Nursing Elites

1. Characteristics that an interviewer will be most interested in when selecting a new staff will be: (EXCEPT)

• A. Your confidence in your clinical skills.
• B. How many hours of overtime you will work.
• C. Your ability to work as a team member.
• D. Your clinical competence.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B. When selecting new staff, interviewers are primarily interested in candidates' confidence in clinical skills, ability to work as a team member, and clinical competence. They are not concerned with how many hours of overtime a candidate is willing to work. Overtime hours may be important at times, but it is not a characteristic that an interviewer would prioritize when selecting new staff. Choices A, C, and D are essential qualities that interviewers look for in potential staff as they contribute to providing professional nursing care.

2. Which of the following theories best describes current health care delivery systems?

• A. Open system theory
• B. Closed system theory
• C. Chaos theory
• D. Contingency theory

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The contingency theory best describes the current health care delivery systems. Contingency theory emphasizes that there is no one best way to organize or manage, and the effectiveness of an organization is contingent upon internal and external factors. In healthcare, the delivery systems must often adapt and be flexible in response to various factors like patient needs, technological advancements, and regulatory changes. Open system theory focuses on the interaction between a system and its environment, but it does not capture the dynamic and adaptive nature of current healthcare systems. Closed system theory suggests systems are self-contained and do not interact with the environment, which is not accurate for healthcare systems that constantly interact with patients, providers, and external factors. Chaos theory deals with complex systems and unpredictability, which while relevant to some aspects of healthcare, does not provide a comprehensive framework for understanding healthcare delivery systems.

3. Organizations are made up of intertwined links and diversified choices that generate unanticipated consequences. This defines which of the following theories?

• A. Contingency theory
• B. Closed system theory
• C. Open system theory
• D. Chaos theory

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D, Chaos theory. Chaos theory is characterized by organizations that are made up of intertwined links and diversified choices that generate unanticipated consequences. Contingency theory (choice A) is based on the idea that there is no one best way to organize and manage a corporation. Closed system theory (choice B) refers to systems that are closed off from the outside environment and do not interact with it. Open system theory (choice C) views organizations as open systems that interact with their external environment.

4. After her evaluation, a staff nurse exclaims: 'I'm not sure if my manager knows much about my performance, really. He only had three specific examples to give me, two good performance examples and one to work on, and they all happened in the last month. I don't feel like he can see the whole picture.' What kind of performance appraisal rating does this statement exemplify?

• A. Recency error
• B. Leniency error
• C. Halo error
• D. Absolute judgment

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The statement exemplifies a recency error. Recency error occurs when a manager assesses an employee's performance primarily based on recent events, rather than considering the entire evaluation period. In this case, the staff nurse feels that her manager focused only on recent examples, leading to an incomplete assessment of her overall performance. Choice B, Leniency error, refers to a rater consistently giving high ratings to all employees regardless of performance, which is not evident in this scenario. Choice C, Halo error, involves allowing one positive attribute of an individual to overshadow other characteristics during appraisal, which is not the case here. Absolute judgment, Choice D, is when a rater evaluates an employee without reference to any specific criteria, which is not reflected in the staff nurse's feedback.

5. The ANA is a registered labor organization, but it does not engage in direct __________.

• A. Empower union affiliation
• B. Reward union affiliation
• C. Encourage union affiliation
• D. Collective bargaining

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D, 'Collective bargaining.' The American Nurses Association is a registered labor organization, but it does not engage in direct collective bargaining. The actual certification of units, negotiation of contracts, and administration of contracts is conducted by the state nurses associations (SNAs). Choices A, B, and C are incorrect as the ANA's role does not involve empowering, rewarding, or encouraging union affiliation directly.

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