Nursing Leadership Exam 2 Questions and Answers
Chapters 7-14
Chapter 7 Communication Leadership
1. The process in which information, perception, and understanding are transmitted from person to
person is:
a.
articulation.
b.
communication.
c.
evaluation.
d.
pronunciation.
Communication is the process in which information, perception, and understanding are transmitted from
person to person.
2. Unspoken affective or expressive behaviors best describe which type of communication?
a.
Effective communication
b.
Ineffective communication
c.
Non-verbal communication
d.
Verbal communication
Non-verbal communication is unspoken. It is composed of affective or expressive behaviors.
3. A communication model that focuses on compassion, expression of emotion, and providing validation
via support is the:
a.
validation, emotion, reassurance, activity (VERA) framework.
b.
situation, background, assessment, and recommendation
(SBAR) Communication Theory.
c.
nonviolent communication (NVC) model.
d.
Human Relationship Model.
The VERA (validation, emotion, reassurance, activity) framework for communication was developed to
meet a need for nursing students who were at a loss to communicate with persons with communication
difficulties (Hawkes et al., 2015).
4. A human communication activity designed to influence another to change attitudes or alter behaviors
by the use of techniques such as argument, reasoning, or pleading is known as:
a.
advisement.
b.
consultation.
c.
persuasion.
d.
suggestion.
Persuasion is a human communication activity designed to influence another to change attitudes or alter
behaviors by the use of techniques such as argument, reasoning, or pleading.
5. Which of the following is true about negotiation?
a.
It commonly results in a win-lose situation.
b.
It is aimed at solving problems, conflicts, or disputes.
c.
It is used only in contract and labor union disputes.
d.
It is the exchanging of favors or trading activity.
Negotiation is a dialogical discussion between two or more parties to arrive at an agreement about some
issue. It is used to solve problems, conflicts, or disputes.
, 6. A nursing preceptor is giving feedback to a new nurse who currently is being oriented. Her preceptor
suggests a better method of interacting with a family member by saying, “You might want to be
cognizant of your non-verbal behaviors when talking with clients. Rather than continuing to chart when
you are talking with an American family, stop charting, move closer to the family and client, look at them
during the conversation, and take time to let them share their concerns.” This preceptor is giving advice
about:
a.
interpersonal communication.
b.
clarity.
c.
image.
d.
intention.
If the verbal message is clear, but the non-verbal communication is not congruent, then listeners may
misinterpret, distrust, or not even hear the intended message. In this situation, the nurse’s non-verbal
behavior may suggest that she is not interested in interacting with the family.
7. The transformational leader engages staff by:
a.
punishing errors.
b.
sharing vision and decision making.
c.
taking a top-down approach to leadership.
d.
making unilateral decisions for the team.
Effective transformational nurse leaders will engage their staff through role modeling and mentorship of
inclusion behaviors such as developing rapport, sharing vision and decision making, providing
constructive feedback, and communicating successful outcomes. The communication of transformational
leaders is focused on positive interchanges, rather than punishment, and inclusion in decision making
versus authoritarianism.
8. An example of an external variable that may affect communication is:
a.
circumstance.
b.
personality.
c.
thoughts.
d.
feelings.
Communication may be affected by the interaction of external variables (others, a situation) and internal
variables (you). Internal factors are the only thing under our own control. We have little control over
others or the situation, because those are external to us.
9. communication patterns exist between colleagues and serve to contribute to a hostile
work environment, high turnover, burnout, and job dissatisfaction.
a.
Defensive
b.
Disruptive
c.
Negotiating
d.
Humanizing
Documentation in literature is extensive regarding disruptive and distracting communication
interactions not only between nurses and colleagues but also between nurses and patients. The research
indicates that nursing personnel experience high turnover rates, job dissatisfaction, and burnout; many
registered nurses are leaving the profession. The work environment is described as hostile to nurses,
and patient outcomes of increased severity of illness and mortality have been directly related to poor
communication skills of the staff.
10. Over lunch in the cafeteria, student nurses are sharing educational information about the patients
for whom they are caring. This is a(n):
a.
breach of beneficence.
b.
example of maleficence.
c.
potential assault and battery charge.
, d violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
.
HIPAA provisions have heightened awareness about and encouraged strategies to protect a patient’s
privacy in health care transactions. This is an example of breach of confidentiality.
