Chapter 21

1. Which action is an accepted tactic when engaged in a negotiation?

1. A) Being willing to win at any cost

2. B) Communicating only when asked direct questions
3. C) Compromising only as a last resort
4. D) Beginning with a high but realistic expectation

Ans: D

Feedback:

The selected starting point in negotiations should be at the upper limits of the
negotiators expectations, within reason. However, negotiators must realize they
may have to come down to a lesser goal. The other options are not reflective of
accepted tactics used in successful negotiations.

2. A charge nurse assists a group of personnel to resolve their conflict, with the
outcome being that the two opposing goals were discarded and new goals were
adopted. What is this an example of?

1. A) Smoothing of conflict by the leader

2. B) Facilitating collaboration among personnel
3. C) A majority rule approach
4. D) A good lesson in compromising

Ans: B

Feedback:

In collaboration, all parties set aside their original goals and work together to
establish a common goal. None of the other options are examples of the
described outcome.

3. Which is a true statement about negotiation tactics?

1. A) Ridicule often takes the form of ambiguous or inappropriate

questioning and is a
diversionary tactic
2. B) Most managers successfully resist the illness/wellness tactic
because of their
nursing preparation.
3. C) Negotiation tactics can be manipulative; thus, managers should
know how to
identify and counter destructive tactics
4. D) The tactic of paternalism allows both parties in the negotiation to
reach a
consensus of opinion
Ans: C

Feedback:

Destructive negotiation tactics are never a part of a successful collaborative

conflict resolution. A good manager will be alert for such tactics. None of the
other options are true statements regarding negotiation tactics.

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4. What did the interactionist theorists of the 1970s believe about

organizational conflict? A) It should be dealt with immediately
B) It should be encouraged
C) It was an indication of poor management
D) It should be avoided
Ans: B
Feedback:
The interactionist movement encouraged organizations to promote
conflict as a means of producing growth. The remaining options were
not necessarily supported by the interactionist theorists.
5. Which statement reflects the contemporary thinking about conflict?
1. A) It can lead to new ideas
2. B) It leads to decreased motivation
3. C) It should be avoided whenever possible
4. D) It is neither qualitative nor quantitative

Ans: A

Feedback:

Some level of conflict in an organization appears to be desirable since it appears

to prevent organizational stagnation. None of the other options reflect
contemporary thinking about conflict.

6. What

1. A) Intergroup conflict
2. B) Common control
3. C) Intrapersonal conflict
4. D) Interpersonal conflict

Ans: D

Feedback:

Interpersonal conflict happens between two or more people with differing

values, goals, and beliefs. No other option is used to describe this situation.

7. Which statement is true concerning perceived conflict?

1. A) It develops during the first stage of the conflict process

 2. B) It is sometimes referred to as antecedent conflict
3. C) It occurs if the conflict is intellectualized
4. D) It occurs when the conflict is emotionalized

Ans: C

Feedback:

Perceived or substantive conflict is intellectualized and often involves issues and

roles. The person recognizes it logically and impersonally as occurring. None of
the other options are true statements concerning perceived conflict.

term is used when two or more people have conflict about values or goals?

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8. When is the competing approach to resolving conflict used?

1. A) When fair play is important to all involved parties

2. B) When one party wins at the expense of the others
3. C) When managers need to control a volatile situation
4. D) When an appropriate political strategy is necessary

Ans: B

Feedback:

The competing approach is used when one party pursues what it wants at the
expense of the others. Because only one party typically wins, the competing
party seeks to win regardless of the cost to others. Neither manager control nor
political strategy is necessarily associated with the competing approach to
resolving conflict.

9. What is the most important criterion for success for health-care providers
collaborate on patient care?

1. A) Having mutual respect for one anothers knowledge and expertise

2. B) Having the skills to negotiate successfully
3. C) Liking each other enough to want to collaborate
4. D) Being willing to cooperate with each other

Ans: A Feedback:

In collaboration, problem solving is a joint effort with no superior/subordinate

relationships. Mutual respect is required for its success. While the other options
identify factors that add to the collaborative process, its foundation is mutual
respect.

