Nursing Elites

1. What is the primary goal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)?

• A. To reduce healthcare costs
• B. To expand access to healthcare
• C. To improve healthcare quality
• D. To increase healthcare funding

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The primary goal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is to expand access to healthcare. While reducing healthcare costs and improving healthcare quality are important aspects, the ACA's main focus was on increasing the number of Americans with health insurance coverage and enhancing the availability and affordability of healthcare services. Increasing healthcare funding is not the primary goal of the ACA, as its main aim was to make healthcare more accessible and affordable for a larger portion of the population.

2. Your values do not coincide with your colleagues. When you report for your shift on nights and staff are not responding to patient requests for pain medication, you, as the nurse responsible for collecting data about patient quality of care, should:

• A. Explain to the nurse manager that quality problems are because of staff apathy.
• B. Issue a memo to staff to assess patients and document their response to the pain medication.
• C. Explain to staff that improving quality is one of your annual goals and you expect them to follow through.
• D. Schedule meetings to engage with staff to monitor pain management.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: As the nurse responsible for collecting data about patient quality of care, it is important to address the issue of staff not responding to patient requests for pain medication. Scheduling meetings to engage with staff to monitor pain management is the most appropriate course of action in this scenario. By enlisting support from staff, reviewing patient satisfaction data, and quality reports about pain management, you can effectively address the issue and improve patient care. Choices A, B, and C are not as effective as they do not involve actively engaging with staff, reviewing data, and working collaboratively to address the problem.

3. What is the process of helping an employee to improve performance called?

• A. Coaching
• B. Disciplining
• C. Mentoring
• D. Peer reviewing

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Coaching. Coaching involves providing guidance and support to help an employee enhance their performance by focusing on skill development, addressing weaknesses, and achieving professional growth. Mentoring (choice C) is about guiding and nurturing a less experienced individual, not specifically aimed at improving performance. Peer reviewing (choice D) involves colleagues evaluating each other's performance, not necessarily focused on improvement. Disciplining (choice B) is taking corrective actions in response to policy violations or performance issues, which is different from the process of helping an employee improve their performance.

4. During a performance appraisal, how should the manager best provide constructive feedback to an employee?

• A. Focus only on the negative aspects of performance
• B. Provide general comments without specifics
• C. Discuss specific examples of strengths and areas for improvement
• D. Delay feedback until the next appraisal period

Correct answer: C

Rationale: During a performance appraisal, the best approach to provide constructive feedback is by discussing specific examples of strengths and areas for improvement. This method allows the employee to understand what they are excelling at and where they need to focus on development. By highlighting both aspects, the employee can work on enhancing their performance effectively. Option A is incorrect because solely focusing on the negative aspects can demotivate the employee and hinder their growth. Option B is incorrect as providing general comments without specifics does not offer clear guidance for improvement. Option D is also incorrect as delaying feedback can prevent timely corrective actions and hinder performance progress.

5. A manager is prioritizing the following issues. Of the following issues, which should be considered urgent and important?

• A. The manager of physical therapy calls and complains about inappropriate behaviors of one of the staff nurses with one of his therapists.
• B. A staff nurse reports a pattern of malfunctioning IV pumps on the unit during her current shift, resulting in overdosing of medications.
• C. One of the staff nurses, who would have been an extra nurse for the next shift, calls in sick.
• D. A small group of staff nurses request a meeting to discuss initiating a scheduling committee.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B because patient safety is a critical concern in healthcare settings. Malfunctioning IV pumps leading to medication overdosing poses a direct threat to patient safety and must be addressed urgently. Choice A involves interpersonal issues between staff members which are important but can be addressed in a less urgent manner compared to patient safety concerns. Choice C, a staff nurse calling in sick, is important for staffing but can be managed through existing protocols. Choice D, initiating a scheduling committee, is a routine operational matter that can be addressed at a later time and does not pose an immediate risk to patient safety.

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