Nursing Exam Prep

NCLEX-RN: Concepts of Management practice questions questions 51-75

94 questions, page 3 of 4. Try each one first, then open the answer.

Practise these interactively

51Question

A nurse chairing a 30-minute unit meeting notices a staff member beginning a long discussion about parking that is not on the agenda while two agenda items remain. What should the chair do?

  1. Note the topic for a later meeting and return to the agenda
  2. Let the discussion continue because every concern deserves full discussion now
  3. End the meeting immediately and send the agenda items by email
  4. Ask the staff member to leave so the meeting can finish
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A. Note the topic for a later meeting and return to the agenda

Topic: running efficient meetings

A good chair keeps the group on the agenda and time limits. Off-topic concerns are acknowledged and recorded for a later time, which respects the contributor without derailing the meeting.

Why the others are wrong

  • B – Allowing off-topic discussion lets the meeting run over and leaves agenda items undone.
  • C – Ending abruptly wastes the time of staff who came to discuss the planned items.
  • D – Expelling a participant is disrespectful and discourages future input.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

52Question

A health system plans to launch a new electronic documentation system across five hospitals. Which strategies are likely to support a successful rollout?

Select all that apply.

  1. Review the workflow and culture of each site before go-live
  2. Skip unit-level training for experienced nurses because they adapt quickly
  3. Obtain visible executive backing and funding for training and support staff
  4. Limit frontline nurse input to speed up the build
  5. Train peer super-users to coach colleagues at the bedside during go-live
Show the answers and explanation

Answers: A, C and E.

  • A – Review the workflow and culture of each site before go-live
  • C – Obtain visible executive backing and funding for training and support staff
  • E – Train peer super-users to coach colleagues at the bedside during go-live

Topic: implementing an EHR across several sites

Large implementations succeed with a good plan, site-level assessment, visible leadership support with adequate resources, and peer coaches who help colleagues in real time. Skipping training or frontline input invites workarounds and errors.

Why the others are wrong

  • B – Experience with older systems does not replace training in the new system; skipping it raises safety and adoption risk.
  • D – Excluding frontline nurses removes the workflow knowledge needed for a usable design and weakens buy-in.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

53Question

A nurse manager wants the monthly staff meeting to stay focused and finish on time. Which tool should be prepared and sent to participants beforehand?

  1. The attendance sheet from the previous meeting, to show who usually comes
  2. A feedback form that participants fill in after the meeting
  3. A written agenda with topics and time limits
  4. A summary of last year's staffing figures for the whole hospital
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C. A written agenda with topics and time limits

Topic: meeting agenda

A written agenda listing topics, presenters and time allotments gives participants a plan and lets the chair keep discussion focused. It is the main tool for keeping a meeting on topic and on time.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – An attendance sheet records who came; it does not structure the discussion.
  • B – A feedback form evaluates the meeting afterward but cannot keep it on track.
  • D – Background data may be useful, but it does not organize the meeting.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

54Question

A nurse is upset because a provider continues aggressive treatment that the client has said she does not want. The nurse's distress is best classified as arising from which source?

  1. Concern about respecting the client's wishes, an ethical conflict
  2. An unsafe physical work environment
  3. Inadequate staffing on the unit
  4. A personality clash between coworkers
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A. Concern about respecting the client's wishes, an ethical conflict

Topic: ethical conflict versus environmental conflict

Conflict about whether care respects a client's wishes and values is an ethical or values-based conflict. It differs from conflicts rooted in the workplace environment, such as staffing or equipment, and from personal friction.

Why the others are wrong

  • B – Nothing in the stem concerns equipment, air quality or other physical hazards.
  • C – No staffing shortage is described.
  • D – The concern is about client care, not a clash of personalities.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

55Question

A unit adopted a new hand-hygiene audit routine. Staff followed it for six weeks, but after the project team left and policy updates and feedback stopped, practice drifted back to the old way. Which phase of Lewin's change model was handled inadequately?

