By engaging staff to identify the root cause of conflict and working collaboratively toward a resolution, the nurse manager demonstrates professionalism, leadership skills, and a willingness to foster a respectful and productive work environment. This approach also helps to build mutual respect and establish authority through trust and collaboration.

Why other options are wrong

A. Ignore the conflict and let the issue work itself out

Ignoring conflict may cause issues to escalate and create a toxic work culture. Leaders are expected to address problems directly to maintain morale, productivity, and a safe workplace.

C. Consider putting in a resignation notice and seeking out a job on a unit with younger, less experienced nurses

Resigning because of interpersonal challenges is not a professional solution. Effective leaders develop conflict resolution skills and adapt to diverse teams instead of avoiding difficult situations.

D. Ask a staff member to discuss the issue with the other nurses on the unit and inform the charge nurse of the results of the conversation

Delegating this responsibility undermines the nurse manager’s authority. Conflict resolution is a leadership responsibility and cannot be effectively handled through secondhand communication or informal delegation.

Correct Answer A. Give directives to subordinates

Explanation

A manager with high authoritarianism tends to take a more controlling, directive approach. They typically prefer to give orders rather than engage in collaborative decision-making, and they often maintain a clear distinction between their role and that of subordinates. This style emphasizes obedience and compliance rather than fostering creativity or questioning of authority.

Why other options are wrong

B. Praise subordinates for being creative

Managers with high authoritarianism tend to focus on control and order rather than encouraging creativity, as they may prefer subordinates to follow strict instructions rather than exploring new ideas independently.

C. Provide subordinates a major role in making decisions

This behavior is contrary to an authoritarian style, which typically involves decision-making being centralized with the manager. Employees with an authoritarian manager are less likely to be given significant autonomy in decision-making.

D. Encourage subordinates to question managerial decisions

Encouraging subordinates to question managerial decisions is more aligned with a participative or democratic leadership style. In an authoritarian environment, questioning authority is often discouraged, as it contradicts the top-down, command-oriented approach.

Correct Answer D. Number of parking spaces available for staff

Explanation

While practical considerations like parking spaces are important for daily operations, they are not a core factor in assessing staffing needs. Staffing needs are primarily determined by the availability of qualified nurses, the nursing pool, and how long newly hired staff remain with the organization.

Why other options are wrong

A. Source of nursing pool

The availability and location of qualified nurses in the community is a key factor in determining staffing needs. Organizations must assess whether there is an adequate supply of trained professionals in the area.

B. Number of students enrolled in local nursing schools

The number of students enrolled in nursing schools can influence future staffing needs, as it helps predict the number of new nurses entering the workforce in upcoming years.

C. Length of employment of newly hired staff

The length of employment of newly hired staff is important because high turnover rates can indicate issues in recruitment or retention, which directly impact staffing levels and long-term planning.

Correct Answer C. Focuses on long-term strategic goals

Explanation

Operational planning is typically focused on short-term objectives and immediate implementation, as it deals with the day-to-day management of resources and tasks to achieve specific goals. Long-term strategic goals are typically the domain of strategic planning, which is broader and more focused on the future direction of the organization.

Why other options are wrong

A. Short-term objectives

Operational planning focuses on short-term goals that can be implemented quickly and efficiently to improve current processes and operations.

B. Daily management of resources

Operational planning is concerned with the daily management of resources such as staffing, equipment, and finances to ensure smooth day-to-day functioning.

D. Specific action plans for immediate implementation

Operational planning involves creating action plans that can be executed immediately to achieve specific outcomes, making it central to day-to-day operations.

Correct Answer C. The nurse provides holistic nursing

Explanation

Holistic nursing emphasizes treating the patient as a whole by considering physical, emotional, social, economic, and spiritual needs in the care plan. This approach ensures that nursing care is personalized and responsive to the unique life context of each individual. Holistic care fosters patient engagement, supports well-being, and promotes optimal health outcomes by integrating all aspects of life into treatment decisions.

Why other options are wrong

A. The nurse integrates all of the Healthy People 2030 target objectives

While the Healthy People 2030 objectives guide public health priorities, they are broad population-level goals and do not substitute for individualized patient-centered care. Integrating all of these targets into a single patient’s care plan is impractical and may overlook the patient’s personal values, preferences, or specific life context.

