NURS 6053 – INTERPROFESSIONAL
ORGANIZATIONAL AND SYSTEMS
LEADERSHIP (QUARTER 3: 11-WEEK)
EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
Section 1: Interprofessional Collaboration & Team Dynamics (Q1–30)
1. A team leader uses “briefs,” “huddles,” and “debriefs.” This structure comes from: a) Six
Sigma
b) Lean methodology
c) TeamSTEPPS
d) SWOT analysis
Answer: c
Rationale: TeamSTEPPS emphasizes these three tools to enhance communication, planning, and
learning.
2. During a debrief after a rapid response, the team identifies a delay in calling the
attending. The systems leader should focus on: a) Disciplining the nurse who delayed
b) Reviewing the chain of command policy
c) Redesigning the escalation protocol and removing barriers
d) Requiring attendings to carry only one pager
Page 1 of 63
,Answer: c
Rationale: Systems thinking addresses process flaws, not individual blame, to prevent
recurrence.
3. Which of the following best describes horizontal leadership in interprofessional teams?
a) One permanent team leader with final authority
b) Leadership shifts depending on the clinical situation
c) All decisions require hospital administration approval
d) Only physicians can lead code blue responses
Answer: b
Rationale: Horizontal leadership distributes authority based on context, empowering each
professional to lead when their expertise is needed.
4. A conflict arises between nursing and respiratory therapy over weaning protocols.
The best interprofessional strategy is to:
a) Ask the medical director to write a new protocol
b) Form a joint subcommittee to review evidence and propose updates
c) Follow whatever the most senior nurse says
d) Eliminate respiratory therapy from weaning decisions
Answer: b
Rationale: Joint ownership of protocol development builds trust and incorporates both
perspectives, leading to sustainable solutions.
5. Which factor most strongly predicts team effectiveness in healthcare?
a) Individual academic degrees
b) Years of experience of the oldest member
c) Clarity of team goals and roles
,d) Frequency of social events
Answer: c
Rationale: Goal clarity and role definition consistently correlate with performance,
coordination, and satisfaction.
6. A nurse leader wants to assess interprofessional collaboration quantitatively. Which tool is
validated for this purpose? a) Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
b) Maslach Burnout Inventory
c) Collaborative Practice Assessment Tool (CPAT)
d) APACHE score
Answer: c
Rationale: CPAT measures partnership, coordination, and cooperation among health
professions.
7. In the IPEC competency framework, “Values/Ethics for Interprofessional Practice” includes:
a) Respecting the dignity and privacy of team members
b) Performing CPR faster than others
c) Documenting only your own discipline’s notes
d) Avoiding conflict entirely
Answer: a
Rationale: Mutual respect, integrity, and shared ethical standards are core to IPEC values.
8. A team consistently misses discharge goals due to siloed communication. The systems-level
solution is to:
a) Create a shared electronic task list with accountability tracking
b) Email reminders daily to each profession
c) Blame the case manager for poor planning
Page 3 of 63
, d) Shorten all patients’ length of stay arbitrarily
Answer: a
Rationale: A shared digital tool increases transparency, coordination, and mutual awareness of
progress.
9. A nurse leader is forming an interprofessional team to reduce hospital readmissions.
Which first step best promotes effective collaboration? a)
Assign roles based on job descriptions
b) Develop a shared mission and ground rules
c) Schedule weekly meetings immediately
d) Require physician approval for all decisions
Answer: b
Rationale: A shared mission and ground rules align team efforts, build trust, and clarify
expectations before diving into tasks.
10. During a team meeting, the pharmacist disagrees with the nurse’s discharge teaching plan.
Using conflict-resolution principles, the leader should: a) Side with the pharmacist to maintain
hierarchy
b) Table the discussion until the physician arrives
c) Facilitate open dialogue focused on patient safety
d) Ask both to submit written arguments separately
Answer: c
Rationale: Open dialogue focused on patient safety encourages respectful debate and evidence-
based solutions without personal conflict.