11. Interpersonal communication is defined as:
a.
the conscious intent by one individual to modify the thoughts or behaviors of others.
b.
a combination of written and spoken communication.
c.
a theory used to describe a manner of communicating.
d.
communication between two or more individuals involving face-to-face interaction.
Interpersonal communication is defined as communication between two or more individuals
involving face-to-face interaction while all parties are aware of the others on an ongoing basis.
12. Organizational tones are based mostly on:
a.
unspoken cultural norms.
b.
commitment to success.
c.
communication behavior.
d.
leadership styles.
The entire tone of the organization is based mostly on unspoken cultural norms. Because nurses make up
the bulk of the health care workforce, having nurse leaders at the helm of the organization can influence
the culture and climate of the organization as a whole.
13. Which communication technique is most effective when handling patient complaints?
a.
Persuasion
b.
Bargaining
c.
Negotiation
d.
Non-verbal cues
Negotiation is a dialogical discussion between two or more parties to arrive at an agreement about some
issue.
14. A communication system developed originally to address communication patterns in critical situations is:
a.
VERA framework.
b.
NVC model.
c.
crucial conversations.
d.
TeamSTEPPS.
Communication effectiveness becomes crucial in times of emergency or disaster. TeamSTEPPS was
initially developed to address communication issues between nurses and providers during critical
patient events.
15. The number one cause of preventable medical errors is:
a.
hostile work environments.
b.
poor communication.
c.
ineffective leadership.
d.
staff competency.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has collected data regarding patient safety over
many years. They discovered that poor communication was the number one cause of preventable
medical errors (Kleiner et al., 2014). After discovering the staggering number of preventable medical
errors and recognizing that communication problems were cited as the number one contributor, the
AHRQ partnered with the Department of Defense (DOD) and developed the TeamSTEPPS program
(AHRQ, 2016).
, 16. Which communication format was developed to address the communication arm of the
TeamSTEPPS model?
a.
NVC (nonviolent communication)
b.
SBAR (situation, background, assessment, and recommendation)
c.
VERA (validation, emotion, reassurance, activity)
d.
MI (motivational interviewing)
To address the “communication arm” of the TeamSTEPPS model strategies such as SBAR have been
created to enhance teamwork communication. One of the strategies that has been well documented and
is familiar to nurses is SBAR, which stands for situation, background, assessment, and recommendation.
1. Effective communication is fostered through which of the following ingredients? (Select all that apply.)
a. Trust
b. Humility
c. Respect
d.
Empathy
e. Sympathy
Trust, respect, and empathy are the three ingredients needed to create and foster effective
communication.
2. NVC communication processes are grounded in: (Select all that apply.)
a. confrontation
b. empathy
c.
compassion
d. honesty
e. assertiveness
NVC communication utilizes a four-part communication process grounded in compassion, empathy, and
honesty. The four parts include making an observation, expressing a feeling, expressing a need, and
making a request without demanding.
3. A client’s wife is concerned about her husband’s declining health. He has been admitted with an acute
myocardial infarction and has had two myocardial infarctions before this admission. He is not a
candidate for surgery. She and her husband have discussed “no breathing machine” for long-standing
care, but she is unsure of his wishes if he were to need a “breathing machine” for a short period. The
nurse discusses his current condition and care with the client and his wife. She also organizes a team
meeting consisting of the client’s physicians, social worker, pastoral care person, and nursing staff.
During this meeting, the nurse helps the wife share her concerns and the client’s concerns with the rest of
the team. What type of communication technique is being utilized by the nurse? (Select all that apply.)
a. Bargaining
b. Negotiation
c.
Persuasion
d. Spiritual assessment
e. Collective action
Persuasion is the conscious intent by one individual to modify the thoughts or behaviors of others.
Negotiation is a dialogical discussion between two or more parties to arrive at an agreement about some
issue. Persuasion and negotiation are used to ensure that all members of the teamwork together in a co-
operative manner. The nurse, the patient, and the spouse all communicate the wishes of the patient to
convince the team to abide by the autonomous decisions of the patient and spouse.
