Deck 9: Thinking Critically, Making Decisions, Solving Problems

Question 1

The nurse manager is calculating the cost of offering two bonus incentives to nursing staff for covering call-ins for sickness. After reviewing the statistics, the manager finds that option A is more cost-effective than option B but decides to implement option B because it seems safer. Which option best describes the basis of this decision?

A) Probability
B) Probability analysis
C) Objective probability
D) Subjective probability

Answer 1

Subjective probability

Question 2

A newly promoted nurse manager would like staff to solve problems without relying on preconceived ideas. How should the manager role-model this ability?

A) When disagreements occur on the unit, the manager privately asks the dissenters to be silent about the issue at meetings.
B) Tell staff members that they must present one opinion regarding the solutions they desire.
C) Demonstrate a genuine desire to find our why there is dissention.
D) Develop "tunnel vision" when it comes to problems on the unit.

Answer 2

Demonstrate a genuine desire to find our why there is dissention.

Question 3

A nursing task force has been created to determine whether a new model of differentiated practice would be more effective than the current model. The task force analyzes data as a basis to examine alternatives. Which activity does this represent?

A) Group problem solving
B) Critical thinking
C) Groupthink
D) Satisficing

Answer 3

Critical thinking

Question 4

The nurse manager has scheduled a series of meetings with employees to solve a unit problem. The manager purposefully created a two-week gap in the meetings to allow which portion of the creative process to occur?

A) Farsight
B) Verification
C) Preparation
D) Incubation

Question 5

Which situation requires an adaptive decision?

A) The nurse manager discovers that two clients require the use of a new piece of equipment and that the one the hospital has is the only one in the state.
B) The nurse has made a medication error on an experimental medication.
C) The nursing student makes an error when changing a client dressing.
D) The nurse manager scheduled too many nurses for the client census on the night shift, and all of the nurses scheduled have already been asked to take a low-census unpaid day off this month.

Question 6

The nurse manager is challenged to find an innovative way to adequately staff the unit and provide quality nursing care. Which ability would be most useful to the nurse in this situation?

A) Creativity
B) Problem solving
C) Brainstorming
D) Decision making

Question 7

A nurse manager's supervisor reports that many staff members have complained about the manager's rigidity. What situations reflect this rigidity? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) The manager has historically used trial and error as a decision-making strategy.
B) The manager takes unnecessary risks when staffing the unit.
C) The manager is not concerned when staff members arrive late to work.
D) The manager uses old ways of thinking to solve the day-to-day issues of the unit.
E) The manager does not consider the advice of the assistant manager when making a decision.

Question 8

Which statements exemplify the attributes of critical thinking essential to nurses? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) "I am always curious about why we do things the way we do."
B) "I think we need to hurry up and make a decision."
C) "Can you help me understand your perspective a little better?"
D) "I don't think that your concern is necessarily pertinent to this issue."
E) "I don't think I can make that decision until I have more information."

Question 9

Currently, clients on a unit are bathed in the morning between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. The nursing staff is contemplating changing that routine to bathing clients in the evening between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Which statement reflects an underlying assumption that might affect the staff's ability to think critically about this change? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) "The day shift just wants to shift work onto the evening shift."
B) "Everyone likes to bathe right before bed."
C) "I read a research article that reported that clients sleep better if they have been bathed right before bedtime."
D) "The physician staff will be upset if we change our morning routine."
E) "If we let them change this, they will want to make lots of other changes, too."

Question 10

Which statement by the formal leader of a nursing unit reflects the personality required to energize the staff and promote creativity? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) "I would like to change the format we use for shift report, but I'm afraid it would upset staff members who have been here a long time."
B) "This is the decision I have made, and there is no room for discussion."
C) "I would like to thank everyone for your hard work and dedication while we have been short staffed."
D) "I am certain that our new assignment system is going to make the workload more equitable."
E) "I know this week has been rough. I feel a little like sandpaper myself."

Question 11

Although the postoperative assessment of a client reveals no abnormalities, the nurse believes the client's condition is deteriorating and orders frequent vital signs. This intervention was made on the basis of which type of problem solving? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) Experimentation
B) Intuition
C) Satisficing
D) Past experience
E) Trial-and-error method

Question 12

Which statement describes the primary difference between group and individual decision making, besides the number of individuals involved? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) A decision made by a group is often better than a decision made by one person.
B) A decision made by an individual results in greater commitment.
C) Groups can provide more input into the process.
D) A decision made by a group can create a greater obligation to achieve results.
E) Routine decisions are more often made by individuals.

Question 13

A nurse working in a rehabilitation center notices that clients frequently asking for something to drink. Which response indicates the use of creativity in finding a solution to this problem?

A) Calling local beverage distributors to inquire about service pricing
B) Asking all employees to write down their ideas about a solution
C) Determining what type of drinks most clients might want
D) Encouraging clients to bring a drink from home

Question 14

A newly licensed nurse working on a unit committee challenges every detail of a proposal the committee is developing. How should other committee members interpret this behavior?

A) This nurse is too inexperienced to realize the behavior is inappropriate.
B) This nurse is learning to be creative.
C) This nurse believes that new nurses are more knowledgeable than those who have worked several years.
D) This nurse misunderstands the work of the committee.

Question 15

The nursing group has been charged with the task of solving a patient care problem on the unit. Which step should this group take first in this process?

A) Investigate what has already been tried to solve the issue.
B) Brainstorm about potential solutions.
C) Gather information to define the problem.
D) Categorize information in order of reliability.

Question 16

The nurse is using critical thinking skills to decide which of several options is the best. Which question is most important for the nurse to take into consideration?

