Leadership and Nursing Care Management | 2025 update
Authors: M. Lindell Joseph, Diane Huber
,Chapter 1: Leadership and Management Principles
1. A charge nurse notices that staff morale is declining on a busy medical surgical unit. To
address the issue, she conducts a team huddle and encourages open feedback. Which
leadership style is the nurse demonstrating?
A. Autocratic
B. Laissez faire
C. Transformational
D. Transactional
ANS: C
Rationale: Transformational leaders promote team engagement, motivation, and shared
vision this approach reflects empowerment and morale building.
2. A nurse manager delegates a medication reconciliation task to a new graduate nurse.
The manager ensures the nurse has completed orientation and provides oversight. Which
management principle is being upheld?
A. Accountability
B. Autonomy
C. Span of control
D. Delegation appropriateness
ANS: D
Rationale: Delegation is appropriate when it considers task complexity, staff
competency, and appropriate supervision, all of which are met here.
3. During a staff meeting, a nurse manager insists on following a new protocol without
room for discussion. Which leadership style is represented?
A. Democratic
B. Laissez faire
C. Autocratic
D. Servant
ANS: C
Rationale: Autocratic leaders make unilateral decisions with minimal team input often
efficient but not collaborative.
,4. A nurse leader implements weekly recognition rounds to acknowledge staff
contributions. Which core principle of effective leadership is demonstrated?
A. Conflict avoidance
B. Emotional intelligence
C. Transactional reward system
D. Team empowerment
ANS: D
Rationale: Recognition builds morale and trust, key elements of team empowerment and
a supportive leadership environment.
5. A new unit manager sets long term goals for staff development and invests in
professional training. This best reflects which leadership theory?
A. Situational
B. Path Goal
C. Transformational
D. Behavioral
ANS: C
Rationale: Transformational leadership promotes growth, vision, and innovation, all seen
in long term staff development strategies.
6. A team leader adapts their leadership approach when working with novice nurses
compared to experienced RNs. What type of leadership is this?
A. Transactional
B. Situational
C. Authoritarian
D. Trait based
ANS: B
Rationale: Situational leadership tailors the leader’s style to the team’s competency and
task demands, optimizing performance.
7. A nurse manager provides staff with clear expectations, monitors performance, and
offers bonuses for meeting targets. What leadership model is this?
A. Servant
B. Laissez faire
C. Transformational
, D. Transactional
ANS: D
Rationale: Transactional leadership uses defined goals and external rewards or
punishments to drive performance.
8. An experienced nurse mentors a new hire by modeling effective communication,
decision making, and accountability. What leadership development method is being used?
A. Peer review
B. Role modeling
C. Performance appraisal
D. Coaching
ANS: B
Rationale: Role modeling allows mentees to learn behaviors by observing leaders, critical
in leadership socialization and skill development.
9. A unit director encourages staff nurses to participate in policy review committees to
influence care practices. What principle of shared governance is this?
A. Fiscal responsibility
B. Top down management
C. Empowerment
D. Centralized decision making
ANS: C
Rationale: Empowerment is central to shared governance inviting nurses to participate in
decisions enhances ownership and engagement.
10. A nurse leader demonstrates high levels of empathy, motivation, self awareness, and
social skills. Which leadership competency is this?
A. Conflict resolution
B. Emotional intelligence
C. Clinical judgment
D. Strategic planning
ANS: B
Rationale: Emotional intelligence (EI) involves understanding and managing one’s own
and others’ emotions crucial for effective leadership.
Authors: M. Lindell Joseph, Diane Huber
,Chapter 1: Leadership and Management Principles
1. A charge nurse notices that staff morale is declining on a busy medical surgical unit. To
address the issue, she conducts a team huddle and encourages open feedback. Which
leadership style is the nurse demonstrating?
A. Autocratic
B. Laissez faire
C. Transformational
D. Transactional
ANS: C
Rationale: Transformational leaders promote team engagement, motivation, and shared
vision this approach reflects empowerment and morale building.
2. A nurse manager delegates a medication reconciliation task to a new graduate nurse.
The manager ensures the nurse has completed orientation and provides oversight. Which
management principle is being upheld?
A. Accountability
B. Autonomy
C. Span of control
D. Delegation appropriateness
ANS: D
Rationale: Delegation is appropriate when it considers task complexity, staff
competency, and appropriate supervision, all of which are met here.
3. During a staff meeting, a nurse manager insists on following a new protocol without
room for discussion. Which leadership style is represented?
A. Democratic
B. Laissez faire
C. Autocratic
D. Servant
ANS: C
Rationale: Autocratic leaders make unilateral decisions with minimal team input often
efficient but not collaborative.
,4. A nurse leader implements weekly recognition rounds to acknowledge staff
contributions. Which core principle of effective leadership is demonstrated?
A. Conflict avoidance
B. Emotional intelligence
C. Transactional reward system
D. Team empowerment
ANS: D
Rationale: Recognition builds morale and trust, key elements of team empowerment and
a supportive leadership environment.
5. A new unit manager sets long term goals for staff development and invests in
professional training. This best reflects which leadership theory?
A. Situational
B. Path Goal
C. Transformational
D. Behavioral
ANS: C
Rationale: Transformational leadership promotes growth, vision, and innovation, all seen
in long term staff development strategies.
6. A team leader adapts their leadership approach when working with novice nurses
compared to experienced RNs. What type of leadership is this?
A. Transactional
B. Situational
C. Authoritarian
D. Trait based
ANS: B
Rationale: Situational leadership tailors the leader’s style to the team’s competency and
task demands, optimizing performance.
7. A nurse manager provides staff with clear expectations, monitors performance, and
offers bonuses for meeting targets. What leadership model is this?
A. Servant
B. Laissez faire
C. Transformational
, D. Transactional
ANS: D
Rationale: Transactional leadership uses defined goals and external rewards or
punishments to drive performance.
8. An experienced nurse mentors a new hire by modeling effective communication,
decision making, and accountability. What leadership development method is being used?
A. Peer review
B. Role modeling
C. Performance appraisal
D. Coaching
ANS: B
Rationale: Role modeling allows mentees to learn behaviors by observing leaders, critical
in leadership socialization and skill development.
9. A unit director encourages staff nurses to participate in policy review committees to
influence care practices. What principle of shared governance is this?
A. Fiscal responsibility
B. Top down management
C. Empowerment
D. Centralized decision making
ANS: C
Rationale: Empowerment is central to shared governance inviting nurses to participate in
decisions enhances ownership and engagement.
10. A nurse leader demonstrates high levels of empathy, motivation, self awareness, and
social skills. Which leadership competency is this?
A. Conflict resolution
B. Emotional intelligence
C. Clinical judgment
D. Strategic planning
ANS: B
Rationale: Emotional intelligence (EI) involves understanding and managing one’s own
and others’ emotions crucial for effective leadership.
