Nursing Elites

1. What is the main focus of the Six Sigma methodology in healthcare?

• A. Reducing healthcare costs
• B. Improving patient satisfaction
• C. Enhancing clinical decision making
• D. Increasing healthcare access

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The main focus of the Six Sigma methodology in healthcare is enhancing clinical decision making through data-driven approaches. By using statistical methods and quality improvement tools, Six Sigma aims to reduce errors, improve processes, and enhance overall decision-making in healthcare settings. While reducing healthcare costs and improving patient satisfaction are important goals, they are not the primary focus of Six Sigma in healthcare. Increasing healthcare access is also a valuable objective but not the main focus of the Six Sigma methodology.

2. 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.

3. A resident on night call refuses to answer pages from the staff nurse on the night shift and complains that she calls too often with minor problems. The nurse feels offended and reacts with frequent, middle-of-the-night phone calls to 'get back' at him. The behavior displayed by the resident and the nurse is an example of what kind of conflict?

• A. Perceived conflict
• B. Disruptive conflict
• C. Competitive conflict
• D. Felt conflict

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is 'Disruptive conflict.' In disruptive conflict, the parties involved are engaged in activities to reduce, defeat, or eliminate the opponent. In this scenario, the resident and the nurse are engaging in behaviors that disrupt their professional relationship by intentionally ignoring pages and making excessive retaliatory calls. Perceived conflict refers to a situation where one or more parties believe that a conflict exists, competitive conflict involves striving to achieve personal goals at the expense of others, and felt conflict refers to the emotional involvement in a conflict situation.

4. Which of the following best describes the concept of total quality management (TQM)?

• A. Top-down management
• B. Employee-centered approach
• C. Continuous improvement
• D. Quality control

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Continuous improvement. Total quality management (TQM) focuses on continuously improving all aspects of healthcare delivery to enhance patient care, safety, and overall quality. Choice A, 'Top-down management,' does not capture the essence of TQM, which involves involvement at all levels of an organization. Choice B, 'Employee-centered approach,' while important, is not the defining characteristic of TQM. Choice D, 'Quality control,' is a component of TQM but does not fully encompass its comprehensive approach to quality improvement.

5. Which of the following is an example of an ethical dilemma in nursing?

• A. Choosing between two equally undesirable alternatives
• B. Reporting a colleague's unethical behavior
• C. Balancing patient confidentiality with the need to disclose information
• D. Deciding whether to comply with a patient's request that conflicts with professional ethics

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D. An ethical dilemma in nursing involves deciding whether to comply with a patient's request that conflicts with professional ethics, balancing competing values and principles. Choices A, B, and C do not directly represent ethical dilemmas in nursing. Choice A describes a general ethical dilemma, choice B involves professional conduct rather than a dilemma, and choice C refers to a confidentiality issue rather than conflicting ethical principles.

Similar Questions