B. The nurse determines the individual's ability to pay for care

Assessing a patient’s financial ability is one component of care planning but does not encompass the holistic needs of the individual. Financial considerations are important, but focusing solely on payment ability ignores psychological, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of health that holistic nursing aims to address.

Correct Answer B. Process standard

Explanation

A process standard refers to the methods and procedures used to provide care. Recommending that staff nurses use a pressure ulcer prevention checklist is a specific action or procedure to follow, which fits within the realm of process standards. It focuses on how care is delivered rather than the structure or end result.

Why other options are wrong

A. Structure standard

Structure standards refer to the physical and organizational infrastructure where care is provided, such as equipment, staffing levels, and facility layout. The use of a checklist by nurses does not relate to these structural elements.

C. Outcome standard

Outcome standards focus on the results of healthcare, such as improvement in patient condition or prevention of complications. While the checklist may influence outcomes, the standard itself is process-based because it directs a specific action during care.

D. Quality standard

“Quality standard” is a broader and more general term that may encompass structure, process, and outcome standards. However, it does not specifically identify the nature of the intervention described in the question, which is clearly a process-based standard.

Correct Answer B. Clarity in decision-making

Explanation

Decentralization often leads to a more distributed decision-making process, which can result in a lack of clarity. When decision-making is spread out, different levels of management may have conflicting priorities or goals, leading to potential confusion in decision-making.

Why other options are wrong

A. Quick decision and response times

Decentralization typically allows for quicker decisions, as those closest to the issue can make decisions without waiting for approval from upper management.

C. Greater leveraging of skill specialization

Decentralization enables specialized skills to be utilized at various levels of the organization, empowering employees to use their expertise where it's most needed.

D. Better use of lower and middle management

In a decentralized structure, lower and middle management have more autonomy and responsibility, which allows them to be more effective in their roles and make decisions that benefit the organization.

Correct Answer C. Patients' reports indicate a 90% adherence to medication instructions post-discharge.

Explanation

Quality assurance standards are usually structured as clear, actionable guidelines that healthcare providers can implement and monitor. Statement C describes an outcome or result of care rather than a standard or expectation for care delivery. It measures patient behavior after discharge rather than setting a standard for healthcare staff actions.

Why other options are wrong

A. All patients must receive a follow-up call within one week of discharge

This statement sets a clear, measurable expectation for healthcare staff and fits the format of a quality assurance standard. It ensures post-discharge engagement and continuity of care.

B. Patients will be provided with a detailed discharge plan before leaving the facility

This is a standard that sets an expectation for staff behavior before patient discharge. It can be directly implemented, monitored, and evaluated as part of quality assurance efforts.

D. Staff must document patient vital signs every four hours during their hospital stay

This statement is a typical process standard in clinical practice. It gives a precise instruction to healthcare staff on how often to check and document vital signs, making it measurable and enforceable under quality assurance.

Correct Answer B. Preparing a nursing care plan in collaboration with the patient

Explanation

A nursing care plan developed in collaboration with the patient ensures that their needs, preferences, and priorities are fully addressed. It allows the nurse to tailor the care to the individual’s specific needs and ensures patient involvement in the process, which enhances the likelihood that their priority needs are met. Collaboration with the patient also fosters a sense of empowerment and satisfaction with care.

Why other options are wrong

A. Checking with the relative of the patient

While consulting with a patient's relatives can provide valuable insight, it does not guarantee that the patient's specific needs are met. The patient's direct input and collaboration are critical for ensuring that care is personalized and relevant to their priorities.

C. Consulting with the physician

Consulting with the physician is essential for medical guidance and decision-making, but it alone does not guarantee that all of the patient’s needs, particularly their personal and emotional needs, are addressed. The physician may focus more on the clinical side, which should be supplemented by direct nursing care and patient involvement.

D. Coordinating with other members of the team

Collaboration with the healthcare team is important for providing comprehensive care. However, it does not guarantee that the patient's needs will be met if the care plan is not individualized and created with the patient’s direct input. Team coordination supports care delivery but does not replace the need for a patient-centered approach.