  1. Refreezing, which anchors the change
  2. Unfreezing, which creates readiness for the change
  3. Moving, in which the new process is put in place
  4. Evaluation of the project budget
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A. Refreezing, which anchors the change

Topic: Lewin refreezing

In Lewin's model, refreezing stabilizes the change through policies, reinforcement and feedback. Without it, people tend to revert to former habits and the change is abandoned.

Why the others are wrong

  • B – Staff were ready and began the new routine, so unfreezing worked.
  • C – Moving took place; staff followed the routine for six weeks.
  • D – Budget evaluation is not a phase of Lewin's model.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

56Question

Nurses on a unit ask why their manager insists on following a structured change model for a new pain-reassessment process. Which are accurate reasons?

Select all that apply.

  1. It gives the leaders a roadmap of steps to follow
  2. It supplies the whole team with shared terms and steps
  3. It guarantees that no staff member will resist
  4. It makes it easier to track progress and spot where the process stalls
  5. It ensures the project always stays on its original timeline
Show the answers and explanation

Answers: A, B and D.

  • A – It gives the leaders a roadmap of steps to follow
  • B – It supplies the whole team with shared terms and steps
  • D – It makes it easier to track progress and spot where the process stalls

Topic: value of a structured change model

Change models give leaders structure, give the team a common language, and make progress easier to monitor. They do not promise freedom from resistance or delays.

Why the others are wrong

  • C – No model removes all resistance; it helps the leader anticipate and manage it.
  • E – A model guides the work, but it cannot guarantee schedules will never slip.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

57Question

A nurse manager sets a goal of reducing unit falls by 20%, tells staff exactly which rounding tasks are expected, gives monthly feedback, and offers recognition and preferred shifts to staff who meet the goal. Which leadership approach is this?

  1. Laissez-faire
  2. Transformational
  3. Servant
  4. Transactional
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D. Transactional

Topic: transactional leadership

Transactional leadership sets goals, spells out expectations, gives feedback and rewards staff who meet the goals, an exchange between leader and followers.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Laissez-faire gives little direction, whereas this manager sets clear goals and feedback.
  • B – Transformational leaders inspire through vision and individual growth rather than exchange of rewards.
  • C – Servant leadership puts staff needs first and does not rely on goal-contingent rewards.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

58Question

A staff nurse's colleague tells her that her sarcastic remarks during handoff make others dread working with her. Which step should the nurse take first to change this behavior?

  1. Wait for the nurse manager to issue a formal warning before changing anything
  2. Avoid the colleague who gave the feedback in future shifts
  3. Reflect on the behavior and its effects on coworkers
  4. Explain to others that the remarks are only meant as humor
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C. Reflect on the behavior and its effects on coworkers

Topic: changing uncivil behavior

Behavior change begins with recognizing the behavior and understanding its impact, including on safety and teamwork. Only then can the nurse choose different ways of communicating.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Waiting for discipline puts off change and treats feedback as optional.
  • B – Avoiding the person who gave feedback does not address the behavior.
  • D – Defending the remarks as humor dismisses the effect on others.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

59Question

At the 0700 huddle the charge nurse reports census, acuity and two sick calls. The staffing coordinator then moves a float nurse to the busiest unit. Which benefit of communication for managers does this example show?

  1. Shortening the time nurses spend on documentation
  2. Directing people and supplies to where they are needed
  3. Replacing the need for written policies and procedures
  4. Eliminating the chain of command during busy shifts
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B. Directing people and supplies to where they are needed

Topic: purpose of management communication

Clear, timely communication lets managers see where demand is highest and move staff and resources accordingly. That is how communication supports efficient use of people and supplies.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Nothing in the example concerns documentation time.
  • C – Verbal updates do not replace written policies.
  • D – The staffing coordinator and charge nurse are using the chain of command, not eliminating it.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

60Question

A staff nurse with no management title is often asked by peers for advice and has persuaded the unit to adopt a new oral-care routine. Which statement about leadership is accurate?

