Deck 12: Developing Interprofessional and Intraprofessional Teams

Question 1

A work group has completed its first task and meets to evaluate its work prior to engaging in its next task. The leader should recognize which team member comment as requiring restatement, redirection, or refinement?

A) "I sure was frustrated when we were just setting goals, but it was good once we got underway."
B) "We always get bogged down and waste time."
C) "I got to appreciate Sally's wild ideas more once one of her ideas got us past being stuck last week."
D) "We did an especially good job of writing down our recommendations clearly before posting them."

Answer 1

"We always get bogged down and waste time."

Question 2

The hospital's strategic building plan calls for the nursing unit to double in size within the next year. How can planning for this increase best be accomplished?

A) A consultant who can gather ideas from all involved while avoiding the confrontations and clashes that would occur if all parties gathered to plan together.
B) The nursing manager, who then can offer direct feedback to team members regarding their active roles in the change process.
C) A well-coordinated team to represent all involved, to ensure that all difficult aspects of the change process are considered.
D) An open forum of all staff, so that no workplace teamwork issues go unaddressed.

Answer 2

A well-coordinated team to represent all involved, to ensure that all difficult aspects of the change process are considered.

Question 3

A home health agency will find which benefit when its nurses perform at a high level of teamwork?

A) The nurses will recognize clearly the leadership of their designated nurse manager.
B) Majority and minority viewpoints will be retained well.
C) Disagreements and conflicts will be less likely to arise and be aired at staff meetings.
D) Individual nurses in the agency will be confident in their role and how they contribute to the agency's mission.

Answer 3

Individual nurses in the agency will be confident in their role and how they contribute to the agency's mission.

Question 4

A nursing leader observes conflict in the team. The leader's response to this conflict should be based on which principle?

A) Information and expertise from sources external to the team cause erosion of teamwork.
B) Conflict that is focused on differing personalities is acceptable as long as agreement regarding work issues exists.
C) Total agreement on all matters is not as important as general agreement among members to support decisions of the team.
D) Personal feelings or reactions of members regarding decisions always must be aired immediately.

Question 5

The nursing unit is adopting the "self-directed work team" model. What benefits are likely to occur because of this decision? Select all that apply.

A) Services will be focused on the patient.
B) Centralization will create cost efficiency.
C) Use of small teams of nonprofessional staff led by an RN offers cost savings.
D) Staff retention and productivity will improve.
E) Positive patient, staff, and physician satisfaction.

Question 6

Which action, taken by the administration of a healthcare facility, would likely hinder the success of self-directed work teams?

A) Ensuring that all members of the teams develop skills in leadership and control.
B) Encouraging the creation of specific responsibilities and boundaries for team members.
C) Creating organization-wide performance evaluation tools for management to use in uniform fashion for all teams.
D) Providing for education in technical, interpersonal, communication, and management skills for all team members.

Question 7

An effective nursing leader can foster positive followership by rewarding team members who exhibit which behavior?

A) Respect the need to do their jobs well, and leave evaluation and change to management.
B) Place primary importance on interpersonal relationships and communication among team members.
C) Limit attention to organizational and environmental factors in favor of completing their assigned tasks.
D) Demonstrate individual initiative in meeting nursing care goals while being willing to contribute to ongoing improvement of the organization.

Question 8

What is a major difference between formal teams and informal teams?

A) Formal team members have much in common.
B) Informal teams are formed by the members.
C) Formal teams are rarely formed by the organization.
D) Informal teams are often called committees.

Question 9

An interprofessional discharge planning team has received negative feedback from several patients regarding lack of clarity in post-discharge instructions. Which leader statement is most constructive for this team at this point?

A) "All members of this team need to review their own materials for accuracy, conciseness, and thoroughness."
B) "Perhaps some new members should be added to this group to give us some fresh ideas."
C) "I hate to say this, but you all know that we are going to have to put in some long hours figuring out how to get this job done correctly."
D) "We can handle this feedback using our talents and the way we come together to tackle challenges."

Question 10

Which statement regarding the authority of a team leader is accurate?

A) The team leader in a healthcare organization has authority equal to those individuals who comprise the administrative staff.
B) The team leader has only as much authority as the team members will allow.
C) The team leader relinquishes authority and control as the team gains strength.
D) The team leader has control of the team, but no real authority.

Question 11

What are the basic group skills necessary for development of an effective team? Select all that apply.

A) Communication
B) Negotiation
C) Manipulation of situations
D) Assessment of team dynamics
E) Time management

Question 12

A group of nurses is known for its ability to perform well together to achieve its primary objectives. This group of nurses is demonstrating which characteristics?

A) Teamwork
B) Shared governance
C) A working group
D) Collective individuality

Question 13

A nursing team has been gathered to refine documentation procedures. During its second meeting, two members are passive, two struggle impatiently to get the task underway, and two others are dominating and controlling communication. What should the leader do at this point?

A) Assist the members to get to know one another.
B) Encourage group communication, encouraging all members to share in this process.
C) Set rules regarding the team's purpose, schedule, attendance, roles, tasks, and confidentiality.
D) Guarantee that consensus is reached regarding the team's findings and recommendations.

Question 14

The vice president of nursing for a multi-hospital organization is planning a project team. The team will include members from nursing, medicine, and allied health who will plan the work jointly and will carry it out collaboratively. Each member of the team will be expected to provide the expertise of each profession. Which approach to teamwork is this administrator planning?

A) A multidisciplinary team
B) Team nursing
C) Total patient care
D) An interprofessional team

Question 15

Choose the situations that represent the qualities of a team rather than those of a group. Select all that apply.

