A nurse manager observes ongoing interpersonal conflicts among nursing staff that impact team morale and patient care quality. Based on the types of conflict in nursing and conflict resolution strategies, which of the following actions should the nurse manager prioritize to effectively manage and resolve these conflicts? (Select all that apply)
Encourage smoothing by emphasizing common goals without addressing underlying issues.
Identify early cues of conflict such as tension or avoidance and intervene promptly.
Provide conflict resolution training focusing on problem-solving and assertive communication.
Facilitate open communication sessions where staff can express concerns assertively and respectfully.
Avoid confronting the conflict directly and allow staff to resolve it independently over time.
Assign blame to individuals to discourage future conflict behaviors.
Implement a collaborative negotiation process to develop mutually agreeable solutions.
Correct Answer : B,C,D,G
Rationale:
A. Smoothing focuses on minimizing visible conflict by emphasizing shared goals, but it fails to address the root cause of disagreements. This can lead to unresolved tensions, repeated conflicts, and ongoing negative impacts on team morale and patient care.
B. Proactively recognizing early signs of conflict allows the nurse manager to intervene before issues escalate, preventing disruptions in workflow, teamwork, and patient safety. Early intervention also demonstrates leadership and supports a positive work environment.
C. Training equips staff with practical skills to manage disagreements constructively, including assertiveness, negotiation, and problem-solving. Staff who are trained are more likely to resolve conflicts independently and professionally, reducing recurrence and fostering collaboration.
D. Open communication sessions allow staff to voice concerns in a safe, structured environment, promoting transparency, mutual understanding, and trust. This encourages shared problem-solving and reduces resentment or misunderstandings that can lead to repeated conflicts.
E. Avoidance may temporarily reduce tension but typically allows conflicts to fester, which can escalate into more serious issues affecting team cohesion and patient care.
F. Blaming staff for conflict creates resentment, reduces morale, and erodes trust, which is counterproductive to a healthy team dynamic. It may also discourage open communication and reporting of legitimate concerns.
G. Collaborative negotiation focuses on finding solutions that satisfy all parties, fostering cooperation and a sense of shared responsibility. This approach strengthens team cohesion, morale, and overall unit function, while improving outcomes for both staff and patients.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Rationale:
A. Using electronic health records only to document the surgical procedure after completion is incorrect because retrospective documentation does not prevent errors. Documentation alone cannot ensure that the correct patient, site, and procedure are verified before surgery.
B. Implementing a surgical time-out protocol is correct because it is a proven, evidence-based safety measure designed to prevent wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-patient surgeries. During the time-out, the entire surgical team actively verifies the patient’s identity, surgical site, and planned procedure immediately before incision. This practice promotes team communication, reduces errors, and is endorsed by The Joint Commission as a mandatory safety protocol.
C. Providing additional postoperative care education is incorrect because while patient education is important for recognizing complications, it does not prevent the occurrence of the sentinel event itself, which occurs before and during surgery.
D. Increasing the number of nursing staff on the surgical team is incorrect because more staff alone does not guarantee verification of the correct site or procedure. The key preventive measure is structured communication and verification, not staffing levels.
Correct Answer is ["A","C","E"]
Explanation
Rationale:
A. Smoking cessation is correct because the benchmark is 75%, but compliance fell below this benchmark in Quarter 1 (70.6%) and Quarter 3 (74%). Only Quarter 2 met the benchmark (100%). Consistently failing to meet the benchmark indicates a need for improvement in preoperative patient education and intervention.
B. Postoperative normothermia is incorrect because compliance improved over the quarters, reaching 85% in Quarter 2 and 86.2% in Quarter 3, both meeting or exceeding the benchmark of 85%. This measure indicates adequate performance and does not require improvement.
C. Perioperative antibiotics is correct because the benchmark is 100%, but compliance was below this in all three quarters (Quarter 1–90.4%, Quarter 2–88.2%, Quarter 3–92.6%). Since prophylactic antibiotic administration is crucial to preventing surgical site infections, performance below the benchmark signals the need for targeted quality improvement.
D. Intraoperative vancomycin is incorrect because compliance exceeded the benchmark in Quarter 2 (80.5%) and Quarter 3 (92%), meeting or surpassing the 80.2% benchmark. This measure indicates adequate performance.
E. Glucose control is correct because the benchmark is 90%, but all three quarters fell below this target (Quarter 1–75.2%, Quarter 2–85.5%, Quarter 3–82%). Maintaining glucose within target range is critical for surgical site infection prevention, so this area requires improvement.
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