  1. Leadership exists only for people who hold a management title
  2. A leader's role is always defined on the organization chart
  3. A nurse can lead without holding a management position
  4. Only managers can influence changes in practice
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C. A nurse can lead without holding a management position

Topic: informal leadership

Leadership is the ability to influence others toward a goal. It does not require a formal position, and many respected leaders have no management title.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Leadership is influence and is not limited to formal titles.
  • B – Many leaders emerge informally and are not shown on any chart.
  • D – Staff nurses often influence practice, as this nurse did.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

61Question

Charge nurses on a unit are held responsible for safe staffing each shift but are not allowed to approve extra staff, so they and the house supervisor frequently clash. Which source of conflict does this most closely show?

  1. Different information held by each person
  2. Strained personal relationships between them
  3. Conflicting personal values about care
  4. Structural: responsibility without matching authority
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D. Structural: responsibility without matching authority

Topic: structural causes of conflict

Structural conflict comes from the way roles, authority, resources or organization are arranged, for example holding someone accountable without giving authority. It is addressed by fixing the structure rather than the individuals.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – No dispute over facts or data is described.
  • B – The clash comes from the role design, not personal dislike.
  • C – Values are not mentioned; the issue is role and authority.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

62Question

A staff nurse with advanced wound-care certification is consulted by nurses, providers and the manager about complex dressings, although she holds no management title. Which type of power does she hold?

  1. Legitimate
  2. Coercive
  3. Expert
  4. Reward
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C. Expert

Topic: expert power

Expert power rests on specialized knowledge and skill that others value. It does not depend on a title and can belong to any staff member.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Legitimate power comes from a formal position, which she does not hold.
  • B – Coercive power rests on the ability to punish, not on knowledge.
  • D – Reward power depends on controlling rewards, which is not described.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

63Question

Several high-performing nurses tell the manager that a colleague regularly leaves tasks for the next shift. The manager has not addressed it, and the strong nurses are losing motivation. Which action best preserves a team of invested staff?

  1. Praise the high performers more often and leave the situation alone
  2. Meet privately with the colleague, set clear expectations and follow up
  3. Reassign the colleague's unfinished tasks permanently to the high performers
  4. Announce the problem at the next staff meeting without naming anyone
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B. Meet privately with the colleague, set clear expectations and follow up

Topic: addressing poor performance

Engaged staff lose heart when poor performance is ignored. The manager should address it promptly and privately with specific expectations, support and follow-up.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Praise does not remove the unfairness, and the unaddressed problem will continue to erode morale.
  • C – Shifting work to the best performers rewards poor performance with more burden on them.
  • D – A general announcement is indirect and does not hold the individual accountable.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

64Question

Each month a nurse manager sits with the finance partner to compare actual spending with the plan, asks why overtime ran higher than expected, and adjusts the schedule. Which step of the budget process is this?

  1. Preparing the budget before the year starts
  2. Reviewing historical data
  3. Amending the budget to change the approved totals
  4. Monitoring the budget
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D. Monitoring the budget

Topic: budget monitoring

Monitoring means regularly comparing actual results with the plan, investigating variances and taking action. It happens during the budget period.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Preparation takes place before the period begins.
  • B – Historical review informs the plan; it is not the ongoing comparison described.
  • C – Amending changes the approved figures; the manager is adjusting practice within them.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

65Question

A staff nurse asks why her annual performance review is written by her own nurse manager rather than by a manager from a different unit. What is the best explanation?

  1. Managers from other units are unable to read evaluation forms
  2. Unfamiliar reviewers are more accurate because they have no bias
  3. The immediate supervisor sees her work and sets her expectations
  4. Human resources alone is allowed to evaluate employees
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C. The immediate supervisor sees her work and sets her expectations

Topic: performance evaluation

The immediate supervisor is best placed to evaluate performance because the supervisor observes the work, sets expectations and gives ongoing feedback.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Other managers can read forms; the issue is lack of direct knowledge of her work.
  • B – Unfamiliar reviewers lack the information needed for a valid evaluation.
  • D – Human resources supports the process but does not replace the supervisor's evaluation.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

66Question

A nurse manager will interview six candidates using the same behavior-based questions in the same order and score each answer against a rubric. Which are benefits of this approach?

Select all that apply.

