Question 1

The Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation (SBAR)system of communications is one of the most widely used communication systems in health care because:
A) It deals with all aspects of communications in patient care except communication with the physician.
B) The nurse is on the same communication level as administration.
C) It focuses on how information is provided and gleaned in an honourable way.
D) It honours an unstructured transfer of information.

Accepted Answer

The SBAR system focuses on structured communication, ensuring information is exchanged in a clear, concise, and systematic way, which is crucial in healthcare settings for effective patient care. It does not exclude communication with physicians, nor does it specifically address communication hierarchies or promote unstructured information transfer.

Question 2

The mediator asked each staff member to reflect on his or her communication style.Which of the following best describes communication?
A) It is a reflection of self-analysis.
B) It is a result of thoughtful consideration.
C) It consists of thoughts,ideas,opinions,emotions,and feelings.
D) It focuses on the sender of the message.

Accepted Answer

Communication involves more than just conveying information. It also encompasses the thoughts, ideas, opinions, emotions, and feelings that are expressed during the exchange. This statement suggests that each staff member should reflect on how their communication style conveys these aspects of communication.

Question 3

"I really wish that my supervisor would realize and acknowledge all the things I do well…." In nursing,this has been identified as a problem.Which statement is part of the solution?
A) Focus on new staff.
B) Focus on unfamiliar care assignments.
C) Focus on making corrections.
D) Focus on the strengths of the individual.

Accepted Answer

Focusing on the strengths of the individual can help to increase their self-esteem and motivation, and can also provide opportunities for the supervisor to recognize and acknowledge their accomplishments. This can lead to improved job satisfaction and work performance. Focusing on new staff or unfamiliar care assignments may not address the specific issue of recognition and acknowledgement for a specific individual. Making corrections is important, but this does not address the underlying issue of recognition and acknowledgement for a job well done.

Question 4

The nurse manager used a mediator to help resolve conflicts on the unit.During the mediation process,the nurse manager saw signs of potential team building.One key concept of an effective team is:
A) Conflict.
B) Task clarity.
C) Commitment.
D) A designated leader.

Accepted Answer

Commitment is a key concept of an effective team. When team members are committed to a shared objective, they are more likely to work collaboratively and resolve conflicts in a constructive manner. A designated leader can also be helpful in facilitating this process, but it is not the most important factor in building an effective team. Conflict can be a natural part of team dynamics, but it is not a key concept in building an effective team. Task clarity is important for ensuring that team members understand their roles and responsibilities, but it is not the most important factor in building an effective team.

Question 5

Kelis and Melissa,both RNs,have shared an ongoing conflict since the first day that Melissa worked on the unit.Kelis has confided to another colleague that she did not even know why the conflict started or what it was about.This is an example of:
A) How expectations and objectives need to be made clear in team situations.
B) The need to encourage open discussion of disagreements in opinions.
C) The importance of involving all staff in discussions in group settings.
D) The enduring nature of first impressions.

Accepted Answer

First impressions can have a lasting impact on relationships, and unresolved conflicts can persist without a clear understanding of their origins.

Question 6

The state of being emotionally impelled,demonstrated by a sense of passion and dedication to a project or event,describes:
A) Commitment.
B) Control.
C) Willingness to cooperate.
D) Communication.

Accepted Answer

The state of being emotionally impelled with a passionate dedication to a project or event is an indication of commitment.

Question 7

The nurse manager was upset with the staff nurse and said,"You did not understand what I said." Which element in the communication process was she referring to?
A) Feedback between receiver and sender.
B) A message channel.
C) A receiver who decodes the message.
D) A set of barriers that may occur between sender and receiver.

Accepted Answer

Problems can occur at any point in communication and result in miscommunication.In this instance,it can be assumed that there was a sender,a receiver,a channel,and feedback.In this scenario,barriers such as distractions,inadequate knowledge,differences in perceptions,and emotions and personality may have resulted in misunderstanding between the manager and the staff nurse.

Question 8

The chief nursing officer decided that the nurse managers need a series of staff development programs on team building through communication and partnerships.She understood that the nurse managers needed to build confidence in ways of handling various situations.The greatest deterrent to building confidence is:
A) Lack of clarity in the mission.
B) Lack of control of the environment.
C) Fear that one cannot handle the consequences.
D) Fear that the boss will not like one's work.

Accepted Answer

Fear that one cannot handle the consequences is often the greatest deterrent to building confidence. In the case of nurse managers, they may fear not being able to handle difficult situations or making the wrong decisions that could harm patients. The staff development programs on team building through communication and partnerships may help to address this fear and build the confidence of the nurse managers.