A) Nurse recruiters and nurse educators gather to explore and implement a program to recruit males into the profession.
B) Three nurses, a respiratory therapist, two residents, and a nursing assistant all are fully involved in a "code blue."
C) Nurses at a unit meeting attempt to address and resolve interpersonal differences that they have assessed as interfering with nursing care.
D) Nurses meet with a representative of a Master's degree program.
E) Nurses, physicians, and paramedics from around the state attend a trauma symposium where information about traumatic brain injury is presented.

Question 16

A nurse has just been promoted to team leader for a nursing unit and wishes to experience a smooth transition into this job. What is a common mistake made by new team leaders?

A) Being authoritarian due to lack of self-confidence, lack of trust, and fear of poor outcomes.
B) Using a "hands-off" approach due to idealism, a naive sense of trust, and lack of belief in their own judgment.
C) Adapting a highly cooperative approach due to lack of experience and clinical skills.
D) Easily extending an openness to input and participation from team members because of their freedom from negative experiences with this approach.

Question 17

The staff nurse has been asked to assume leadership of a work team. Which strategies should this nurse use to increase the team members' trust? Select all that apply.

A) Keep promises that are made.
B) Give honest feedback.
C) Create a logical excuse for not keeping promises made.
D) Reward followers.
E) Ask followers to defer feedback until the end of the project.

Question 18

Which statement, if made by the team leader, would best enhance teamwork on a long-term care nursing unit?

A) "Nursing assistants must follow directions given by the nurses at the start of the shift."
B) "Let's be sure to take time for fun and getting along with each other during the shift."
C) "You have all completed your orientations. Your job now is to perform the tasks as you have been directed."
D) "The way the shifts work together by passing on useful information at report helps our residents to be safe and comfortable."

Question 19

A team of nurses is developing a procedure for self-scheduling of staff. The leader can assess that motivation is healthy when what occurs?

A) Members applaud the accomplishment of one step by moving on rapidly to the next step of the task.
B) The team members are each independently following the exact directions of the leader.
C) Various members show initiative by also taking on goals related to evaluation methods, social events, and risk prevention.
D) Members patiently wait for direction and permission in their tasks, and quickly stop their work when informed of their mistakes.

Question 20

The nurse manager has done an excellent job of creating a team atmosphere for patient care. Patients receive excellent care, staffing needs of the unit are met internally, and all employees of the unit are valued for their contributions. Which type of teamwork has this manager facilitated?

A) Interprofessional teamwork
B) Multidisciplinary teamwork
C) Total patient care
D) Microsystem

Question 21

Who developed TeamSTEPPS^®?

A) A healthcare system
B) A state health department
C) Insurers
D) The federal government

Question 22

What is the key difference in the charge nurse and the team leaders from the following statements?

A) The charge nurse and team leader have the same responsibilities.
B) The charge nurse has no responsibilities related to the unit teams.
C) The charge nurse focuses on the whole unit and the team leader on a team.
D) The charge nurse is concerned with individual staff and team leaders with groups.

Question 23

Which approach is recommended to implement TeamSTEPPS^®?

A) Cover all content before implementation.
B) Asking staff what they want.
C) Dosing before implementation.
D) Whole training for all staff.

Question 24

Maslow's theory of motivation focuses on a need hierarchy. Place the examples of steps of this hierarchy in order from the lowest to the highest level.

A) This month's meeting is scheduled one day after a bomb scare resulted in the hospital being evacuated.
B) The meeting room assigned to the team is cold.
C) At the first meeting of the team, one of the members states, "I don't know why there are physical therapists on this team. They don't belong to this group."
D) At a team meeting, a member states, "This is a lot of hard work, but it is the right thing to do."
E) Appointment to this team is considered an honor and performing well in the team will increase the team member's chances at promotion.

Question 25

What does TeamSTEPPS recommend as strategies to sustain this model? Select all that apply.

A) Ensure leaders emphasize new skills.
B) Measure success.
C) Update the plan.
D) Celebrate wins.
E) Provide coaching.

Question 26

Which strategy is best used to get a team member back on track and focused? Select all that apply.

A) Review the agenda and identify what still needs to be done.
B) Allow member(s) who have concerns to share them even if takes time.
C) The team leader should take time to explain the issues and tell the team what should be done next.
D) Allow sharing of different views from team members.
E) Begin and end the meeting on time.

Question 27

Place Tuckman's stages of team development in order.

A) Forming
B) Performing
C) Norming
D) Storming

Question 28

Which statement would not relate to the position of the charge nurse?

A) The charge nurse is the nurse manager.
B) The charge nurse is focused on making sure the unit runs well.
C) The charge nurse works with multiple teams.
D) Charge nurses may work on any shift.

Question 29

The nurse leader has assessed that the healthcare team lacks motivation and as a result is not achieving its goals. What can the leader do to change this situation? Select all that apply.

A) Focus on moving the team forward.
B) Help the group set an incremental, more manageable goal.
C) Once a goal is reached, reward the staff.
D) Call a meeting with the staff to look for errors in past performance.
E) Focus on what the team is doing correctly.

Question 30

Choose the options that reflect the needs listed in McClelland's learned need theory of motivation. Select all that apply.

A) The need for money
B) The need for achievement
C) The need for affiliation
D) The need for power
E) The need for status

Question 31

Groupthink can be a barrier to effective team functioning. What are reasons groupthink occurs? Select all that apply.

A) The team pressures members to agree with everyone on the team.
B) The group is closely associated with the consequences of its actions.
C) There is a general closed-mindedness prevalent in the group.
D) The team accepts too many suggestions.
E) Members are unwilling to go against group ideas.