11. Which behavior is a hallmark of high-performing interprofessional teams?
ORGANIZATIONAL AND SYSTEMS
LEADERSHIP (QUARTER 3: 11-WEEK)
EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
Section 1: Interprofessional Collaboration & Team Dynamics (Q1–30)
1. A team leader uses “briefs,” “huddles,” and “debriefs.” This structure comes from: a) Six
Sigma
b) Lean methodology
c) TeamSTEPPS
d) SWOT analysis
Answer: c
Rationale: TeamSTEPPS emphasizes these three tools to enhance communication, planning, and
learning.
2. During a debrief after a rapid response, the team identifies a delay in calling the
attending. The systems leader should focus on: a) Disciplining the nurse who delayed
b) Reviewing the chain of command policy
c) Redesigning the escalation protocol and removing barriers
d) Requiring attendings to carry only one pager
Page 1 of 63
,Answer: c
Rationale: Systems thinking addresses process flaws, not individual blame, to prevent
recurrence.
3. Which of the following best describes horizontal leadership in interprofessional teams?
a) One permanent team leader with final authority
b) Leadership shifts depending on the clinical situation
c) All decisions require hospital administration approval
d) Only physicians can lead code blue responses
Answer: b
Rationale: Horizontal leadership distributes authority based on context, empowering each
professional to lead when their expertise is needed.
4. A conflict arises between nursing and respiratory therapy over weaning protocols.
The best interprofessional strategy is to:
a) Ask the medical director to write a new protocol
b) Form a joint subcommittee to review evidence and propose updates
c) Follow whatever the most senior nurse says
d) Eliminate respiratory therapy from weaning decisions
Answer: b
Rationale: Joint ownership of protocol development builds trust and incorporates both
perspectives, leading to sustainable solutions.
5. Which factor most strongly predicts team effectiveness in healthcare?
a) Individual academic degrees
b) Years of experience of the oldest member
c) Clarity of team goals and roles
,d) Frequency of social events
Answer: c
Rationale: Goal clarity and role definition consistently correlate with performance,
coordination, and satisfaction.
6. A nurse leader wants to assess interprofessional collaboration quantitatively. Which tool is
validated for this purpose? a) Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
b) Maslach Burnout Inventory
c) Collaborative Practice Assessment Tool (CPAT)
d) APACHE score
Answer: c
Rationale: CPAT measures partnership, coordination, and cooperation among health
professions.
7. In the IPEC competency framework, “Values/Ethics for Interprofessional Practice” includes:
a) Respecting the dignity and privacy of team members
b) Performing CPR faster than others
c) Documenting only your own discipline’s notes
d) Avoiding conflict entirely
Answer: a
Rationale: Mutual respect, integrity, and shared ethical standards are core to IPEC values.
8. A team consistently misses discharge goals due to siloed communication. The systems-level
solution is to:
a) Create a shared electronic task list with accountability tracking
b) Email reminders daily to each profession
c) Blame the case manager for poor planning
Page 3 of 63
, d) Shorten all patients’ length of stay arbitrarily
Answer: a
Rationale: A shared digital tool increases transparency, coordination, and mutual awareness of
progress.
9. A nurse leader is forming an interprofessional team to reduce hospital readmissions.
Which first step best promotes effective collaboration? a)
Assign roles based on job descriptions
b) Develop a shared mission and ground rules
c) Schedule weekly meetings immediately
d) Require physician approval for all decisions
Answer: b
Rationale: A shared mission and ground rules align team efforts, build trust, and clarify
expectations before diving into tasks.
10. During a team meeting, the pharmacist disagrees with the nurse’s discharge teaching plan.
Using conflict-resolution principles, the leader should: a) Side with the pharmacist to maintain
hierarchy
b) Table the discussion until the physician arrives
c) Facilitate open dialogue focused on patient safety
d) Ask both to submit written arguments separately
Answer: c
Rationale: Open dialogue focused on patient safety encourages respectful debate and evidence-
based solutions without personal conflict.
11. Which behavior is a hallmark of high-performing interprofessional teams?
