Deck 27: Role Transition

Question 1

An interviewee for a nurse manager position asks for a copy of the organizational chart.Organizational charts provide information about the role component of

A) expectations.
B) opportunities.
C) responsibilities.
D) lines of communication.

Answer 1

lines of communication.

Question 2

The unit leader on an inpatient psychiatric unit of a large hospital has been in the position for 3 months.The unit leader is frustrated by how little time is available to work with patients and how few changes have been implemented in that time.The phase of role transition being experienced is the role of

A) acceptance.
B) negotiation.
C) discrepancy.
D) internalization.

Answer 2

discrepancy.

Question 3

Samia finds a mentor,Amy,who has been in the role of unit manager for 3 years and has a similar interest in clinical excellence.During their frequent meetings,Amy provides assistance with learning aspects of the manager's role,including technical aspects,such as how to interpret budget printouts and to achieve budget outcomes.The success of Amy's coaching depends on

A) clarity of Amy's information.
B) organizational support for the mentor relationship.
C) the congruence of Amy's beliefs with Samia's beliefs.
D) willingness of Samia to receive feedback.

Answer 3

willingness of Samia to receive feedback.

Question 4

After beginning her new position,Samia spends a great deal of time in direct patient care.Her staff begin to complain that they are never able to find her when they need her and that some aspects of her responsibilities fall behind,such as scheduling.Samia is probably

A) lacking an understanding of the nurse management role.
B) attempting to prove her clinical skills to the nursing staff.
C) experiencing difficulty in unlearning old roles.
D) lacking enjoyment in her new role.

Question 5

Samia is a nursing graduate with 5 years of experience who is very confident in her clinical skills.She has taken some certificate courses in leadership and management and has considered beginning a graduate degree with this focus.She is excited about being able to use her knowledge and interest by being hired as a nurse manager.Before beginning her new position,Samia spends time with her nurse executive to clarify the executive's expectations of her and of the unit that she has been hired to manage.Samia's actions are important in avoiding role

A) ambiguity.
B) transition.
C) development.
D) negotiation.

Question 6

A nurse is interviewing for a manager's position.Which of the following actions is considered a role preview?

A) Formal commitment of the employment contract
B) Improving role performance
C) Touring the unit
D) Disillusionment about the expectations of the job

Question 7

According to Duchscher (2011),the integration phase in the transition to a new professional role for the new nursing graduate includes actions such as

A) performing and learning.
B) separating and exploring.
C) adjusting and accommodating.
D) doubting and revealing.

Question 8

Samia (questions 11 to 15)finds that she is comfortable with the expectations of staff and her supervisor with regard to her management role and responsibilities and has been able to effect a strong commitment to quality clinical care on the unit.At this point,Samia has probably attained role

A) development.
B) acceptance.
C) symmetry.
D) stabilization.

Question 9

A strategy that may help Samia make the transition to her management role and to respond to relationships and situations in her new position is

A) avoiding discussion of her personal beliefs with staff until she is ready to do so.
B) finding a network of clinicians with similar interests to her own.
C) researching clinical literature to maintain her clinical assessment skills for the unit.
D) recognizing her strong commitment to care in the management process through journalling.

Question 10

As a nurse manager,you have hired two new graduates for your unit.To assist the new graduates in their role transition from student to practicing RN,you advocate for

A) a journalling program.
B) hiring a nurse educator to work with these and other new graduates.
C) additional time off for nurses to practice RN skills.
D) additional staff while nurses are being orientated.

Question 11

The new nurse manager feels torn by the expectations of staff,the demands of hospital administrators,and family obligations.According to Hardy (1978),unrelieved role stress and strain will lead to

A) frustration and anger.
B) alienation of family and friends.
C) low productivity and performance.
D) physical symptoms and acute illness.

Question 12

A nurse manager in one hospital is a mentee of a colleague who is a few years older and has more experience in nursing management.The colleague works in another hospital,but they meet for lunch once a week.In these meetings,they share their feelings about nursing management and their lives.They have decided to conduct a performance appraisal after the nurse manager has been in the new role for 1 year.The function of a mentor that is missing in the relationship is

A) non-workplace connection.
B) role modelling.
C) professional trajectory assessment.
D) annual performance appraisal.

Question 13

Oscar,a new nurse manager,complains to his colleague that he feels very uncomfortable with the conflict between what he thinks he should be doing as the manager and what his supervisor thinks he should be doing.According to Hardy's (1978)role theory,Oscar is experiencing

A) stress.
B) role stress.
C) role strain.
D) role exploration.

