Question 1

The nurse is scheduled for a yearly evaluation by the nursing supervisor. When planning for this meeting, the nurse should recognize the importance of what action as being the priority?

Accepted Answer

A)   Scheduling the evaluation during a time when anxiety level is low.
B)   Becoming reactive when faced with constructive criticism.
C)   Demonstrating defensiveness when discussing the evaluation with the supervisor.
D)   Listening carefully during the evaluation and paraphrasing constructive criticism. D

Question 2

The nurse manager recognizes a need to take steps to promote conflict resolution among health care team members on a nursing unit. What intervention will promote conflict resolution, most effectively?

Accepted Answer

A)   Soliciting the perspectives of the nurses.
B)   Encouraging manipulation among group members.
C)   Promoting criticism of individuals within the group.
D)   Depersonalizing conflict situations. D

Question 3

When conflict arises among staff, what should the nurse focus attention on initially?

Accepted Answer

A)   Sharing feelings about the conflict with others will increase its intensity.
B)   Sharing feelings to minimize conflict generated anxiety.
C)   Assess the basis of the conflict labeling it as personal or professional.
D)   Seeking peer negotiation for all those involved C

Question 4

A student nurse is learning about strategies to remove barriers to communication with other professionals and how to deal with disrespectful or disruptive behaviors. The nursing instructor recognizes that additional instruction is needed when the student nurse states which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)   "I will learn conflict resolution skills."
B)   "I will establish common communication expectations and skills."
C)   "I will work toward creating a culture of mutual respect when working within the health care system."
D)   "I will engage in distorted, rather than open, communication to avoid offending others."

Question 5

When supervising an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP), the nurse offers unwarranted criticism that causes the UAP to feel defensive. The initial response by the UAP should be to what?

Accepted Answer

A)   Verbally defend against the unwarranted criticism.
B)   Ignore the nurse's unwarranted criticism.
C)   Recognizing the remark as unwarranted criticism.
D)   Assume that the unwarranted criticism is based on the nurse's inadequacies.

Question 6

The nurse manager is working on strategies to turn conflict into collaboration by creating a climate in which participants view negotiation as a collaborative effort. In What intervention will best accomplish this goal?

Accepted Answer

A)   Offering of feedback only on an infrequent basis.
B)   Clarifying role expectations for management level staff.
C)   Limiting participation in organizational interdisciplinary groups.
D)   Encouraging role-modeling behaviors related to communication.

Question 7

The charge nurse is working with a group of staff nurses on a hospital unit. When delegating to the staff nurses, the charge nurse determines that there is conflict among the group. The charge nurse should implement what intervention to turn the conflict into unit collaboration?

Accepted Answer

A)   Waiting for the staff nurses to initiate a discussion concerning the problems that are related to the conflict.
B)   Performing simultaneous activities when listening to the staff nurses discuss the roots of the conflict.
C)   Presenting the staff nurses with documented data that is relevant to the conflict.
D)   Briefly summarizing when providing the staff nurses with feedback concerning the conflict.

Question 8

Which statement is true about the relationship between physicians and nurses?

Accepted Answer

A)   The physician is primarily responsible for fostering good physician-patient communication.
B)   The physician and nurse should engage in open dialogue only on matter of patient care.
C)   The relationship between the physician and the nurse remains an evolving process.
D)   Few nurses encounter problems in the physician-nurse relationship.

Question 9

The charge nurse, working on a unit where a nurse is frequently late for work, addresses the behavior by telling the nurse, "It is necessary for you to be here on time from now on to help assure good patient care." This is an example of what type of constructive criticism?

Accepted Answer

A)   Expressing sympathy
B)   Describing the behavior
C)   Stating expectations
D)   Listing consequences

Question 10

When working with staff members to promote conflict resolution, the nurse manager recognizes that additional teaching is warranted when a staff member states,

Accepted Answer

A)   "I will solicit the perspectives of others."
B)   "I will remember to criticize ideas, not people."
C)   "I will implement manipulation when working with others."
D)   "I will avoid becoming emotional when discussing the conflict."

Question 11

When modifying barriers to professional communication, the nurse manager focuses on which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)   Collaboration and coordination
B)   Negotiation and conflict resolution
C)   Coordination and networking
D)   Collaboration and negotiation

Question 12

The nurse recruiter recognizes that collegial relationships are an important determinant of success as professionals enter nursing practice. When interviewing candidates for nursing careers, the nurse recruiter focuses on communication qualities that are important in developing a support system. Which attributes best demonstrate desirable communication qualities?

Accepted Answer

A)   Integrity
B)   Internalizing
C)   Respect for others
D)   Dependence
E)   A good sense of humor

Exam 23: Interprofessional Communication