A) Are there different situational effects or contexts to be considered?
B) How has the problem usually been handled?
C) What is the easiest and least expensive alternative?
D) Can the problem be solved using the nursing process?

Question 17

Which statement indicates understanding how a nurse could improve personal decision-making skills?

A) "We should gather a group together to make important unit decisions to ensure fairness."
B) "I should practice making decisions by developing potential solutions and then choosing one."
C) "We can make a decision and then ask for input from others to make sure it was the right choice."
D) "I know I will never be able to improve my decision-making skills because I am not a strong person."

Question 18

The nurse manager generally uses a stepwise method to arrive at decisions that are logical and that serve to maximize the achievement of the desired objective. Which decision-making model does this manager use?

A) Political decision-making model
B) Experimentation process
C) Rational decision-making model
D) Trial-and-error method

Question 19

The nursing faculty would like to incorporate problem-based learning into the curriculum. Which action is essential?

A) Obtain funding for a simulation mannequin.
B) Write standardized scripts for volunteers who will portray clients.
C) Add more information to existing care plans as the study unfolds.
D) Assign client care debate topics to teams of three or four students.

Question 20

The nurse has determined that in order to provide the highest quality care it is important to become more creative. What is the most effective way for the nurse to increase creativity?

A) Watch others implement creative solutions.
B) Work with a group to implement a creative solution.
C) Evaluate the effectiveness of creative solutions.
D) Practice the steps of the process as often as possible.

Question 21

Which action by the nurse manager is a demonstration of satisficing?

A) The nurse manager works with the staffing schedule until all requested days off are honored.
B) The nurse manager reposts a job opening because no applicants were a good fit for the current unit staff.
C) The nurse manager agrees with a proposed budget that does not provide badly needed new client beds.
D) The nurse manager insists on firing a nurse who is chronically late to work.

Question 22

At the beginning of a brainstorming session, the manager lists the rules to be followed. Which rule should be included and enforced?

A) Do not suggest any solution that is prohibitively expensive.
B) Suggest only ideas that the group has not already tried.
C) Do not critique any ideas presented.
D) Limit the session to the first 15 ideas.

Question 23

A serious disagreement has arisen between two staff nurses. The unit manager elects not to make a decision regarding the disagreement until more evidence is collected. Which part of the nursing process does this manager's critical thinking reflect?

A) Assessment
B) Diagnosis
C) Planning
D) Evaluation

Question 24

A nurse on a mission trip needs a urinary catheter for an infant. The nurse only has a pediatric feeding tube and must think creatively. The nurse knows the creative process includes which stages? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and not incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) Communication
B) Incubation
C) Verification
D) Innovation
E) Insight

Question 25

The nurse manager needs to cover vacation shifts and must decide whether to use agency nurses or the PRN nursing pool. The manager must decide between the two choices. Decision making includes which steps? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and not incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) Seek alternatives.
B) Make a decision.
C) Define the problem.
D) Weigh the criteria.
E) Troubleshoot.

Question 26

A nurse believes that milk is part of the healthy adult's diet. The nurse frequently offers milk to adults as a between-meal beverage. This action is based on which concept?

A) Evidence
B) An underlying assumption
C) An alternative perspective
D) An inquiring attitude

Question 27

A nurse manager who is retiring is helping the new manager learn about the position. As part of this education, the current manager has the new manager make all decisions that can be made under certainty. What conditions will these decisions have in common? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) There is risk associated with the decision.
B) The alternatives are known.
C) The conditions of each alternative are clear.
D) Possible consequences of alternatives are not known.
E) The decision is complex and dynamic.

Question 28

A nurse manager is committed to establishing an environment that supports critical thinking and creativity. What strategies would help in this effort? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) Provide opportunities for staff to interact with nurses from outside the facility.
B) Give the nurses freedom to design their work environment.
C) Create a spreadsheet for nurses to complete describing their creative efforts.
D) Assign each nurse 15 minutes during a staff meeting to talk about his or her creative efforts.
E) Be receptive to ideas even if they seem strange at the beginning.

Question 29

Which statements by a nurse in the emergency department are examples of groupthink? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) "We've already talked about this enough. We need to present a united front on this issue."
B) "The medical unit nurses won't like this decision because it is too much work."
C) "Let's all vote yes on this so we can get back to work."
D) "We need to consider the workload of the intensive care unit nurses."
E) "Does anyone else have any ideas to discuss?"

Question 30

A group of nurses has been convened to solve a problem. As the first step in this process, the group leader asks for a definition of the problem to be solved. Which statement reflects the best problem statement?

A) Emergency department nurses do not make professional client handoff reports.
B) Long-term care facility nurses lack the education to make complete assessments prior to client transfers.
C) Housekeepers are getting sloppy about cleaning rooms.
D) Unit clerks have made 10 transcription errors in the last 6 months.

Question 31

A disagreement has arisen between two staff nurses. Both have discussed the situation with the manager. The manager feels that that problem is likely self-solving. How should the manager approach this situation? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) Allow some time to pass to see if the situation resolves.
B) Support both nurses as they work through this issue.
C) Provide any resources the nurses may need to help solve the problem.
D) Intervene if the problem begins to impact client care.
E) Ignore the situation.

Question 32

Part of the facility's performance evaluation is based on the nurse's strength in the three types of decisions. During a nurse manager's performance evaluation, the supervisor says, "You are very good at adaptive decisions, but you need to be more precise in routine decisions. When the situation calls for really innovative decisions, you do not seem sure of yourself." How should the manager interpret this information? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) "I am not following the policies and rules well."
B) "I should review the procedure manual."
C) "I'm good at using my previous experiences to guide my decisions."
D) "I am strongest in making decisions when the problems are very unusual or unclear."
E) "I make good decisions when the situation is novel."