Deck 9: Communicating Effectively

Question 1

Which example represents a qualifier that may interfere with the message to be communicated?

A) "Please notify me when this task is complete."
B) "Are you satisfied with the care you are receiving?"
C) "I hate to bother you with this, but we have a problem."
D) "How can I help you solve your issues with this physician?"

Answer 1

"I hate to bother you with this, but we have a problem."

Question 2

The hospital chief operating officer holds monthly focus groups with the purpose of gaining ideas and insights from nursing administration and staff nurses. Which type of communication does this indicate?

A) Lateral communication
B) Downward communication
C) Diagonal communication
D) Grapevine communication

Answer 2

Diagonal communication

Question 3

An employee is sabotaging the work of a newly oriented charge nurse, and the charge nurse has not been successful in addressing the problem. When the nurse manager addresses the issue, which is the most appropriate statement?

A) "I know it must be frustrating working with a new charge nurse, but how can we make this situation better?"
B) "This is not professional behavior, and you need to stop it or you will lose your job the next time I hear about it."
C) "I know the charge nurse is new to the role, but you should get used to it or there will be more changes."
D) "I know the new charge nurse is difficult to work with, but please help make the job easier to do."

Answer 3

"I know it must be frustrating working with a new charge nurse, but how can we make this situation better?"

Question 4

After several near-incidents during procedures, the nurse manager is increasingly concerned about how nursing staff communicates with physician staff. Which advice from the manager would be most beneficial to the nursing staff?

A) "Don't forget, you are just as good as they are."
B) "Physicians just don't listen as well as nurses."
C) "Let's review the steps of the procedures that we know are the biggest problems."
D) "I'm going to listen to the physicians, but I think most of the problem lies with them, not the nurses."

Question 5

The nurse manager is counseling a male nurse about several recent incidents in which female nurses complained that he was abrupt and condescending. What advice should the manager give this nurse?

A) "Make sure that anything you say is clear and concise."
B) "Don't feel as if you are responsible for fixing every problem."
C) "Avoid using phrases such as 'sort of' when talking to females."
D) "Don't personalize everything."

Question 6

The nurse has been concentrating on improving personal communication skills. Which option represents the final step in this nurse's work to improve communication?

A) Think about the goals of the communication.
B) Develop an appropriate and thoughtful response.
C) Decide how to say what you want conveyed.
D) Ensure the communication is understood.

Question 7

A problem has arisen on a unit whose nursing staff is composed primarily of members of Generation X. Which strategies should the nurse manager employ to get staff input into solving this problem?

A) Schedule a staff meeting for discussion of the problem and its possible solutions.
B) Post a notice on the bulletin board explaining the issue.
C) Ask nurses individually for input.
D) Develop a possible solution and share it with nurses in a formal meeting.
E) Ask for input via text message and promise to respond to texts immediately.

Question 8

The staff nurse is unsure of the correct protocol for calling in sick to work. The nursing supervisor told the nurse to call the nursing office; however, the nurse manager told the nurse to call the unit. This issue is likely the result of which distorted communication?

A) Intersender conflict
B) Intrasender conflict
C) Metacommunication
D) Downward communication

Question 9

The nurse plans to seek employment in an acute-care setting after graduation. Which form of communication would be most effective in applying for a position?

A) Send an e-mail to the nurse manager, requesting a job interview.
B) Send a written letter and résumé in the mail.
C) Call the nurse manager to ask if any jobs are open.
D) Drop into the nurse manager's office to discuss employment options.

Question 10

The person who has just been promoted to nurse manager is male. If this nurse communicates in a way that is considered typical for men, what can the staff expect?

A) He will focus more on the issue than on personal experience.
B) He will strive to reach consensus within the group.
C) He will strive to avoid conflict within the group.
D) He will prefer to ask questions rather than make statements.

Question 11

The nurse manager has determined the need to hire two staff nurses. Which factor is most critical as the nurse manager prepares to submit the request to administration?

A) Timing of the request
B) Negative inquiry
C) Compromise
D) Persistence

Question 12

The nurse manager has instituted a policy of sending information to the staff via e-mail. Many misunderstandings have occurred since this policy was implemented. What technique should the manager use to reduce this miscommunication?

A) Using text messaging instead of e-mailing
B) Requiring a return e-mail from everyone reading the information
C) Being certain that e-mails go only to the intended recipients
D) Sending all e-mails with a message line that says "Important"

Question 13

The nurse manager is concerned about a family member's complaint regarding the professional behavior of a nurse on the unit. Which is the most effective method to address this issue?

A) Post a memo to the nursing staff about expected professional behavior.
B) Send an e-mail to the nursing staff about expected professional behavior.
C) Address the complaint with the individual nurse in a telephone conversation.
D) Discuss the complaint with the individual nurse face-to-face.

Question 14

During an evaluation conference, the nurse manager observes nonverbal messages, including nodding in agreement and smiling. These behaviors are examples of which aspect of communication?

A) Metacommunication
B) Intrasender conflict
C) Fogging
D) Intersender conflict

Question 15

The staff nurse would like to improve personal communication with peers, patients, and the medical staff. Which strategy would be most effective for this nurse?

A) Plan to be more assertive in all communication.
B) Work to manage fear of conflict.
C) First learn to delegate clearly to others.
D) Attend the hospital-based communication training.