4. Which of the following are examples of patient privacy or security breaches? (Select all that apply.)
a. Encrypted e-mail communications
b. Fax transmission sent to incorrect physician office
Chapters 7-14
Chapter 7 Communication Leadership
1. The process in which information, perception, and understanding are transmitted from person to
person is:
a.
articulation.
b.
communication.
c.
evaluation.
d.
pronunciation.
Communication is the process in which information, perception, and understanding are transmitted from
person to person.
2. Unspoken affective or expressive behaviors best describe which type of communication?
a.
Effective communication
b.
Ineffective communication
c.
Non-verbal communication
d.
Verbal communication
Non-verbal communication is unspoken. It is composed of affective or expressive behaviors.
3. A communication model that focuses on compassion, expression of emotion, and providing validation
via support is the:
a.
validation, emotion, reassurance, activity (VERA) framework.
b.
situation, background, assessment, and recommendation
(SBAR) Communication Theory.
c.
nonviolent communication (NVC) model.
d.
Human Relationship Model.
The VERA (validation, emotion, reassurance, activity) framework for communication was developed to
meet a need for nursing students who were at a loss to communicate with persons with communication
difficulties (Hawkes et al., 2015).
4. A human communication activity designed to influence another to change attitudes or alter behaviors
by the use of techniques such as argument, reasoning, or pleading is known as:
a.
advisement.
b.
consultation.
c.
persuasion.
d.
suggestion.
Persuasion is a human communication activity designed to influence another to change attitudes or alter
behaviors by the use of techniques such as argument, reasoning, or pleading.
5. Which of the following is true about negotiation?
a.
It commonly results in a win-lose situation.
b.
It is aimed at solving problems, conflicts, or disputes.
c.
It is used only in contract and labor union disputes.
d.
It is the exchanging of favors or trading activity.
Negotiation is a dialogical discussion between two or more parties to arrive at an agreement about some
issue. It is used to solve problems, conflicts, or disputes.
, 6. A nursing preceptor is giving feedback to a new nurse who currently is being oriented. Her preceptor
suggests a better method of interacting with a family member by saying, “You might want to be
cognizant of your non-verbal behaviors when talking with clients. Rather than continuing to chart when
you are talking with an American family, stop charting, move closer to the family and client, look at them
during the conversation, and take time to let them share their concerns.” This preceptor is giving advice
about:
a.
interpersonal communication.
b.
clarity.
c.
image.
d.
intention.
If the verbal message is clear, but the non-verbal communication is not congruent, then listeners may
misinterpret, distrust, or not even hear the intended message. In this situation, the nurse’s non-verbal
behavior may suggest that she is not interested in interacting with the family.
7. The transformational leader engages staff by:
a.
punishing errors.
b.
sharing vision and decision making.
c.
taking a top-down approach to leadership.
d.
making unilateral decisions for the team.
Effective transformational nurse leaders will engage their staff through role modeling and mentorship of
inclusion behaviors such as developing rapport, sharing vision and decision making, providing
constructive feedback, and communicating successful outcomes. The communication of transformational
leaders is focused on positive interchanges, rather than punishment, and inclusion in decision making
versus authoritarianism.
8. An example of an external variable that may affect communication is:
a.
circumstance.
b.
personality.
c.
thoughts.
d.
feelings.
Communication may be affected by the interaction of external variables (others, a situation) and internal
variables (you). Internal factors are the only thing under our own control. We have little control over
others or the situation, because those are external to us.
9. communication patterns exist between colleagues and serve to contribute to a hostile
work environment, high turnover, burnout, and job dissatisfaction.
a.
Defensive
b.
Disruptive
c.
Negotiating
d.
Humanizing
Documentation in literature is extensive regarding disruptive and distracting communication
interactions not only between nurses and colleagues but also between nurses and patients. The research
indicates that nursing personnel experience high turnover rates, job dissatisfaction, and burnout; many
registered nurses are leaving the profession. The work environment is described as hostile to nurses,
and patient outcomes of increased severity of illness and mortality have been directly related to poor
communication skills of the staff.
10. Over lunch in the cafeteria, student nurses are sharing educational information about the patients
for whom they are caring. This is a(n):
a.
breach of beneficence.
b.
example of maleficence.
c.
potential assault and battery charge.
, d violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
.
HIPAA provisions have heightened awareness about and encouraged strategies to protect a patient’s
privacy in health care transactions. This is an example of breach of confidentiality.
