A nurse leader is managing a multidisciplinary team during a high-stress situation on the unit. Which soft skill should the nurse leader prioritize to effectively facilitate communication and collaboration among team members?

Physical endurance, to manage long shifts and physically demanding tasks

Authoritative decision-making, to enforce strict compliance with protocols

Empathy, to understand team members' feelings and perspectives

Technical proficiency, to ensure all clinical tasks are performed correctly

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is C

Rationale:

A. Physical endurance, to manage long shifts and physically demanding tasks, is incorrect because while stamina is helpful for sustaining work, it does not directly facilitate communication, collaboration, or team cohesion in high-stress situations.

B. Authoritative decision-making, to enforce strict compliance with protocols, is incorrect because an overly authoritative style can inhibit open communication and reduce team engagement. Effective leadership during stress relies on collaboration rather than rigid control.

C. Empathy, to understand team members' feelings and perspectives, is correct because empathy is a key soft skill for nurse leaders. Demonstrating empathy helps the leader recognize and validate the emotions of team members under stress, promotes psychological safety, encourages staff to speak up with concerns or ideas, builds trust and cohesion which enhances effective collaboration and problem-solving, and reduces conflict and prevents burnout by acknowledging workload challenges.

D. Technical proficiency, to ensure all clinical tasks are performed correctly, is important for patient safety but is considered a hard skill, not a soft skill. While valuable, it does not directly address team communication and collaboration.

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Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Rationale:

A. Adjust the water temperature to feel hot is incorrect because water that is too hot can cause skin irritation or damage. The correct practice is to use warm or lukewarm water to maintain skin integrity while effectively removing pathogens.

B. Rub hands and arms to dry is incorrect because vigorous rubbing can damage the skin. Proper hand hygiene involves patting hands and forearms dry with a clean paper towel to prevent skin irritation and maintain hygiene.

C. Apply 4 to 5 mL of liquid soap to the hands is correct because this amount is sufficient to create a lather that covers all hand surfaces, including palms, backs, fingers, and thumbs. Adequate soap volume ensures effective removal of microorganisms during handwashing.

D. Hold the hands higher than the elbows is incorrect because the hands should be positioned lower than the elbows during handwashing. This allows water and soap to flow from the fingertips toward the elbows, preventing contamination from water running back onto clean hands.

A. Proceed with inserting the feeding tube since the proxy's decision overrides the living will. B. Ignore both the living will and proxy and provide comfort care only. C. Consult the hospital ethics committee before taking any action regarding feeding tube insertion, D. Inform the health care provider of the conflict and advocate for honoring the client's living will

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

Rationale:
A. Proceeding with inserting the feeding tube is incorrect because the living will is a legal document that expresses the client’s wishes regarding life-sustaining treatments. A durable power of attorney for health care (proxy) cannot override explicit instructions in a valid living will. Ignoring the living will could violate the patient’s autonomy and legal rights.

B. Ignoring both the living will and proxy and providing comfort care only is incorrect because the nurse cannot make unilateral decisions about life-sustaining treatments. Care must follow legal documents, the provider’s orders, and established ethical guidelines.

C. Consulting the hospital ethics committee is incorrect as the first action. While involving the ethics committee can provide guidance in complex situations, the immediate priority is to ensure the client’s legally documented wishes are respected and communicated to the provider. Ethics consultation may follow if further clarification is needed.

D. Informing the health care provider of the conflict and advocating for honoring the client’s living will is correct. The nurse’s responsibility is to uphold the client’s autonomy and legal rights. The nurse should ensure that the provider is aware of the living will, communicate the client’s previously expressed wishes, and advocate for care that aligns with those directives. This action protects patient rights, supports ethical practice, and provides a clear, legally compliant plan for care.

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A nurse leader is managing a multidisciplinary team during a high-stress situation on the unit. Which soft skill should the nurse leader prioritize to effectively facilitate communication and collaboration among team members?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A nurse is preparing to perform hand hygiene. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

A nurse is caring for a client who has a living will on file stating no feeding tube insertion. The client's durable power of attorney for health care, their sibling, requests a feeding tube to prolong life, refusing to honor the living will. What is the nurse's best action?

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

A nurse is preparing to participate in a root cause analysis after a sentinel event involving a surgical procedure performed on the wrong site. Which nursing action is the most appropriate to prevent this type of sentinel event from recurring?

What is the purpose of an advanced directive in nursing?

Which of the following are positive outcomes of interprofessional collaboration in nursing and healthcare? (Select All that Apply.)

A nurse is reviewing information about the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) with a newly licensed nurse. Which of the following statements by the newly licensed nurse indicates a need for further teaching?

A nurse is assisting a newly licensed nurse with delegating tasks to an assistive personnel on the unit. Which of the following statements by the nurse explains the purpose of delegation?

A nurse is delegating client care assignments for the shift. Which of the following tasks should the nurse delegate to an assistive personnel (AP)?

A nurse is preparing to implement electronic health record (EHR) documentation in a clinical setting after the enactment of the HITECH Act. Which action best aligns with the HITECH Act's enhancements to HIPAA privacy and security regulations?

A nurse is discussing error reduction during the medication administration process. At which of the following phases of the medication administration process does error detection occur AFTER reaching the client?