C HAPTER 21: E FFECTIVE C ONFLICT
R ESOLUTION AND N EGOTIATION
1. The nurse-manager has learned that two employees are in conflict. The
manager’s fact gathering reveals that the conflict exists because each
employee misunderstands the job description and role of the other
employee. What conflict management strategy should the manager
implement first?
a. Responsibilit y charting
b. Confrontation
c. Behavior change
d. Third part y consultation
ANS: A
Feedback:
When a supervisor delineates job duties to persons in conflict, it is
called responsibilit y charting. This attempt at clearing up the
misunderstanding should be attempted before resorting to other
strategies.
PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page: 565 OBJ: 5
NAT: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment:
Management of Care TOP: Chapter Number: 21: Title:
Managing Unit Conflict KEY: Integrated Process: Nursing
Process BLM: Cognitive Level: Appl y NOT: Multiple
Choice
,2. An employee has come to the manager with a long list of complaints about
a co-worker, all of which are attributable to personalit y factors rather than
unsafe practice. What is the manager’s best initial action?
a. Encourage the employee to speak directl y with the co -worker.
b. Ask the employee to e-mail or text message the complaints to the
co-worker.
c. Arrange for third-party mediation.
d. Acknowledge and document the employee’s complaints.
ANS: A
Feedback:
When team members inappropriatel y expect the manager to solve their
interpersonal conflicts, managers can urge subordinates to attempt to
handle their own problems by using face -to-face communication to
resolve conflicts. This basic approach should be attempted before
mediation. E-mails and text messages are too impersonal for
interpersonal conflicts that can have significant conflict aftermath.
Acknowledging and documenting the complaints offers no course of
action to the employee.
PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page: 565 OBJ: 5
NAT: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment:
Management of Care TOP: Chapter Number: 21: Title:
Managing Unit Conflict KEY: Integrated Process: Nursing
Process BLM: Cognitive Level: Appl y NOT: Multiple
Choice
, 3. The manager has learned that some of the more experienced nurses on the
unit have been playi ng pranks on a newl y hired nurse and delegating their
most challenging tasks to the nurse. What is the manager’s best response
after confirming that these events took place?
a. Offer support and encouragement to the newl y hired nurse.
b. Confront the more experi enced nurses directl y about their behavior.
c. Implement a structure change so the experienced nurses no longer
work at the same time as the new nurse.
d. Arrange for third-party consultation involving the more experienced
nurses, the manager and the new nurse.
ANS: B
Feedback:
The manager must address bull ying directly and promptl y. The nurse
should also offer support to the bullied nurse, but the priorit y is
addressing the behaviors. Separating the group from the individual or
having mediation may eventual l y be necessary, but the manager would
first confront the behavior.
PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page: 567 OBJ: 7 | 8
NAT: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment:
Management of Care TOP: Chapter Number: 21: Title:
Workplace Violence: Scope of th e Problem KEY:
Integrated Process: Nursing Process BLM: Cognitive Level:
Appl y NOT: Multiple Choice
4. Which of the following behaviors should the nurse -manager identify as
workplace violence, incivilit y, or bull ying? Select all that apply .
R ESOLUTION AND N EGOTIATION
1. The nurse-manager has learned that two employees are in conflict. The
manager’s fact gathering reveals that the conflict exists because each
employee misunderstands the job description and role of the other
employee. What conflict management strategy should the manager
implement first?
a. Responsibilit y charting
b. Confrontation
c. Behavior change
d. Third part y consultation
ANS: A
Feedback:
When a supervisor delineates job duties to persons in conflict, it is
called responsibilit y charting. This attempt at clearing up the
misunderstanding should be attempted before resorting to other
strategies.
PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page: 565 OBJ: 5
NAT: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment:
Management of Care TOP: Chapter Number: 21: Title:
Managing Unit Conflict KEY: Integrated Process: Nursing
Process BLM: Cognitive Level: Appl y NOT: Multiple
Choice
,2. An employee has come to the manager with a long list of complaints about
a co-worker, all of which are attributable to personalit y factors rather than
unsafe practice. What is the manager’s best initial action?
a. Encourage the employee to speak directl y with the co -worker.
b. Ask the employee to e-mail or text message the complaints to the
co-worker.
c. Arrange for third-party mediation.
d. Acknowledge and document the employee’s complaints.
ANS: A
Feedback:
When team members inappropriatel y expect the manager to solve their
interpersonal conflicts, managers can urge subordinates to attempt to
handle their own problems by using face -to-face communication to
resolve conflicts. This basic approach should be attempted before
mediation. E-mails and text messages are too impersonal for
interpersonal conflicts that can have significant conflict aftermath.
Acknowledging and documenting the complaints offers no course of
action to the employee.
PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page: 565 OBJ: 5
NAT: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment:
Management of Care TOP: Chapter Number: 21: Title:
Managing Unit Conflict KEY: Integrated Process: Nursing
Process BLM: Cognitive Level: Appl y NOT: Multiple
Choice
, 3. The manager has learned that some of the more experienced nurses on the
unit have been playi ng pranks on a newl y hired nurse and delegating their
most challenging tasks to the nurse. What is the manager’s best response
after confirming that these events took place?
a. Offer support and encouragement to the newl y hired nurse.
b. Confront the more experi enced nurses directl y about their behavior.
c. Implement a structure change so the experienced nurses no longer
work at the same time as the new nurse.
d. Arrange for third-party consultation involving the more experienced
nurses, the manager and the new nurse.
ANS: B
Feedback:
The manager must address bull ying directly and promptl y. The nurse
should also offer support to the bullied nurse, but the priorit y is
addressing the behaviors. Separating the group from the individual or
having mediation may eventual l y be necessary, but the manager would
first confront the behavior.
PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page: 567 OBJ: 7 | 8
NAT: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment:
Management of Care TOP: Chapter Number: 21: Title:
Workplace Violence: Scope of th e Problem KEY:
Integrated Process: Nursing Process BLM: Cognitive Level:
Appl y NOT: Multiple Choice
4. Which of the following behaviors should the nurse -manager identify as
workplace violence, incivilit y, or bull ying? Select all that apply .
