Deck 6: Effective Communication

Question 1

A new nurse manager will be leading an interprofessional team in developing evidence-based care paths for patients who require surgery but also have dementia.This manager will need assistance with communication during these meetings if the manager states that what is a general competency of interprofessional communication?

A)Obtain the ideas and opinions of the other team members.
B)Refrain from sharing the manager's own knowledge about the discussion topics and allow team members to determine relevant information.
C)Make sure that all language used in the meetings is respectful.
D)Recognize that this new manager has unique skills that bring a positive contribution to the group.

Answer 1

Refrain from sharing the manager's own knowledge about the discussion topics and allow team members to determine relevant information.

Question 2

The nurse manager needs to have a discussion with a staff nurse concerning a statement from a family member of a patient who was discharged 3 weeks ago.Where would be the best place for the nurse manager to have this discussion with the staff nurse?

A)In the medication room
B)In a corner of the nurse's station
C)In an empty patient room
D)In the nurse manager's office

Answer 2

In the nurse manager's office

Question 3

The DON has informed all nurse managers that all staff must have a doctor's excuse for all work absences that are caused by illness.What form of communication would be the most common way for the nurse manager to convey this information to the staff?

A)A message posted on the unit bulletin board
B)An e-mail directed to all staff
C)A face-to-face meeting with each staff personally
D)An announcement at the monthly staff meeting

Answer 3

An e-mail directed to all staff

Question 4

The nurse leader knows to do what to prevent grapevine communication on the nursing unit?

A)Ignore the information that is moving through the grapevine.
B)Share minimal information with staff to avoid promoting confusion.
C)Allow information that is in the grapevine to continue until it fades away.
D)Provide regular communication to the staff of the nursing unit.

Question 5

The nurse manager of an orthopedic unit has noticed that there are two nurses who do not appear to get along with each other.When these two nurses work the same shift,productivity is substantially lowered.The nurse manager contacts the nurse manager of the neurology unit for input in solving this issue and uses what type of organizational communication?

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

Question 6

The nurse leader believes that there may be a nurse on a medical-surgical unit who is redirecting a patient's pain medication for individual use.The nurse knows that this can lead to what situation on the nursing unit?

A)Decreased nursing turnover
B)Increased staff morale
C)Increased productivity
D)Increased patient safety issues

Question 7

The nurse leader is using active listening skills during an important meeting with nursing staff concerning the budget for the next fiscal year.The leader realizes that what stages are necessary to be an effective active listener? Select all that apply.

A)Attending
B)Remembering
C)Defending
D)Reacting
E)Understanding

Question 8

The DON knows that which type of communication is most effective when discussing possible policy changes with a nurse manager who is 62 years of age?

A)The DON should post a message to the nurse manager page on social media.
B)The DON should drop by the nurse manager's office to discuss the matter.
C)The DON should send the nurse manager an e-mail.
D)The DON should send a group e-mail to all nurse managers with the policy attached.

Question 9

The nurse manager will be using formal language in a presentation to the staff nurses about current evidence-based procedures.What elements of this form of language will be best for this nurse manager to use?

A)Provide the staff with a thorough history of the procedure.
B)Make the presentation and dismiss the staff.
C)Provide staff with a step-by-step direction of the new way to conduct the procedure.
D)Make sure to include all known medical terms related to this procedure.

Question 10

The nurse leader utilizes active listening with nursing staff to what most important end?

A)To encourage empowerment of staff
B)To help the staff do things the way the nurse leader wants it to go
C)To appear nicer and warmer to the nursing staff
D)To cause all unit conflicts to disappear

Question 11

A staff nurse has made an appointment with the nurse leader to discuss a confidential issue.In what way can the nurse leader display active listening to the staff nurse?

A)Ask the staff nurse to be seated and sit on the desk in front of the nurse.
B)Avoid any head movement to avoid distracting the staff nurse.
C)Make sure that the nurse leader's body language is seen as positive,or inviting,to the staff nurse.
D)The nurse leader should gaze at a spot slightly above the staff nurse's head.

Question 12

The director of nursing (DON)has planned a meeting with unit managers and placed notices with the date,time,and place on the unit bulletin boards.When the time came for the meeting only one-third of the managers were present.The DON knows that what element of the communication process was overlooked in announcing this meeting?

A)Message
B)Decoding
C)Sender
D)Feedback

Question 13

The nurse leader has just observed a nurse whose behaviors indicate a possible substance abuse problem and knows that staff nurses have not reported these behaviors because of what most common reason?

A)The staff nurse believed that reporting a colleague required more skill than the nurse possessed.
B)The staff nurse did not believe it was his or her responsibility.
C)The staff nurse believed the compromised nurse was not hurting any patients.
D)The staff nurse thought that speaking up would not change anything.