Exam 6: Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Select the statement that best defines the difference between problem solving and decision making:

In a busy rehabilitation unit,the team manager decided that the best way to reward the staff was to give them a monetary bonus rather than time off.The staff was very concerned about the decision and went to the administration with a number of complaints.Critical thinking is a process that entails a number of steps.What steps did the manager omit? She should have (select all that apply):

John Smith,one of three managers at BSG Labs,drafted a policy that would allow his department to do more testing in his lab.This policy included the times for regular collection as well as a new process for emergency laboratory testing.The policy and procedures were never followed.The reason was that:

The agency in which you are a nursing leader makes a decision to reduce the number of RN positions in favor of PN positions because agency data suggest that the clients in the agency can receive appropriate care from PN staff.Furthermore,the agency is facing a decline in funding and without restructuring,some clients might not receive services at all.You provide this information on this decision to the staff and ask them to advise you if they have any feedback,concerns,or alternative solutions.This decision-making style is known as:

Justin is a nurse manager in a rehabilitation unit in a small urban center.There is a high turnover rate among rehab-assistants because of the heavy work assignments.Despite his need for staff,Justin decides to review each application thoroughly and interview candidates carefully because he recognizes that it is important to hire staff who can best provide high-quality care and who will fit well with the team.Which of the following decision-making solutions should Justin consider to have a more efficient department

The maintenance department wishes to have the nursing lounge renovated,so the lounge will be more "user-friendly." The department asks the nursing staff to make a wish list of everything that they would like to see in the new lounge.This process is an example of which part of the decision-making process?

The nurse manager of a rehab unit wants to purchase a new anti-embolic stocking.To make a high-quality decision,the nurse manager would:

A good nursing decision maker is one who:

The risk manager wants to evaluate the reasons for an increased number of falls on the rehab unit.The risk manager devises a fishbone diagram.A fishbone diagram is a useful tool to:

Justin is a nurse manager in a rehabilitation unit in a small urban center.There is a high turnover rate among rehab-assistants because of the heavy work assignments.Despite his need for staff,Justin decides to review each application thoroughly and interview candidates carefully because he recognizes that it is important to hire staff who can best provide high-quality care and who will fit well with the team.Which of the following decision-making models did Justin use in making his decision?

Knowing when to have the entire team participate in the decision-making process or when to have only the team leader make the decisions depends on the situation and the desired outcomes.The autocratic process is used in which of the following situations?

A clinic nurse has observed another nurse deviating from agency policy in performing wound care.The best approach for the clinic nurse to take is to:

Decision making is described by the nursing educator as the process one uses to:

When confronted with the controversy and the apparent poor morale of the evening staff,the unit manager decided the staff needed to take some time off.He scheduled holidays for the staff without consulting them.A couple of the staff nurses approached the manager and indicated that the problem was not scheduling,but rather the team leader and her patient assignments.What was the unit manager's first missed step in problem solving?

High-quality decisions are most likely to be made in nursing situations when:

From the information supplied in this chapter,which statement best defines critical thinking? Critical thinking is a:

Jane,an experienced head nurse,is given the task of completing the summer vacation schedule for the pediatric unit.She is fully aware of the hospital's restrictions on time off and the number of staff on vacation at any given time,as well as its issues regarding seniority.She weighs the options of allowing staff choice,such as it takes more time but gives employees options.However,if choice is allowed,this could cause arguments.Which of the following is the best alternative?

The risk manager informs the nurse manager of an orthopedic unit that her unit has had an increase in incident reports about patients falling during the 11-7 shift.The nurse manager knows that the best way to resolve the problem is to:

Several nurses on an adolescent psychiatric unit complain that the teens are becoming unmanageable on the 0700-1900 shift.To resolve this problem,the nurse manager decides that the staff should have a brainstorming session.The goal of brainstorming is to:

During a fire drill,several psychiatric patients become agitated.The nurse manager quickly assigns a staff member to each patient.This autocratic decision style is most appropriate for: