Leadership Roles and Management Functions in Nursing Theory and Application 8th Edition By Marquis-Test Bank

1. Which statement accurately describes decision making?
A) It involves selecting between different courses of action
B) It is closely linked to assessment
C) It is the analysis of a situation
D) It is reliant on identifying the cause of a problem
Ans: A
Feedback:
Decision making is the intricate cognitive process of choosing a specific course of action. Problem-solving is a facet of decision making, focusing on systematically analyzing a challenging situation. Critical thinking, also known as reflective thinking, relates to assessment and encompasses a wider scope than decision making and problem-solving.

2. What is a drawback of the classical problem-solving model?
A) Requiring time for implementation
B) Lack of an evaluation step to assess results
C) Inadequate data gathering
D) Failure to assess alternatives
Ans: A
Feedback:
The classical problem-solving model is less effective when time constraints apply. Decision making can occur without the comprehensive analysis needed for problem-solving. Significant time and effort are spent on ascertaining the root problem in problem-solving scenarios.

3. Which statement reflects the reality about decision making?
A) Scientific methods yield identical decisions for the same problems by different individuals
B) Decisions are greatly impacted by each person’s values
C) Personal beliefs can be adjusted when using a scientific approach to problem-solving
D) Past experiences minimally influence decision quality
Ans: B
Feedback:
Values, life experience, personal preferences, and individual thinking styles influence decision making. Regardless of how objective the criteria are, value judgments inevitably play a role in decision making, whether consciously or subconsciously.

4. What most commonly influences decision quality?
A) The decision maker’s immediate supervisor
B) The nature of the decision to be made
C) The questions posed and alternatives generated
D) The time of day the decision is made
Ans: C
Feedback:
The greater the number of alternatives generated by the decision maker, the better the final decision outcome. Individual value systems restrict the generated alternatives and final choices.

5. What insight does the knowledge of good decision-making provide?
A) Right-brain, intuitive thinking characterizes proficient decision makers
B) Effective decision makers demonstrate sensitivity to the situation and individuals
C) Good decisions typically result from left-brain, logical thinking
D) Successful decision-making necessitates analytical rather than creative processes
Ans: B
Feedback:
Proficient decision makers exhibit heightened sensitivity to others and the context. Left-brain thinkers excel at processing language, logic, numbers, and sequencing, while right-brain thinkers excel at nonverbal conceptualization and holistic synthesis.

6. What constitutes the best definition of decision-making?
A) The management planning process
B) The executive role’s evaluation phase
C) A step within the problem-solving process
D) Necessary to justify scarce items
Ans: C
Feedback:
Decision making, a complex cognitive process, is often defined as choosing a particular course of action. Decision making is a crucial task in the problem-solving process, heavily relying on critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills.

7. If decision making begins due to a problem, where does it culminate?
A) An alternative predicament
B) Selection of a course of action
C) An action ensuring success
D) Reiteration of the solution
Ans: B
Feedback:
Decision making concludes when a specific course of action is chosen. Problem-solving is a component of decision making, involving a methodical analysis of challenging situations. The decision-making step is integral to problem-solving.

8. Why do our values often create personal conflict in decision making?
A) Some values are unrealistic or unhealthy
B) Values vary in significance
C) Our values remain static over time
D) Values frequently clash with one another
Ans: D
Feedback:
Values, life experiences, personal preferences, and individual thinking styles influence decision making. Regardless of how objective the criteria are, value judgments inevitably play a role in decision making, whether consciously or subconsciously.

9. Which statement accurately describes critical thinking?
A) It is a simplistic approach to decision making
B) It is more limited in scope compared to decision making
C) It necessitates reasoning and creative analysis
D) It is synonymous with the problem-solving process
Ans: C
Feedback:
Critical thinking has a broader scope than decision making and problem solving. It is also known as reflective thinking. Critical thinking involves reflecting on the meaning of statements, assessing provided evidence and reasoning, and forming factual judgments.

10. How do administrative managers primarily make decisions?
A) After gathering all pertinent facts
B) Adequately enough to resolve the issue
C) Rationally and logically
D) After generating all possible alternatives
Ans: B
Feedback:
Administrative managers often make decisions that are sufficiently effective due to constraints in time, energy, or creativity for generating multiple alternatives. This phenomenon is known as “satisficing.” Many individuals make decisions hastily, failing to systematically evaluate a problem and its potential solutions.