Question 14

The nurse manager of a unit was demoted to staff nurse 6 months ago.Because of being near retirement,the former nurse manager wanted to be employed at the hospital and was offered a position on the same unit.The former nurse manager complains often about how infrequently the current nurse manager is available on the unit and argues with physicians and co-workers.Patients have complained about the attitude of the former nurse manager.The behaviour of the former nurse manager can be best explained as being caused by

A) overwork in the staff nurse position.
B) inadequate mentoring in the new role.
C) anger as a stage of the grieving process.
D) demotion as a threat to personal identity.

Question 15

The chief nursing officer develops a mentoring program to help new staff members adjust to their new jobs.The main purpose of mentoring is

A) promoting staff retention.
B) promoting staff attrition.
C) developing new role expectations.
D) promoting staff supervision.

Question 16

The head nurse and the administrator of a cardiac telemetry unit disagree on how much time the head nurse should allot to various aspects of the role.Staff members on the unit complain that the head nurse is unavailable for clinical concerns because of being off the unit while attending meetings.To facilitate the process of role transition,the head nurse should

A) rely on his or her internal resources.
B) attend a workshop on how to deal with difficult people.
C) develop a relationship with a mentor who has overcome similar difficulties.
D) schedule a series of meetings with staff and the administrator to clarify expectations.

Question 17

Samia finds that she has begun to think negatively about the way nursing care is delivered on her nursing unit.She often wishes that she were back on her old unit and in her familiar staff nurse role.This behaviour

A) is natural when a new position is assumed.
B) diverts energy from internalization of Samia's new role.
C) is justified if practices are deficient on the new unit.
D) reflects Samia's astuteness as a clinician.

Question 18

Sue,a newly graduated registered nurse,has been on the orthopedic unit for about 6 months and is reconciling discrepancies between what she thought her role was in relation to peer performance appraisal and what it actually is.This is an example of role

A) discrepancy.
B) ambiguity.
C) integration.
D) stabilization.

Question 19

In addition to providing coaching,a nurse mentor may provide counselling to the mentee.For counselling to be successful,the mentor must

A) provide a quiet environment away from the unit.
B) keep the focus on technical and management responsibilities.
C) ensure confidentiality.
D) present assignments that stretch the intellectual and technical ability of the mentee.

Question 20

A nurse manager notices that Nathan,a registered nurse (RN)who has been on the unit for approximately 3 years,has a particular interest in technology and seems to be very enthusiastic about working with software and hardware at home.She speaks with Nathan and asks him if he would lead investigation of software applications on the unit.This is an example of

A) opportunity.
B) delegation.
C) role negotiation.
D) role transition.

Question 21

Seth is hired as the nurse manager for a surgical unit.After a year,the hospital reorganizes,and his position is lost.In leaving the unit,it is important for Seth to

A) engage in clarifying why the hospital did not state its expectations for the unit at the time of hiring.
B) hire a lawyer to represent his interests during this unexpected role transition.
C) seek counselling to deal with his shock and anger.
D) negotiate a reasonable settlement.

Question 22

Who of the following might be the best mentor for Kira,a new nurse manager on the cardiac unit who has 4 years of previous clinical experience?

A) Saul, near retirement. He has 20 years of clinical nursing and recently assumed role of head nurse in an interim capacity because of the incumbent's illness.
B) Leilani, who has been a clinical educator at the institution for a number of years. She has tired of her role and aspires to become a nurse manager. She looks at mentorship as an opportunity to understand the role better.
C) Courtney, who has been a nurse manager for 3 years. Her staff and supervisor value her skills, her leadership acumen, and her championship of innovation.
D) Adrian, who was nurse manager for 3 years, soon after graduation. He left the role because he was uncomfortable with the expectations and has been a team leader in the surgery unit for 15 years.

Question 23

In assisting new graduates to make the role transition to graduate nurse,Teo,the unit manager,initiates which of the following?

A) Self-checklist to assess competencies that have been strengthened
B) Discussions that focus on what the new graduates have yet to learn
C) Fixed target dates for acquisition of competency and transition to RN role
D) Frequent formal meetings to provide feedback on performance and areas to be strengthened

Question 24

After several months in the role of manager of a dialysis unit,Maryanne finds herself still questioning the gap between her and her staff's expectations and management's expectations and is also questioning whether she can reconcile her concerns with quality care with the strong cost-containment orientation of the facility.At this point,Maryanne is in which stage of role transition?

A) Internalization
B) Acceptance
C) Development
D) Discrepancy

Question 25

As a result of Amy's coaching,Samia (question 16)completes an assessment of responsibilities,opportunities,lines of communication,expectations,and support (ROLES).This assessment is helpful in

A) identifying her clinical knowledge.
B) role development.
C) areas of conflict in expectations.
D) management responsibilities.