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NUR 204/ NUR204 Leadership and Management
Review Exam 1 Actual Exam 2026/2027 – Complete
Exam-Style Questions with Detailed Rationales | 100%
Verified – Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
Section 1: Leadership Theories & Styles (Questions 1-12)
Q1: A nurse manager encourages staff to participate in decision-making regarding unit schedules
and patient care protocols. The manager focuses on empowering the team and fostering
professional growth. Which leadership style is this manager primarily demonstrating?
A. Autocratic
B. Laissez-faire
C. Democratic
D. Transactional
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Democratic leadership involves shared decision-making and team empowerment.
Autocratic (A) involves unilateral decision-making. Laissez-faire (B) is a hands-off approach.
Transactional (D) focuses on rewards and punishments based on compliance.
Q2: A nurse leader inspires the nursing staff by creating a shared vision for the unit and
motivating them to exceed performance standards through intrinsic motivation rather than just
rewards. This describes which leadership theory?
A. Transformational Leadership
B. Situational Leadership
C. Servant Leadership
D. Bureaucratic Leadership
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Transformational leadership focuses on inspiring and motivating followers to achieve
extraordinary outcomes and often transcend their own self-interests. Situational leadership (B)
adapts style to follower maturity. Servant leadership (C) focuses on serving the needs of others.
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Q3: According to Hersey-Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Model, a nurse is caring for a new
graduate nurse who is eager but lacks experience in a specific critical care skill. Which
leadership style is most appropriate for the leader to use?
A. Delegating (S4)
B. Participating (S3)
C. Selling (S2)
D. Telling (S1)
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The new graduate has high willingness (commitment) but low ability (competence),
which corresponds to the "Enthusiastic Beginner" (R1). The appropriate style is "Selling" (S2),
which is directive and supportive, providing high direction and high support. Telling (D1) is low
support, Delegating (D4) is low direction.
Q4: Which statement best describes the fundamental difference between leadership and
management?
A. Leadership focuses on tasks, while management focuses on people.
B. Leadership is an appointed position, while management is an informal role.
C. Leadership involves influence and creating change, while management involves processes and
maintaining stability.
D. Managers are leaders, but leaders are not necessarily managers.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Leadership is often defined as the ability to influence others toward a goal or vision,
whereas management is the process of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling resources
to achieve goals. While there is overlap, leadership is about change and influence, and
management is about stability and efficiency. Option D is partially true but doesn't define the
core functional difference.
Q5: A nurse leader notices that a staff nurse is dealing with a family crisis and is distracted at
work. Instead of reprimanding the nurse, the leader arranges for coverage and offers counseling
resources. This is an example of:
A. Servant Leadership
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B. Authoritarian Leadership
C. Bureaucratic Leadership
D. Transactional Leadership
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Servant leadership prioritizes the needs of the employees, helping them grow and
perform as highly as possible. By showing empathy and support rather than punishment for the
immediate performance dip, the leader serves the follower. Transactional (D) would focus on the
performance deficit itself.
Q6: A nurse manager uses a reward system where staff receive "extra points" for perfect
attendance, which can be traded for preferential shift selection. This is an example of:
A. Transformational Leadership
B. Laissez-faire Leadership
C. Transactional Leadership
D. Shared Governance
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Transactional leadership relies on a system of rewards (contingent reward) and
punishments (management by exception) to motivate compliance. It focuses on the exchange
relationship between leader and follower.
Q7: Which component of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) allows a nurse leader to recognize their
own stress triggers and how those emotions affect their decision-making before a staff meeting?
A. Self-regulation
B. Self-awareness
C. Empathy
D. Social skills
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand one's own moods, emotions,
and drives, as well as their effect on others. Self-regulation (A) is controlling or redirecting those
disruptive impulses.
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Q8: In a high-stress situation like a cardiac arrest, the charge nurse takes charge, assigns specific
roles (compressor, medication nurse, recorder), and gives direct orders. This is an appropriate
application of which leadership style?
A. Democratic
B. Laissez-faire
C. Autocratic
D. Servant
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: While autocratic leadership is generally discouraged in daily management for morale,
it is appropriate and necessary in emergencies where rapid, decisive action is required and there
is no time for discussion or consensus.
Q9: A nurse is described by colleagues as someone who "goes with the flow," rarely challenges
the status quo, and does what is told without question. According to followership theory, this
type of follower is known as a:
A. Effective Follower
B. Conformist Follower
C. Passive Follower
D. Alienated Follower
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A conformist follower is passive but dependent on the leader. They do what they are
told, are active, but do not think critically or challenge the system. A passive follower (C)
requires constant supervision.
Q10: A nurse manager is frustrated that staff are not adhering to new charting guidelines. The
manager holds a meeting to explain the legal reasons for the guidelines and sets up a monitoring
system with immediate feedback for errors. This approach aligns with which leadership theory?