Question 9

The nurse educator was giving a workshop on team building.She noted that effective communication is essential for team building.One of the key questions in the workshop was,"What is the best way to check to see whether what you have communicated to a team member is understood the way you meant it to be understood?" The correct response is which of the following options?
A) Active listening and feedback.
B) Cues from nonverbal communications.
C) Content and context clues.
D) Reliance on paralanguage.

Accepted Answer

Active listening and feedback are the best way to check whether what you have communicated to a team member is understood the way you meant it to be understood. Active listening involves paying attention to what the team member is saying and reflecting it back to them to ensure that you have correctly understood. Feedback involves asking the team member to repeat or summarize what you have told them to ensure that they have understood it correctly. Both of these methods are effective in clarifying any misunderstandings and promoting effective communication within the team. Cues from nonverbal communications, content and context clues, and reliance on paralanguage may also provide useful information, but they are not as reliable as active listening and feedback.

Question 10

In addressing nursing students in the lounge area,the unit manager was discussing team leadership and team effectiveness.She stated,"One can agree to disagree with another team member's perspective even when one doesn't necessarily see that perspective as being the correct one." In being creative,which of the following basic rules was she talking about?
A) Listening actively.
B) Being compassionate.
C) Being flexible.
D) Committing to resolution.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In addressing nursing students in the lounge...

Question 11

Which of the following is a characteristic of a good team member?
A) Inflexibility.
B) Cooperation.
C) Enlarging.
D) Playing politics.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is a characteristic...

Question 12

You are charged with developing a new nursing curriculum and are committed to developing a curriculum that reflects the needs of the profession and of the workplace.To address deficits that may already be present in nursing curricula related to the workplace,you include more content and skills development related to:
A) Therapeutic communication with patients.
B) Effective communication in the workplace.
C) Increased emphasis on sender-receiver dyads.
D) Generational differences in communication.

Accepted Answer

Nursing programs teach therapeutic communications with patients and their families.Little focus,however,is placed on effective communication in the workplace,although communication is essential to building and maintaining smoothly functioning teams.

Question 13

By following a shared leadership model,the nurse manager believes that staff members will learn to function synergistically.Some teams function synergistically because members:
A) Do not volunteer unwanted information.
B) Actively listen to each other.
C) Listen to the person who believes he or she is an expert.
D) Do not speak unless they are absolutely sure they are correct in their views.

Accepted Answer

Synergistic teams actively listen to each other and build off each other's ideas, which leads to a more cohesive and effective team dynamic. Option A could lead to important information being withheld, while option C could lead to one person dominating the group and ignoring other valuable contributions. Option D could also result in valuable input being left unspoken.

Question 14

A mediator suggested that the nurse manager and staff members decide on a method to resolve conflicts.Why is it important to have agreements about how team members will work together?
A) If there are no agreements,each member will make up his or her own procedures without consensus.
B) People are naturally difficult and will not work well together without such agreements.
C) People will naturally ask for agreements about how to be together.
D) A way to eliminate nonproductive team members must be available.

Accepted Answer

Without clear agreements on how team members will work together, each member may have their own conflicting procedures or may not know how to work together effectively. This can create confusion, misunderstandings, and conflicts. Establishing agreements promotes teamwork, clarity, and consensus. Option B is not true as people can work well together if there are clear agreements in place. Option C is not a comprehensive explanation for why agreements are important. Option D is not appropriate as it suggests taking action against team members, rather than promoting collaboration.

Question 15

A nurse manager is experiencing conflicts between herself and staff members.She had tried to develop a team by using a shared leadership model to empower the staff.Staff members are actually functioning:
A) As a team.
B) Independently.
C) Interdependently.
D) As a group.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A nurse manager is experiencing conflicts between...

Question 16

After staff meetings lately,Sharon,the head nurse,observes her staff in small groups,having animated discussions that end abruptly when she approaches.Sharon reflects on this observation and realizes that:
A) Two very outspoken members tend to dominate discussions in meetings.
B) This behaviour is indicative of a high level of communication among her staff.
C) Staff members are uncomfortable openly discussing their feelings in front of the head nurse.
D) Ongoing discussion outside of meetings is conducive to creativity.

Accepted Answer

The observation that staff members have animated discussions that end abruptly when the head nurse approaches suggests that staff members are uncomfortable openly discussing their feelings in front of the head nurse. This could indicate a lack of trust or fear of retaliation for speaking up, both of which could be detrimental to effective communication and team dynamics. As the head nurse, Sharon may need to work on building a culture of open communication and trust within her team.

