Team Lead

Question 1

The nurse manager holds a regular Wednesday meeting with the charge nurses on the unit. There is no new information to discuss this Wednesday. What should the manager do?

1. Hold the meeting so that the charge nurses do not feel that the meetings are not important.
2. Hold the meeting, but only meet for 10 minutes instead of the usual 60 minutes.
3. Reschedule the meeting for Thursday.
4. Cancel the meeting.

Answer 1

4. Cancel the meeting.

Rationale 1: There is no reason to hold a meeting that is not necessary.
Rationale 2: Holding a meeting that lasts only 10 minutes is a waste of the nurses time.
Rationale 3: There is no reason to reschedule a meeting if there is no information to discuss.
Rationale 4: If there is no reason to hold a meeting, it should be canceled.

Question 2

A colleague frequently forwards funny e-mails to everyone on her contact list. The nurse manager does not have time to look at the e-mails and is aggravated when they appear. How should the manager handle this situation?

1. Set the e-mail filter to divert the messages to a spam folder.
2. Tell the sender that the manager is not allowed to get personal e-mails at work.
3. Forward the e-mails back to the sender.
4. Send the colleague an e-mail that reads, Stop wasting my time with these e-mails.
5. Delete the messages without opening them.

Answer 2

1. Set the e-mail filter to divert the messages to a spam folder.
2. Tell the sender that the manager is not allowed to get personal e-mails at work.
3. Send the colleague an e-mail that reads, Stop wasting my time with these e-mails.
4. Delete the messages without opening them.

Rationale 1: If the e-mail can be filtered so that the recipient only has to look at them if desired, they are not as aggravating.
Rationale 2: Using a corporate policy to explain reluctance to get these e-mails will save face for the sender and the recipient.
Rationale 3: This action takes time and is rude.
Rationale 4: Unless the colleague is a dear friend, this e-mail is confrontational and may unnecessarily embarrass the colleague. It may also damage a working relationship.
Rationale 5: There is no rule that says that all messages have to be opened. When the message appears, delete it.

Question 3

A nurse manager must place a telephone call to a colleague who always wants to chat socially for several minutes. The manager does not have time for a social call. What is the best time for the manager to make this call?

1. At 9:00 a.m. after physician rounds are complete
2. A few minutes before the colleague usually goes to lunch
3. In the middle of the afternoon
4. First thing in the morning, just after shift report

Answer 3

2. A few minutes before the colleague usually goes to lunch

Rationale 1: 9:00 a.m. is not the best time to make this call.
Rationale 2: A call just before lunch is likely to be limited as the person who receives the call wants to leave the office.
Rationale 3: In the middle of the afternoon, people are often looking for distractions from their work. If the nurse does not have time for a social chat, the middle of the afternoon is not a good time to call.
Rationale 4: If this call is made first thing in the morning, the colleague is unlikely to have begun a project and may wish to delay starting the workday by chatting. If the colleague does not keep shift hours, he or she may not be at work that early.

Question 4

A staff nurse frequently interrupts the nurse manager with problems that the staff nurse could solve. What should the manager say to correct this behavior?

1. I am no longer going to interrupt my work for you.
2. Let me see what I can do about the problem you are having.
3. Is this a problem you can handle yourself?
4. You have the skills to solve this issue.
5. I trust you to solve this problem.

Answer 4

3. Is this a problem you can handle yourself?
4. You have the skills to solve this issue.
5. I trust you to solve this problem.

Rationale 1: The manager should be available for solving problems outside the staff nurses scope of accountability. Telling the nurse that interruptions will not be tolerated may result in the nurse not notifying the supervisor of a situation that requires the managers expertise.
Rationale 2: The manager should not take responsibility for solving the problem. It is the nurses responsibility.
Rationale 3: Refocusing the nurses ability to handle the problem may make the nurse reassess the need for the managers intervention.
Rationale 4: Reminding the nurse that he or she has the skills to solve the issue may give the nurse enough courage to attempt independent problem solving.
Rationale 5: A statement of trust in the nurses judgment may give the nurse enough courage to attempt independent problem solving.

Question 5

A nurse manager has felt overwhelmed by work the last few months. After putting in many hours of unpaid overtime, the workload is beginning to stabilize. The nursing supervisor asks the manager to take on a new task that is exciting and stimulating. What should the manager do?

1. Consider how much work will be added to the current workload.
2. Tell the supervisor no.
3. Talk with the supervisor about decreasing another work responsibility if this project is accepted.
4. Accept the assignment and plan to continue to work very hard until it is completed.
5. Accept the assignment, but only if additional salary is offered.

Answer 5

Correct Answer: 1,2,3

1. Consider how much work will be added to the current workload.
2. Tell the supervisor no.
3. Talk with the supervisor about decreasing another work responsibility if this project is accepted.

Rationale 1: The manager must be realistic about how much work can be done.
Rationale 2: If the project is too much for the manager to take on, the manager should say no. The manager must be aware of the consequences of declining the assignment.
Rationale 3: If the manager would like to take on the new project, it may be necessary to decrease another job responsibility. The manager should discuss this possibility with the supervisor.
Rationale 4: The manager should be aware of the consequences of overloading ones self. Accepting the assignment and continuing the current work pace may be dangerous to the manager and to others.
Rationale 5: Additional salary does not make additional time. If the nurse does not have sufficient time to commit to the project, additional salary will not be helpful.