10. A registered nurse reports to the nurse-manager that the teams nursing
assistant regularly fails to complete assigned tasks. The nurse-manager
responds that it is the nurses responsibility to talk with the nursing assistant
about this problem. The manager is engaged in what aspect of conflict?

1. A) Conflict avoidance
2. B) Conflict smoothing
3. C) Encouraging competitive conflict
4. D) Facilitating conflict resolution

Ans: D

Feedback:

Managers should not intervene in every conflict, but should urge subordinates
to handle their own problems. This is an example of supporting conflict
resolution. The action of the manager is not reflective of any of the other
options.

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11. Which statement best defines conflict?

1. A) It involves an internal struggle resulting from value-related

discord
2. B) Its basis is the violation of personal rights or values
3. C) It centers on either internal or external discord between
individuals
4. D) It is the outcome of a visible struggle between individuals

Ans: C

Feedback:

Conflict is generally defined as the internal or external discord that results from
differences in ideas, values, or feelings between two or more people. The
remaining options describe only limited aspects of conflict.

12. What

1. A) That gains for each party are different but equal

2. B) That the hidden agendas of all parties be exposed
3. C) That each party willingly reveals their negotiated limits
4. D) That both parties perceive that they have won something they
value

Ans: D

Feedback:
A successful negotiation leaves both parties feeling like they have gained
something they want and/or value. None of the other options are considered a
goal of negotiation.

is a critical goal in negotiation?

13. What

1. A) One party wins at the expense of another

2. B) The willingness by all parties to accept agreed-on conditions
3. C) The most rapid conflict resolution strategies
4. D) An unanimous decision has been reached

Ans: B

Feedback:

In a consensus, an agreement is found that all parties can support, or at least

not oppose. The term is not used to describe any of the other options.

is iConsensusi in negotiation referring to?

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14. The nurse-manager is negotiating for the funds necessary to purchase

several new isolettes for the facilitys newborn nursery. The Chief Financial
Officer (CFO) states, iIve always been curious about that piece of equipment;
how does it actually work?i What negotiation action has the CFO engaged in?

1. A) Collaborating
2. B) Smoothing
3. C) A diversionary tactic
4. D) Appropriate fact finding

Ans: C

Feedback:

The CFO was consciously or unconsciously using a diversionary tactic. The

action described is not accurately associated with any of the other options.

15. Several RNs on the unit want to address the possibility of initiating flextime
on the unit. What is the managers initial response?

1. A) Assuring the RNs that their suggestion will be taking under

consideration
2. B) Asking the RNs to circulate a partition to be signed by employees
who support the
change
3. C) Arranging for the RNs to air their views at the next staff meeting.
4. D) Sharing with the RNs that they need to address the issue with
upper management
Ans: C

Feedback:

This manager should plan to let employees air their views at the next staff
meeting. Nursing managers can no longer afford to respond to conflict
traditionally (to avoid or suppress conflict), because this is nonproductive. In an
era of shrinking health-care dollars, it has become increasingly important for
managers to confront and manage conflict appropriately. The ability to
understand and deal with conflict appropriately is a critical leadership skill.

16. The nurse-manager facilitates a conflict that involves the delineation of staff
job descriptions. What is this an example of?

1. A) Responsibility charting
2. B) Smoothing conflict
3. C) Alternate dispute resolution
4. D) Mediation counseling

Ans: A Feedback:

When a supervisor delineates job duties to persons in conflict, it is called

responsibility charting. The other options are not related to job description
conflict.

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17. What are the least common sources of organizational conflict? A)

Communication problems

B) Organizational structure

C) Individual behavior within the organization

D) Self-scheduling

Ans: A

Feedback:

Self-scheduling is not generally associated with common causes of

organizational conflict. The most common sources of organizational conflict are
communication problems, organizational structure, and individual behavior
within the organization.

18. What

A) Stasis

19. What

A) Latent

occurs when there is very little conflict in an organization?