A. Quantum Leadership
B. Complexity Leadership
NUR 204/ NUR204 Leadership and Management
Review Exam 1 Actual Exam 2026/2027 – Complete
Exam-Style Questions with Detailed Rationales | 100%
Verified – Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
Section 1: Leadership Theories & Styles (Questions 1-12)
Q1: A nurse manager encourages staff to participate in decision-making regarding unit schedules
and patient care protocols. The manager focuses on empowering the team and fostering
professional growth. Which leadership style is this manager primarily demonstrating?
A. Autocratic
B. Laissez-faire
C. Democratic
D. Transactional
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Democratic leadership involves shared decision-making and team empowerment.
Autocratic (A) involves unilateral decision-making. Laissez-faire (B) is a hands-off approach.
Transactional (D) focuses on rewards and punishments based on compliance.
Q2: A nurse leader inspires the nursing staff by creating a shared vision for the unit and
motivating them to exceed performance standards through intrinsic motivation rather than just
rewards. This describes which leadership theory?
A. Transformational Leadership
B. Situational Leadership
C. Servant Leadership
D. Bureaucratic Leadership
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Transformational leadership focuses on inspiring and motivating followers to achieve
extraordinary outcomes and often transcend their own self-interests. Situational leadership (B)
adapts style to follower maturity. Servant leadership (C) focuses on serving the needs of others.
,2
Q3: According to Hersey-Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Model, a nurse is caring for a new
graduate nurse who is eager but lacks experience in a specific critical care skill. Which
leadership style is most appropriate for the leader to use?
A. Delegating (S4)
B. Participating (S3)
C. Selling (S2)
D. Telling (S1)
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The new graduate has high willingness (commitment) but low ability (competence),
which corresponds to the "Enthusiastic Beginner" (R1). The appropriate style is "Selling" (S2),
which is directive and supportive, providing high direction and high support. Telling (D1) is low
support, Delegating (D4) is low direction.
Q4: Which statement best describes the fundamental difference between leadership and
management?
A. Leadership focuses on tasks, while management focuses on people.
B. Leadership is an appointed position, while management is an informal role.
C. Leadership involves influence and creating change, while management involves processes and
maintaining stability.
D. Managers are leaders, but leaders are not necessarily managers.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Leadership is often defined as the ability to influence others toward a goal or vision,
whereas management is the process of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling resources
to achieve goals. While there is overlap, leadership is about change and influence, and
management is about stability and efficiency. Option D is partially true but doesn't define the
core functional difference.
Q5: A nurse leader notices that a staff nurse is dealing with a family crisis and is distracted at
work. Instead of reprimanding the nurse, the leader arranges for coverage and offers counseling
resources. This is an example of:
A. Servant Leadership
,3
B. Authoritarian Leadership
C. Bureaucratic Leadership
D. Transactional Leadership
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Servant leadership prioritizes the needs of the employees, helping them grow and
perform as highly as possible. By showing empathy and support rather than punishment for the
immediate performance dip, the leader serves the follower. Transactional (D) would focus on the
performance deficit itself.
Q6: A nurse manager uses a reward system where staff receive "extra points" for perfect
attendance, which can be traded for preferential shift selection. This is an example of:
A. Transformational Leadership
B. Laissez-faire Leadership
C. Transactional Leadership
D. Shared Governance
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Transactional leadership relies on a system of rewards (contingent reward) and
punishments (management by exception) to motivate compliance. It focuses on the exchange
relationship between leader and follower.
Q7: Which component of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) allows a nurse leader to recognize their
own stress triggers and how those emotions affect their decision-making before a staff meeting?
A. Self-regulation
B. Self-awareness
C. Empathy
D. Social skills
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand one's own moods, emotions,
and drives, as well as their effect on others. Self-regulation (A) is controlling or redirecting those
disruptive impulses.
, 4
Q8: In a high-stress situation like a cardiac arrest, the charge nurse takes charge, assigns specific
roles (compressor, medication nurse, recorder), and gives direct orders. This is an appropriate
application of which leadership style?
A. Democratic
B. Laissez-faire
C. Autocratic
D. Servant
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: While autocratic leadership is generally discouraged in daily management for morale,
it is appropriate and necessary in emergencies where rapid, decisive action is required and there
is no time for discussion or consensus.
Q9: A nurse is described by colleagues as someone who "goes with the flow," rarely challenges
the status quo, and does what is told without question. According to followership theory, this
type of follower is known as a:
A. Effective Follower
B. Conformist Follower
C. Passive Follower
D. Alienated Follower
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A conformist follower is passive but dependent on the leader. They do what they are
told, are active, but do not think critically or challenge the system. A passive follower (C)
requires constant supervision.
Q10: A nurse manager is frustrated that staff are not adhering to new charting guidelines. The
manager holds a meeting to explain the legal reasons for the guidelines and sets up a monitoring
system with immediate feedback for errors. This approach aligns with which leadership theory?
A. Quantum Leadership
B. Complexity Leadership
