Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

Commitment is described as having a sense of passion and commitment to a project without necessarily having a need to control.

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

Research on team-building over many years has established that high-functioning teams are characterized by synergy that takes the team from a collection of individuals to an outcome that is greater than the sum of the parts.

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

Active listening means suspending judgment about what is about to be said and listening to all that is said (and not just the first or last words).It is motivated by a genuine desire to learn about the other person.

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

Active listening in a group creates synergy in that team members really hear one another's ideas and share in decision making.

Question 5

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:

Accepted Answer

Team-building involves moving toward a common vision,which requires commitment.Conflict and clarification of tasks are components in the development of this commitment.

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

Trust is high in high-performing teams and involves not consciously taking advantage of others and behaving in a way that inspires trust.It is the basis by which leaders facilitate the activities and progress of a team.

Question 7

As the nurse manager on a rehab unit,you are asked to come to the tub room immediately because two nursing assistants are having a loud disagreement in front of a patient.You ask the nursing assistants to meet you outside and after ensuring that a third nursing assistant is able to care for the patient,you speak with the two nursing assistants.Which of the following would you ask first?

Accepted Answer

Conflicts are usually based on attempts to protect a person's self-esteem or to alter perceived inequities in power.When a nurse recognizes upset and reaction,the following steps can be helpful (Sportsman,2005):
Identify the triggering event ("What happened to bring on this disagreement today?").
Discover the historical context for each person.
Assess how interdependent each person is on the other.
Identify the issues,goals,and resources involved in the situation.

Question 8

The mediator noticed that tension was still evident between the nurse manager and staff members.He informed the chief nursing officer that to begin team-building,it would be important that everyone:

Accepted Answer

For team-building to occur,team members need to be able to listen actively and respect one another's opinions,while feeling comfortable in openly expressing their own.

Question 9

"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? Focus on:

Accepted Answer

The research of Rath (2007)included many recommendations,one of which was that focusing on mediocre behaviors and on a person's weaknesses will not lead to excellence.Focusing on weaknesses tends to decrease the appreciation,and thus the acknowledgements.

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

Communication involves both senders and receivers and may or may not be a reflection of self-analysis and thoughtful consideration.It always,however,involves thoughts,ideas,opinions,emotions,and feelings.

Question 11

The SBAR system of communications is one of the most used communication systems in health care because:

Accepted Answer

The SBAR system was developed by professionals in the California Kaiser Permanente System and involves direct,respectful communication skills among professionals with the aim of quality patient care.

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:

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

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?

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 14

In the cardiac intensive care unit,there has been simmering discontent about the new nurse manager,who avoids any discussion about her scheduling and practice decisions.The staff have begun to sort into "different camps" depending on how they feel about the manager or the decisions.Which of the following statements MOST accurately describes this situation?

Accepted Answer

Destructive conflict polarizes groups,saps group morale,deepens differences in values,and diverts energy from more important activities,such as patient care.Constructive conflict opens up issues of importance,results in solutions to problems,and enables authentic communication.

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 functioning:

Accepted Answer

A group is a collection of interconnected individuals working together,with a high degree of interdependence,for the same purpose.A team is a unified group that is committed to a common purpose,performance goals,and approach,for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.The conflict indicates that the staff may not be united in a common purpose.

Question 16

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

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a rule that a team can implement to prevent certain negative behaviors such as gossip,backbiting,and bickering that undermine the productivity and functioning of a group.

Question 17

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:

Accepted Answer

When team communication is dominated by a few members,leaving others uninvolved or bored,disagreement is not expressed openly.As a result,team members "stuff" their feelings and wait until after meetings to voice their opinions.

Question 18

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

Accepted Answer

People must agree on the goals and mission with which they are involved.They have to reach some understanding of how they will exist together.Tenets or agreements such as "I will respectfully speak promptly with any team member with whom I have a problem" go a long way to avoid gossiping,backbiting,bickering,and misinterpreting others.Without agreement,people have implicit permission to behave in any manner they choose toward one another,including angry,hostile,hurtful,and acting-out behavior.

Question 19

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 confidence is:

Accepted Answer

Fear of not being able to manage consequences undermines confidence and a sense of competency.

Question 20

Sally (RN)and Melissa (RN)have shared an ongoing conflict since the first day that Melissa worked on the unit.Sally has confided to another colleague that she doesn't even know why the conflict started or what it was about.This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

First impressions are lasting and,as Sally indicates to her colleagues,are often an unconscious response.

Quiz 18: Building Teams Through Communication and Partnerships