Yoder-Wise: Leading and Managing in Nursing, 7th Edition (135 PAGES!!)

1. As a nurse manager, you observe a staff nurse who over the past few weeks has become withdrawn and has had several absences due to minor ailments. Your best action would be to: a. ask the nurse if she is okay during report. b. refer the nurse to the employee assistance program. c. ask the nurse to meet with you for a few minutes before she leaves for the day. d. write a note to the nurse advising her that her work attendance must improve. ANS: C Stress can lead to emotional symptoms such as depression and a variety of ailments. Meeting with the nurse privately may assist in identifying stress and possible solutions. TOP: AONE competency: Business Skills 2. The nurse manager of a unit has lost many staff members, and the unit is now staffed with a large number of agency and traveling nurses. She knows that the agency and traveling nurses are all contracted to stay on the unit for the next 3 months. One way to improve morale and decrease stress in the unit would be to: a. plan a social event and include the agency and traveling nurse staff members. b. plan unit-based social events for your remaining permanent staff members. c. request hospital-based “floating” nurses to substitute for the temporary staff. d. implement team nursing. ANS: A Social support, in the form of positive work relationships, can be an important way to buffer the effects of a stressful work environment. Including all staff in the social event enables those who are not normally part of the team to experience this support and provides an opportunity for the staff as a whole to develop supportive relationships. TOP: AONE competency: Communication and Relationship-Building 3. As a nurse manager, the one activity you should not overlook is: a. posting the yearly rotation schedule. b. reviewing vacation requests. c. scheduling staffing for holidays 6 months in advance. d. anticipating staff sick days. ANS: B Free time and vacation time are needed for individuals to recharge. If time for work is more than 60% of wake time, or when self-time is less than 10% of wake time, stress levels increase. TOP: AONE competency: Business Skills