  1. Candidates are compared against the same criteria
  2. The interviewer can ask different questions to favor candidates she likes
  3. Hiring decisions are easier to justify if challenged
  4. Reference checks become unnecessary
  5. Bias from unplanned, off-the-cuff questions is reduced
Show the answers and explanation

Answers: A, C and E.

  • A – Candidates are compared against the same criteria
  • C – Hiring decisions are easier to justify if challenged
  • E – Bias from unplanned, off-the-cuff questions is reduced

Topic: structured interviews

A structured interview uses the same planned questions and scoring for every candidate. This makes comparisons fair, reduces bias and gives documented reasons for hiring decisions.

Why the others are wrong

  • B – Asking different questions defeats the purpose of standardization.
  • D – References and other checks are still needed; interviews do not replace them.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

67Question

A unit's budget report shows supply expenses of $38,000 against a planned $45,000 for the month. Which statement is the nurse manager's best interpretation?

  1. A favorable variance, but the reason should still be checked
  2. An unfavorable variance, so staffing must be cut at once
  3. No variance, because spending is within the fiscal year's total
  4. An unfavorable variance, because spending should equal the plan exactly
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A. A favorable variance, but the reason should still be checked

Topic: favorable variance

When actual expenses are lower than budgeted, the variance is favorable. The manager should still investigate whether the saving reflects real efficiency or lower activity, for example fewer admissions or unmet needs.

Why the others are wrong

  • B – Spending less than planned is favorable, and staffing is unrelated.
  • C – Any difference between actual and planned amounts is a variance.
  • D – Budgets are estimates and spending below plan is favorable, not unfavorable.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

68Question

A nurse manager describes a vision of the unit as a center of excellence in geriatric care, mentors nurses individually, and encourages them to try new approaches to reducing delirium. Which leadership style is she demonstrating?

  1. Transactional, based on rewards for goals met
  2. Transformational
  3. Autocratic, with all decisions made by the manager
  4. Laissez-faire, with minimal involvement
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B. Transformational

Topic: transformational leadership

Transformational leaders inspire staff with a shared vision, mentor individuals and encourage innovation, raising motivation and commitment above routine expectations.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Transactional leadership trades rewards for performance and does not emphasize vision and inspiration.
  • C – Autocratic leaders decide alone and do not encourage new ideas.
  • D – This manager is actively involved, not hands-off.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

69Question

The monthly report shows agency nurse expense 30% above budget. The director asks the manager to explain it. What should the manager do next?

  1. Assume the finance office will explain the cause
  2. Wait for the annual report before looking into the difference
  3. Compare it with census, acuity and call-in data to find the cause
  4. Reduce staffing on every shift right away
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C. Compare it with census, acuity and call-in data to find the cause

Topic: using monthly budget reports

A monthly budget report compares plan with actual results and identifies variances, but it does not say why they occurred. The manager must examine related data such as volume, acuity and absences to find the cause and decide on action.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – The report shows that a variance exists but not why; the manager is responsible for investigating.
  • B – Waiting until year-end allows the overspending to continue.
  • D – Cutting staffing without knowing the cause may endanger clients and may not fix the problem.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

70Question

A nurse is named the change agent for a new fall-prevention protocol on her unit. Which responsibilities fit this role?

Select all that apply.

  1. Avoid contact with staff who resist the change
  2. Impose the change without explanation to save time
  3. Identify the need for the change and help start it
  4. Explain the reasons for the change and gather staff reactions
  5. Coach and support colleagues through the transition
Show the answers and explanation

Answers: C, D and E.

  • C – Identify the need for the change and help start it
  • D – Explain the reasons for the change and gather staff reactions
  • E – Coach and support colleagues through the transition

Topic: role of the change agent

A change agent identifies the need, helps start the change, communicates reasons, listens to reactions and supports colleagues as they adopt new practice. The role involves engagement with resisters, not avoidance.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Resisters often have useful concerns; avoiding them increases resistance.
  • B – Imposing change without explanation undermines trust and adoption.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

71Question

A 20-minute huddle about a new sepsis screening routine is ending. What is the most important thing the chair should do in the last few minutes?