Question 17

The staff development educator developed strategies to help nurse managers actively listen.Guidelines for active listening include which of the following?
A) Speed up your internal processes so that you can process more data.
B) Realize that the first words of the sender are the most important.
C) Be prepared to make an effective judgement of the communication sender.
D) Cultivate a desire to learn about the other person.

Accepted Answer

Active listening requires the listener to cultivate a desire to learn about the other person, understand their perspective, and focus on the message they are conveying. Speeding up internal processes or making quick judgments can impede active listening, and the first words of the sender may not necessarily be the most important.

Question 18

Trust is an important aspect of helping relationships,therapeutic communications,and the positive communications model.Which statement does not involve or operationally define trust?
A) Trust can be described as a belief that although the nurse is capable of helping in times of distress,the nurse is unlikely do so.
B) Trust is the basis by which leaders facilitate the activities and progress of a team.
C) Trust is critical in teams and interdisciplinary teams.
D) Trust is an important aspect of interpersonal relationships.

Accepted Answer

This statement does not involve or operationally define trust, as it suggests a lack of trust rather than a definition or description of what trust is. The other statements provide descriptions or definitions of trust and how it relates to different contexts.

Question 19

The mediator suggested to the unit staff that a group agreement needed to be made so that meetings could become productive.For example,the group agreement "We will speak supportively" prevents:
A) Side conversations during meetings.
B) Gossiping and backbiting.
C) Feedback when one member of the group disagrees with the discussion.
D) Voting negatively on motions.

Accepted Answer

The group agreement "We will speak supportively" specifically addresses gossiping and backbiting, which can be a major obstacle to productive meetings. While the other options listed may also be important to address, they are not directly prevented by this particular group agreement.

Question 20

From the information presented in this chapter,which of the following statements best defines an accomplished team?
A) They can create a form of synergism in which the outcome is greater than the sum of the individual performances.
B) They do not necessarily need goals,objectives,vision,and a clearly stated purpose.
C) They do not always have effective communication patterns.
D) They may or may not have a clear plan that is followed and revisited and has an ongoing evaluation scheme.

Accepted Answer

An accomplished team is one that can create a form of synergism in which the outcome is greater than the sum of the individual performances. This means that the team is able to work together effectively and achieve more than each individual could on their own. Goals, objectives, vision, a clearly stated purpose, effective communication patterns, and a clear plan with ongoing evaluation are all important factors that can help a team achieve this level of performance, but they alone do not define an accomplished team.

Quiz 20: Building Teams Through Communication and Partnerships

The Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation (SBAR) system of communications is one of the most widely used communication systems in health care because:

The mediator asked each staff member to reflect on his or her communication style.Which of the following best describes communication?

"I really wish that my supervisor would realize and acknowledge all the things I do well…." In nursing,this has been identified as a problem.Which statement is part of the solution?

The nurse manager used a mediator to help resolve conflicts on the unit.During the mediation process,the nurse manager saw signs of potential team building.One key concept of an effective team is:

Kelis and Melissa,both RNs,have shared an ongoing conflict since the first day that Melissa worked on the unit.Kelis has confided to another colleague that she did not even know why the conflict started or what it was about.This is an example of:

The state of being emotionally impelled,demonstrated by a sense of passion and dedication to a project or event,describes:

The nurse manager was upset with the staff nurse and said,"You did not understand what I said." Which element in the communication process was she referring to?

Which of the following is a characteristic of a good team member?

By following a shared leadership model,the nurse manager believes that staff members will learn to function synergistically.Some teams function synergistically because members:

A mediator suggested that the nurse manager and staff members decide on a method to resolve conflicts.Why is it important to have agreements about how team members will work together?

A nurse manager is experiencing conflicts between herself and staff members.She had tried to develop a team by using a shared leadership model to empower the staff.Staff members are actually functioning:

After staff meetings lately,Sharon,the head nurse,observes her staff in small groups,having animated discussions that end abruptly when she approaches.Sharon reflects on this observation and realizes that:

The staff development educator developed strategies to help nurse managers actively listen.Guidelines for active listening include which of the following?

Trust is an important aspect of helping relationships,therapeutic communications,and the positive communications model.Which statement does not involve or operationally define trust?

The mediator suggested to the unit staff that a group agreement needed to be made so that meetings could become productive.For example,the group agreement "We will speak supportively" prevents:

From the information presented in this chapter,which of the following statements best defines an accomplished team?