 2. B) Increased productivity
3. C) Decreased effectiveness
4. D) Employee immobilization

Ans: A

Feedback:

Too little conflict results in organizational stasis and decreased productivity,

whereas too much conflict reduces the organizations effectiveness and
eventually immobilizes its employees.

is the name given to the first stage in the conflict process?

2. B) Perceived
3. C) Felt
4. D) Manifest

Ans: A Feedback:

The first stage in the conflict process is called latent conflict, which implies the
existence of antecedent conditions. Latent conflict may proceed to perceived
conflict or to felt conflict. Manifest conflict may also ensue. The last stage in the
process is conflict aftermath.

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20. Considering dispute resolution, which statement is true regarding what

occurs during mediation?

1. A) It uses a neutral third party; is a confidential, legally nonbinding

process designed to help bring the parties together to devise a
solution to the conflict
2. B) It asks questions to clarify the issues
3. C) It makes a final decision for the parties in conflict
4. D) It involves presentation of evidence including that of expert
witnesses

Ans: A

Feedback:

Mediation uses a neutral third party; is a confidential, legally nonbinding

process designed to help bring the parties together to devise a solution to the
conflict. None of the other options accurately describes the process of
mediation.

21. What
 1. A) All involved parties agree to support the way a conflict has been
resolved
2. B) A conflict is resolved by meeting the goals of all involved parties
3. C) It resolves a conflict by an initial unanimous decision
4. D) Conflict is resolved through the mediation process

Ans: A

Feedback:

Consensus means that negotiating parties reach an agreement that all parties
can support, even if it does not represent everyones first priorities. Consensus
decision making does not provide complete satisfaction for everyone involved in
the negotiation as an initially unanimous decision would, but it does indicate
willingness by all parties to accept the agreed-upon conditions. Mediation is not
a required factor in arriving at a consensus.

is the result of arriving at a consensus?

22. What

1. A) Providing expert testimony in conflict cases

2. B) Mediating disputes between an organization and its employees
3. C) Educating individuals involved in a grievance situation of their
rights
4. D) Monitoring the implementation of the terms of a conflicts
compromise

Ans: C

Feedback:

A function of an ombudsperson is to assure that those involved in a conflict

understand their rights as well as the process that should be used to report and
resolve the conflict. This role is not appropriately described by any of the other
options.

is the function of an ombudsperson?

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23. After a compromise has been made, what is the managers initial action?

1. A) Clearly restating the compromises specific outcomes to all

involved
2. B) Thanking all involved for their cooperation on reaching the
compromise
3. C) Evaluating the compromises outcomes for fairness to all involved
parties
4. D) Assuring all involved that the compromise will not cause a change
in goals
Ans: A

Feedback:

Once a compromise has been reached, restate it so that everyone is clear about
what has been agreed upon. A compromise by its natural requires a change in
original goals. The evaluation for fairness needs to have been done prior to the
compromise being agreed upon. Thanking all involved is appropriate but would
not be the initial action.

24. A nurse-manager is engaged in a negotiation with staff representatives

when the discussion becomes controlled by a particularly aggressive member.
Which action will the nurse-manager take to assure that the process is
successful?

1. A) Asks that the aggressive individual recognize the rights of all the
other members
2. B) States, iI need to have time to think over all that we have
discussed.i
3. C) Halts any discussion until new representatives can be appointed
4. D) Shares with the members that aggressiveness negatively impacts
the negotiations

Ans: B

Feedback:

Some people win in negotiation simply by rapidly and aggressively taking over
and controlling the negotiation before other members realize what is happening.
If managers believe that this may be happening, they should call a halt to the
negotiations before decisions are made. Saying simply, iI need to have time to
think this overi is a good method of stopping an aggressive takeover. The other
options are much less effective and may even lead to increased aggressiveness
among team members.

25. Which personal characteristics will best help meet the psychological needs
of conflict negotiation?

1. A) Perseverance and assertiveness

2. B) Calmness and self-assuredness
3. C) Compassion and reflectiveness
4. D) Organization and preparedness

Ans: B

Feedback:

Negotiation is psychological and verbal. The effective negotiator always appears

calm and self-assured. The other options are not as impactful when considering
the psychological aspects of the negotiation process.
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