Deck 13: Improving Teamwork: Collaboration, Coordination, and Conflict Resolution

Question 1

The nurse manager is responsible for resolving a conflict. Place the steps of conflict resolution in the order the manager should use.

A) Identify the problem behaviors.
B) Discuss the situation with those involved.
C) Document the facts and their source.
D) Report the results to the appropriate supervisor.

Answer 1

A,C,B,D
Explanation: 1. This step correlates with data collection or assessment and is the first step in this process.
2. This is the third step of the process, after data has been collected and documented.
3. Documenting facts and sources is the second step of the process.
4. This is the final step in this process.

Question 2

Select the tools used by healthcare that are focused on coordination of care. Select all that apply.

A) Case management
B) Clinical pathways
C) Practice guidelines
D) Disease management
E) Care maps.

Answer 2

Case management
Clinical pathways
Practice guidelines
Disease management
Care maps.

Question 3

The nurse manager has been working with staff to improve care coordination, but has not met success with this endeavor. Which statements, made by staff, would indicate to this manager that a barrier to coordination exists? Select all that apply.

A) "We never have the correct information from radiology for how they want us to prepare patients for tests."
B) "Has anyone been able to get the laboratory to answer the phone today?"
C) "I talked with one of the physical therapy assistants today. Did you know that all of our PT assistants have college degrees?"
D) "I tried to sit with some of the staff members from the pharmacy today at lunch, but they didn't include me in any of their conversation."
E) "The speech therapist helped me set up a way to communicate with a patient with a tracheostomy."

Answer 3

"We never have the correct information from radiology for how they want us to prepare patients for tests."
"Has anyone been able to get the laboratory to answer the phone today?"
"I tried to sit with some of the staff members from the pharmacy today at lunch, but they didn't include me in any of their conversation."

Question 4

Which option is related to collaboration between the nurse and patient instead of coordination of patient care?

A) Requires direct interaction with the patient
B) Can take place either before or after patient care is provided
C) Is not goal directed
D) Is done to ensure that something happens

Question 5

The patient, the nurse, and the physician have discussed treatment options and nursing care and have come to an agreement on the patient's plan of care. Which principle does this illustrate?

A) Education
B) Conflict resolution
C) Emotional intelligence
D) Collaboration

Question 6

A nurse who is often a staff leader frequently comes to the nurse manager with concerns and complaints. When the nurse is reviewed for a merit raise she does not receive it even though the nurse demonstrated excellent work leading the unit change to evidence-based practice. This illustrates use of which type of power by the nurse manager?

A) Coercive power
B) Referent power
C) Informational power
D) Reward power

Question 7

The nurse is working to make sure all plans for the patient's discharge are complete. Which option best reflects the role in which this nurse is working?

A) Evaluation
B) Coordination
C) Communication
D) Collaboration

Question 8

Select the appropriate interventions to discourage verbal abuse between physicians and nurses. Select all that apply.

A) Approach those involved in private and identify a need for change in behavior.
B) Gain a better understanding of each profession's viewpoint.
C) Appoint a professional from another discipline to take charge of training and education programs for physicians and nurses.
D) Encourage nurses who are involved in this behavior to find employment elsewhere.
E) Disseminate code-of-conduct policies and reporting guidelines to both nurses and physicians.

Question 9

Which typical response by the nurse indicates the use of effective collaboration skill?

A) Negotiates with others.
B) Avoids competition.
C) Strongly defends own ideas.
D) Attacks to assert own position.

Question 10

Select the options that reflect the key concepts related to collaboration. Select all that apply.

A) Partnership
B) Interdependence
C) Position
D) Responsibility
E) Dynamic

Question 11

The nursing staff members report a problem to their nurse manager by saying, "We know we are going to have a problem with this." This statement illustrates which stage of conflict?

A) Perceived conflict
B) Felt conflict
C) Manifest conflict
D) Latent conflict

Question 12

The staff nurse approaches the nurse manager with a complaint about a physical therapy assistant and states, "She doesn't do the same amount of work as the nursing assistants." After investigating, the manager believes the staff nurse does not understand the PT assistant's role and that is causing stress for the nurse. Which kind of conflict has this situation caused the nurse?

A) Organizational conflict
B) Individual conflict
C) Interpersonal conflict
D) Repressive conflict

Question 13

The administrative staff has brainstormed for ideas on creating a more collaborative environment in the healthcare agency. Which idea would be the best to develop further?

A) Develop a plan to help members of each profession more completely understand the impact of their own work.
B) Institute collaborative strategies quietly and in a stealthy manner.
C) Hold education sessions regarding collaboration for each department.
D) Emphasize the fact that no one profession has all of the necessary skills to provide all care.

Question 14

Which option illustrates that effective negotiation has occurred?

A) Education about the issue occurs.
B) Boundaries are set and meeting times and place are established.
C) Both parties compromise and make concessions.
D) An agreement is formalized.

