Page 1 of 33
oder-Wise’s Leading And Managing In
Canadian Nursing, 2nd Edition, Patricia S.
Yoder-Wise, Janice Waddell, Nancy Walton
1. A nurse manager of a 20-bed medical unit finds that
80% of the patients are older adults. She is asked to
assess and adapt the unit to better meet their unique
needs. According to complexity principles, what would
be the best approach to take in making this change?
A. Leverage the hierarchical management position to get
unit staff involved in assessment and planning.
B. Engage involved staff at all levels in the
decision-making process.
C. Focus the assessment on the unit and omit the hospital
and community environment.
,Page 2 of 33
D. Hire a geriatric specialist to oversee and control the
project.
Answer: B
Rationale: Complexity theory suggests that systems interact
and adapt, and decision-making occurs throughout the
system rather than being held in a hierarchy. In complexity
theory, everyone’s opinion counts; therefore, all levels of
staff should be involved in decision-making.
2. A unit manager receives a phone call from a nurse
who has called in sick five times in the past month. The
nurse explains that he must often care for his wife, who
is undergoing treatment for breast cancer. In the practice
of a strengths-based nursing leader, what would be the
best approach?
A. Line up agency nurses who can be called in to work on
,Page 3 of 33
short notice.
B. Place the nurse on unpaid leave for the remainder of his
wife’s treatment.
C. Sympathise with the nurse’s dilemma and let the charge
nurse know that this nurse may be calling in frequently.
D. Work with the nurse, the staffing office, and other
nurses to arrange his scheduled days off around his wife’s
treatments.
Answer: D
Rationale: Strengths-based nurse leaders honour the
uniqueness of individuals, teams, and systems. Arranging
the schedule around the nurse’s needs creates a win-win
situation, promotes a healthy work environment, and
facilitates the development of all nurses.
, Page 4 of 33
3. A grievance brought by a staff nurse against the unit
manager requires mediation. At the first mediation
session, the staff nurse repeatedly calls the unit
manager’s actions unfair, and the unit manager
continues to reiterate the reasons for the actions. What
would be the best course of action at this time?
A. Send the two participants away to cool down.
B. Ask the staff nurse to propose a solution.
C. Ask the unit manager to propose a solution.
D. Separate the participants and engage in “shuttle
diplomacy.”
Answer: D
Rationale: When parties are entrenched in their positions,
physically separating them and using a mediator to carry
information back and forth (shuttle diplomacy) can reduce
oder-Wise’s Leading And Managing In
Canadian Nursing, 2nd Edition, Patricia S.
Yoder-Wise, Janice Waddell, Nancy Walton
1. A nurse manager of a 20-bed medical unit finds that
80% of the patients are older adults. She is asked to
assess and adapt the unit to better meet their unique
needs. According to complexity principles, what would
be the best approach to take in making this change?
A. Leverage the hierarchical management position to get
unit staff involved in assessment and planning.
B. Engage involved staff at all levels in the
decision-making process.
C. Focus the assessment on the unit and omit the hospital
and community environment.
,Page 2 of 33
D. Hire a geriatric specialist to oversee and control the
project.
Answer: B
Rationale: Complexity theory suggests that systems interact
and adapt, and decision-making occurs throughout the
system rather than being held in a hierarchy. In complexity
theory, everyone’s opinion counts; therefore, all levels of
staff should be involved in decision-making.
2. A unit manager receives a phone call from a nurse
who has called in sick five times in the past month. The
nurse explains that he must often care for his wife, who
is undergoing treatment for breast cancer. In the practice
of a strengths-based nursing leader, what would be the
best approach?
A. Line up agency nurses who can be called in to work on
,Page 3 of 33
short notice.
B. Place the nurse on unpaid leave for the remainder of his
wife’s treatment.
C. Sympathise with the nurse’s dilemma and let the charge
nurse know that this nurse may be calling in frequently.
D. Work with the nurse, the staffing office, and other
nurses to arrange his scheduled days off around his wife’s
treatments.
Answer: D
Rationale: Strengths-based nurse leaders honour the
uniqueness of individuals, teams, and systems. Arranging
the schedule around the nurse’s needs creates a win-win
situation, promotes a healthy work environment, and
facilitates the development of all nurses.
, Page 4 of 33
3. A grievance brought by a staff nurse against the unit
manager requires mediation. At the first mediation
session, the staff nurse repeatedly calls the unit
manager’s actions unfair, and the unit manager
continues to reiterate the reasons for the actions. What
would be the best course of action at this time?
A. Send the two participants away to cool down.
B. Ask the staff nurse to propose a solution.
C. Ask the unit manager to propose a solution.
D. Separate the participants and engage in “shuttle
diplomacy.”
Answer: D
Rationale: When parties are entrenched in their positions,
physically separating them and using a mediator to carry
information back and forth (shuttle diplomacy) can reduce