  1. Confirm who will do what, and by when
  2. Point out which attendees spoke the most during the meeting
  3. Collect each person's written opinion of how the meeting went
  4. Read the previous meeting's minutes again in full
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A. Confirm who will do what, and by when

Topic: closing a meeting

A meeting accomplishes its purpose only if decisions lead to action. The chair should summarize decisions and assign responsibility and deadlines before closing.

Why the others are wrong

  • B – Recognizing talkers does not translate decisions into action.
  • C – Evaluating the meeting can help later but is not the priority at the close.
  • D – Repeating old minutes does not clarify what the group just decided.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

72Question

Because of low census, a hospital closes six beds on a surgical unit for a month. Which unit cost is most likely to stay the same?

  1. Laundry and linen costs
  2. Wound-care supply costs
  3. The nurse manager's salary
  4. Overtime paid to bedside RNs
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C. The nurse manager's salary

Topic: fixed versus variable costs

Fixed costs, such as a manager's salary, stay the same when volume changes in the short term. Variable costs such as supplies, linen and overtime rise and fall with the number of clients.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Linen use falls as the number of clients falls.
  • B – Supply use varies with client volume.
  • D – Overtime depends on workload and generally decreases with a lower census.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

73Question

Two nurses on a medical unit disagree about how to split the heaviest client assignments. The unit manager meets with both of them. Which result shows the conflict was handled constructively?

  1. Both nurses stop mentioning the topic, and each quietly keeps the assignments she prefers
  2. The manager announces the final decision, closes the discussion and warns that further complaints will be recorded
  3. The nurses voice their concerns, agree on a rotation and find handoff talks easier
  4. One nurse asks to transfer to another unit so the disagreement no longer has to be addressed
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C. The nurses voice their concerns, agree on a rotation and find handoff talks easier

Topic: constructive conflict outcome

Conflict is constructive when it brings concerns into the open and leads to a solution both parties accept, with better communication afterward. Silence, imposed decisions and withdrawal leave the cause in place and often damage trust.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Avoidance hides the problem; the disagreement remains and tension continues.
  • B – A forced decision with a threat ends the talk but leaves the nurses resentful and unwilling to speak up.
  • D – Transfer removes one person but does not resolve the issue and may cost the unit an experienced nurse.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

74Question

A nurse manager reviews monthly variance reports for four units. Which finding most warrants prompt investigation?

  1. Agency staffing costs are over budget for a third consecutive month, and the gap grows each month
  2. Supply spending is 6 percent over budget in one month, the month a one-time infection outbreak occurred
  3. Overtime is slightly under budget this month after two months of staying on target
  4. Education spending is under budget this quarter because a conference was rescheduled
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A. Agency staffing costs are over budget for a third consecutive month, and the gap grows each month

Topic: interpreting budget variance trends

A variance that persists for several consecutive periods and keeps widening is a trend and signals a problem with the plan or with practice. A single-month variance with a known one-time cause, or a small favorable variance with an explanation, usually needs only monitoring.

Why the others are wrong

  • B – A single month with a known cause (the outbreak) is expected; monitor it rather than investigate urgently.
  • C – A small favorable variance after stable months is not a concern.
  • D – The cause is known and timing-related; the spending will shift to a later period.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

75Question

A nurse manager wants staff to generate new ideas for reducing call-light response time. Which approach is most likely to produce creative initiatives?

  1. Send a memo asking nurses to submit ideas in writing by the end of the month
  2. Post a flyer and place a suggestion box at the nurses' station
  3. Hold a brainstorming session with staff nurses and unit support staff
  4. Send a text message poll offering three predetermined choices
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C. Hold a brainstorming session with staff nurses and unit support staff

Topic: communication method for generating ideas

New ideas develop best through interactive discussion, in which people build on one another's thoughts. Team or individual meetings allow questions, immediate feedback and creative combination of ideas, while one-way written channels do not.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – A written request is one-way and gives no chance to build on others' ideas.
  • B – Suggestion boxes tend to yield few, isolated comments without discussion.
  • D – A poll with fixed options limits ideas to those already proposed.

Written for the Medical Exam YouTube channel and answered blind by a second AI model before publication.

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