Question 15

A staff member has become very disagreeable. The other nurses know this staff member is transferring to another unit at the end of the week. The nurses decide to ignore the situation. This illustrates which method of conflict resolution?

A) Accommodation
B) Collaboration
C) Avoidance
D) Passive-aggressiveness

Question 16

Which actions are important in the prevention of conflict? Select all that apply.

A) Allocate resources fairly.
B) Try to keep problems confidential.
C) Address staff fears.
D) Clearly state expectations.
E) Keep lines between roles flexible and dynamic.

Question 17

Which option, regarding the benefits of interprofessional collaboration, is accurate?

A) These relationships are easy to establish because physicians, nurses, and ancillary professionals work closely together.
B) Interprofessional environments are easy to establish, but hard to maintain.
C) Professionals will have more career mobility as healthcare systems change.
D) Healthcare research will be conducted solely by physicians, leaving patient care to nurses.

Question 18

Initial conflict resolution includes using which strategy?

A) Developing more self-confidence.
B) Avoiding the situation.
C) Questioning throughout the process.
D) Obtaining a neutral third party to assist.

Question 19

The manager has asked the staff to participate in the selection of new intravenous pumps for the unit. The manger has provided a list of choices and budget guidelines. This is an example of use of which management strategy?

A) Use of expert power
B) Use of legitimate power
C) Empowerment of staff
D) Management persuasiveness

Question 20

The nursing department of a hospital is engaged in collaborative planning with the laboratory and radiology department of the same hospital. What are the benefits of this collaborative planning? Select all that apply.

A) It maximizes resources such as staff and equipment.
B) It keeps one department from getting too big a share of the budget.
C) It minimizes duplication of work.
D) It improves the relationship among these departments.
E) It makes the best use of space available.

Question 21

A major conflict has arisen among staff nurses regarding holiday days off on the next schedule. One of the nurses has a history of destructive behavior associated with conflict that the nurse manager would like to catch before the behavior affects the operation of the unit. What behaviors, by this nurse, should the manager watch out for? Select all that apply.

A) The nurse ignored the policy for 15-minute work breaks and was away from the unit for 30 minutes.
B) When asked about the conflict the nurse states, "I don't know what you are talking about."
C) The nurse states, "We have a problem with this scheduling, but I bet we can work it out."
D) The nurse avoids going into the nursing station when an "opponent" in the conflict is present.
E) The nurse has lunch with a nurse from another unit.

Question 22

You are a new nurse manager and your mentor who is a nurse manager provides you with some guidelines about coordination. What would your mentor include? Select all that apply.

A) Staff need to understand the purpose of coordination.
B) Expect staff to use coordination effectively.
C) Policies and procedures are not standard part of coordination.
D) Coordination is an element to be assessed in staff performance appraisal.
E) Discuss coordination during staff meetings and orientation on the unit.

Question 23

How is the leadership theory of Emotional Intelligence related to collaboration?

A) Collaboration is most effective in a bureaucratic structure.
B) Collaboration requires problem solving.
C) Collaboration requires recognition of own feelings.
D) Collaboration requires coordination.

Question 24

After a new management company took over the operations of a hospital many changes in policy were made. The nurse manager overhears a conversation in the break room that included comments such as, "I don't know why I even try" and "No one pays any attention to us anyway." What results of these feelings should the nurse manager watch for on the unit? Select all that apply.

A) Lack of creative problem solving in the staff
B) Deterioration in morale
C) Increased effort by other nurses to make needed changes
D) New staff being increasingly alienated from those who have been employed longer
E) Change in the culture of the unit

Question 25

How is effective coordination related to patient-centered care?

A) Staff directs the patient to the best decision.
B) Patient needs and preferences need to be included in coordination.
C) Cost is considered before outcomes during coordination of care.
D) Coordination is more related to staff rather than the patient.

Question 26

There are gender differences in how people negotiate. Choose the option that reflects the way males are thought to negotiate.

A) Focus on what is fair.
B) Seek a win-win situation.
C) Overt testing of limits.
D) Refuse to communicate.

Question 27

The nurse is very upset regarding a reprimand issued by the nurse manager. The nurse confronts the nurse manager in the hallway. How should the manager respond?

A) Ignore the situation.
B) Ask the nurse to move to the manager's office.
C) Tell the nurse to calm down and act professionally.
D) Respond to the nurse regarding the reprimand in the hallway.

Question 28

Which statement best describes collaboration?

A) Collaboration is a process.
B) Goals may be different among staff collaborating.
C) Collaboration is positive.
D) Collaboration occurs between two people.

Question 29

Which of the following tools that is used to support patient care coordination is patient-centered?

A) Clinical practice guidelines
B) Clinical pathways
C) Risk management
D) Disease management
E) Case management

Question 30

Select the major goals of conflict management. Select all that apply.

A) To meet the needs of the patient, family or significant others, and the organization
B) To decrease conflict
C) To encourage staff to be more aggressive in dealing with conflict
D) To ensure all parties feels positive about resolution to conflict
E) To eliminate the possibility of conflict