Which of the following best describes role stress in nursing?

Choice A rationale

This choice describes a leadership role, not followership. Effective followership involves supporting and collaborating with a leader, not taking control. Taking control may undermine the designated leader's authority and disrupt group cohesion, potentially leading to conflict and an inability to meet the established goals of the team or organization.

Choice B rationale

Working independently without collaborating undermines the fundamental principle of followership, which is working together for a common purpose. Followership requires an active and collaborative role in a group to achieve success. Operating independently can create silos, hinder information flow, and duplicate efforts, ultimately compromising patient outcomes and team efficiency.

Choice C rationale

Following directions without questioning is considered passive followership, which can be detrimental in healthcare. Effective followership is characterized by critical thinking, initiative, and the ability to challenge the status quo when necessary for patient safety or improved processes. Blindly following orders can lead to medical errors and prevent the identification of potential problems.

Choice D rationale

Optimal followership is characterized by active engagement, collaboration, and constructive contribution to group goals. This involves working alongside leaders and peers, offering insights, and taking initiative to support the team's mission. By actively contributing, followers enhance the group's collective intelligence and effectiveness, leading to better clinical and organizational outcomes.

Choice A rationale

Hyperthermia is an abnormally high body temperature and is not a typical complication of submersion injury. Submersion injuries, particularly in cold water, more commonly lead to hypothermia, which is a dangerously low body temperature, due to rapid heat loss from the body.

Choice B rationale

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe, life-threatening complication of submersion injury. Aspiration of water, even in small amounts, can damage the alveolar-capillary membrane, leading to pulmonary edema, impaired gas exchange, and a profound inflammatory response in the lungs, which is the hallmark of ARDS.

Choice C rationale

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is not a typical complication of submersion injury. In fact, submersion can initially cause a vasovagal response leading to bradycardia and a drop in blood pressure, or subsequently lead to hypotension due to fluid shifts and systemic compromise.

Choice D rationale

While severe hypoxia from submersion can lead to cerebral edema and increased intracranial pressure, this is a consequence of the primary injury to the lungs, not a direct complication of the submersion itself. The most immediate and significant complication is the respiratory compromise that precedes other systemic effects.