11. Interpersonal communication is defined as:
a.
the conscious intent by one individual to modify the thoughts or behaviors of others.
b.
a combination of written and spoken communication.
c.
a theory used to describe a manner of communicating.
d.
communication between two or more individuals involving face-to-face interaction.
Interpersonal communication is defined as communication between two or more individuals
involving face-to-face interaction while all parties are aware of the others on an ongoing basis.
12. Organizational tones are based mostly on:
a.
unspoken cultural norms.
b.
commitment to success.
c.
communication behavior.
d.
leadership styles.
The entire tone of the organization is based mostly on unspoken cultural norms. Because nurses make up
the bulk of the health care workforce, having nurse leaders at the helm of the organization can influence
the culture and climate of the organization as a whole.
13. Which communication technique is most effective when handling patient complaints?
a.
Persuasion
b.
Bargaining
c.
Negotiation
d.
Non-verbal cues
Negotiation is a dialogical discussion between two or more parties to arrive at an agreement about some
issue.
14. A communication system developed originally to address communication patterns in critical situations is:
a.
VERA framework.
b.
NVC model.
c.
crucial conversations.
d.
TeamSTEPPS.
Communication effectiveness becomes crucial in times of emergency or disaster. TeamSTEPPS was
initially developed to address communication issues between nurses and providers during critical
patient events.
15. The number one cause of preventable medical errors is:
a.
hostile work environments.
b.
poor communication.
c.
ineffective leadership.
d.
staff competency.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has collected data regarding patient safety over
many years. They discovered that poor communication was the number one cause of preventable
medical errors (Kleiner et al., 2014). After discovering the staggering number of preventable medical
errors and recognizing that communication problems were cited as the number one contributor, the
AHRQ partnered with the Department of Defense (DOD) and developed the TeamSTEPPS program
(AHRQ, 2016).
, 16. Which communication format was developed to address the communication arm of the
TeamSTEPPS model?
a.
NVC (nonviolent communication)
b.
SBAR (situation, background, assessment, and recommendation)
c.
VERA (validation, emotion, reassurance, activity)
d.
MI (motivational interviewing)
To address the “communication arm” of the TeamSTEPPS model strategies such as SBAR have been
created to enhance teamwork communication. One of the strategies that has been well documented and
is familiar to nurses is SBAR, which stands for situation, background, assessment, and recommendation.
1. Effective communication is fostered through which of the following ingredients? (Select all that apply.)
a. Trust
b. Humility
c. Respect
d.
Empathy
e. Sympathy
Trust, respect, and empathy are the three ingredients needed to create and foster effective
communication.
2. NVC communication processes are grounded in: (Select all that apply.)
a. confrontation
b. empathy
c.
compassion
d. honesty
e. assertiveness
NVC communication utilizes a four-part communication process grounded in compassion, empathy, and
honesty. The four parts include making an observation, expressing a feeling, expressing a need, and
making a request without demanding.
3. A client’s wife is concerned about her husband’s declining health. He has been admitted with an acute
myocardial infarction and has had two myocardial infarctions before this admission. He is not a
candidate for surgery. She and her husband have discussed “no breathing machine” for long-standing
care, but she is unsure of his wishes if he were to need a “breathing machine” for a short period. The
nurse discusses his current condition and care with the client and his wife. She also organizes a team
meeting consisting of the client’s physicians, social worker, pastoral care person, and nursing staff.
During this meeting, the nurse helps the wife share her concerns and the client’s concerns with the rest of
the team. What type of communication technique is being utilized by the nurse? (Select all that apply.)
a. Bargaining
b. Negotiation
c.
Persuasion
d. Spiritual assessment
e. Collective action
Persuasion is the conscious intent by one individual to modify the thoughts or behaviors of others.
Negotiation is a dialogical discussion between two or more parties to arrive at an agreement about some
issue. Persuasion and negotiation are used to ensure that all members of the teamwork together in a co-
operative manner. The nurse, the patient, and the spouse all communicate the wishes of the patient to
convince the team to abide by the autonomous decisions of the patient and spouse.
4. Which of the following are examples of patient privacy or security breaches? (Select all that apply.)
a. Encrypted e-mail communications
b. Fax transmission sent to incorrect physician office