Question 16

When the nurse manager orders supplies for the unit, which communication mode is best?

A) Telephone
B) E-mail
C) In person
D) Voice mail

Question 17

The nurse has made several "near errors" in client care in the last 2 months. The nurse manager says, "These are simple errors. You just aren't listening." How could the nurse improve listening skills in this situation?

A) The nurse should try to think ahead about what the person talking is going to say.
B) The nurse should hold eye contact with the speaker at all times.
C) When listening to instructions, the nurse should ask anyone who interrupts to wait a moment.
D) The nurse should get sufficient time away from work to rest.
E) The nurse should be careful not to prejudge what the speaker is going to say.

Question 18

In which situation should the nurse be most concerned that communication was distorted?

A) The nurse obtains an admission history from the parents of an adopted child.
B) The nurse gives discharge instructions to a couple in their early 80s.
C) The nurse manager hires a new nurse originally from the Philippines.
D) The emergency nurse receives a client who was transferred via ambulance for confusion.

Question 19

An inexperienced speaker is practicing the delivery of a speech. Which statement indicates a lack of understanding about how easily communication is distorted?

A) "I know I can better connect with my audience with good eye contact."
B) "If I repeat a complicated section in another way, comprehension is improved."
C) "If I know the background of the audience, it can help with tailoring the content."
D) "The topic is not complicated, so I don't have to worry about misunderstanding."

Question 20

What is the most important reason that excellent communication skills are essential for nurses?

A) Nurses must communicate with all disciplines.
B) All nursing activities occur in relationships.
C) Interpersonal skills get the work done.
D) Good communication ensures no problems occur.

Question 21

A nurse manager approaches the nursing supervisor with a request for approval to incorporate 12-hour shifts into scheduling. The supervisor denies the request, stating this staffing pattern was used previously with poor outcomes. Which responses by the nurse manager may positively influence the supervisor?

A) "I agree it was not effective years ago, but other units have now had success with it."
B) "What were your specific concerns about the 12-hour shifts?"
C) "I think it is unfair to refuse my unit this opportunity based on the past."
D) "Why are you always so opposed to change on my unit?"
E) "If we don't offer alternative staffing patterns, we aren't going to be able to attract new hires."

Question 22

The nursing supervisor is planning an education session on collaborative communication between nurses and physicians. Which topics should be on this agenda?

A) Interdisciplinary respect
B) Understanding the role of the physician
C) Understanding the role of the nurse
D) Communication across disciplines
E) Active listening skills

Question 23

The nurse manager has asked that another staff nurse position be funded for the unit. The supervisor denies the request. Which statements by the manager are examples of negative assertion?

A) "I know I haven't been too careful in keeping personnel costs low, but we are really going to need another position."
B) "I don't see why another position cannot be funded. We have met our budget each year for the last 3 years."
C) "I realize that my staff is not always positive about organizational changes, but having this extra staff member might reduce some of their stress."
D) "I can understand what you said about budget being tight, but we still need the position."
E) "Do you not understand how hard my nurses are working?"

Question 24

In the morning care conference, the nurse instructs the assistant to feed breakfast to the clients in beds 2234, 2230, and 2241.The assistant indicates understanding of the assignment and repeats the bed numbers back to the nurse. What is the nurse's next step?

A) Check with the assistant to see how the assignment is going during the time breakfast is served.
B) Check the client's breakfast trays before they are returned to dietary.
C) Check with the clients to see if they had breakfast.
D) At the end of the shift ask the assistant how the clients ate.

Question 25

The nurse asks the nurse manager if he can go home early because the census is low. When the request is denied, the nurse states, "I don't understand why I can't leave early. I will use vacation time and this will help minimize personnel costs for the shift." This statement is an example of which technique of influencing the supervisor?

A) Fogging
B) Negative assertion
C) Negative inquiry
D) Compromise

Question 26

The nurse is always intimidated when asking a physician to clarify orders. Which statements should the nurse use to help counteract this feeling?

A) "I'm sorry, Doctor, but I need for you to repeat the dosage on that medication order."
B) "Doctor, what was the dosage on that medication you just ordered, and do you want the client to get up in the chair today?"
C) "How often did you want the furosemide given?"
D) "Uh, can you tell me if you need for this client to be NPO today?"
E) "Doctor, what rate did you want for the IV?"

Question 27

The nurse has a concern regarding the quality of care being provided in the hospital. What should the nurse consider first before communicating this concern?

A) The medium of the message
B) The relationship between the nurse and the receiver of the message
C) The timing of the message
D) What to include in the message

Question 28

The nurse manager should be most careful not to hold preconceived beliefs when listening to which person?

A) The hospital administrator discussing next year's budget
B) A staff nurse the manager has worked with for 25 years
C) A newly licensed nurse who is hesitant to address the manager
D) A physician discussing prognosis with the client and family

Question 29

A nurse manager is aware that there is a strong "grapevine" communication system on the unit. The manager elects to use this grapevine to distribute information about an upcoming change in unit policy. In making this decision, the manager should consider which possibilities?

A) The information may be rapidly disseminated.
B) The information may be altered as it moves across the grapevine.
C) Most people try to spread information accurately.
D) Most people do not pay any attention to the grapevine.
E) Professional nurses do not participate in grapevine communication.