Question 1

Strategic goals are developed as a result of which information source?

Accepted Answer

A)  Environmental scan
B)  Electronic medical record
C)  Changes in nursing practice
D)  Changes in staff ratios A

Question 2

When referring to the critical success factors (CSFs) that organizations use for developing their strategic plans, the term Growth best describes which characteristic?

Accepted Answer

A)  Growth is the expansion of the specific disease.
B)  Growth is the aging of the population served.
C)  Growth is difficult-to-access health care.
D)  Growth is the expansion of the organization. D

Question 3

When an organization performs a strategic analysis, it is looking for ways to address the competition.Which environmental factor influences their decision making? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

A)  Transfer of patients to a Level I trauma center
B)  Changing demographics
C)  Political climate
D)  Economic considerations
E)  Transfer of patients to an extended-care facility (ECF)  B, C, D

Question 4

When referring to the critical success factors (CSFs) that organizations use for developing their strategic plans, the term Quality best describes which characteristic?

Accepted Answer

A)  Quality is a measurement of the product produced.
B)  Quality is the value of the service.
C)  Quality is the outcome provided when the best people are providing the best service.
D)  Quality is a characteristic of the service.

Question 5

Nurse managers are included in strategic planning for the institution because of which principle?

Accepted Answer

A)  Nurse managers have the authority to terminate employees.
B)  Nurse managers encourage "buy-in" from staff.
C)  Nurse managers understand the need for the plan.
D)  Nurse managers understand the financial aspects of the organization.

Question 6

When establishing a unit action plan, the nurse manager identifies steps to be taken to accomplish the goal.What is most important for achieving the goal?

Accepted Answer

A)  Regularly scheduled meetings
B)  Administration attendance at meetings
C)  Staff involvement in decisions and actions
D)  Involvement of other departments

Question 7

Sometimes organizations use measurable critical success factors (CSFs) when developing their strategic plan.The CSFs include People, Service, Quality, Financial, Growth, and sometimes Community.Which of the definitions indicates the meaning of the term People?

Accepted Answer

A)  The term People represents the patients served.
B)  The term People represents the nurses and physicians who provide the care.
C)  The term People represents the community served.
D)  The term People represents the upper-level management.

Question 8

When developing a unit-based action plan, what would the nurse manager need to do first?

Accepted Answer

A)  Identify the purpose of the plan
B)  Identify specific plans for each strategy
C)  Monitor and update the plan
D)  Identify the responsibility of each person in achieving the goal

Question 9

Which of the following represents a short-term goal for an organization?

Accepted Answer

A)  Health education to prevent the incidence of accidents due to drunk drivers
B)  Heart failure education provided to every patient admitted with that diagnosis-related group
C)  Building a new emergency department
D)  Renovation of the intensive care unit

Question 10

A community hospital has assessed the need for an automatic internal cardiac defibrillator for special procedures.Because of the reimbursement allowed from Medicare, which of the following best explains the decision made?

Accepted Answer

A)  An environmental scan showed no interest in the community for having these placed.
B)  An environmental scan showed the need for this procedure in only a few patients in the community.
C)  An environmental scan showed that the cost to the patient was prohibitive.
D)  An environmental scan showed the device has a high malfunction rate.

Question 11

The strategic plan of an organization includes all stakeholders of the organization, including nurse managers.Which explains the benefit of including nurse managers in developing plans for the organization?

Accepted Answer

A)  Nurse managers own stock in the business.
B)  Nurse managers understand the clinical areas.
C)  Nurse managers will be involved in implementing the changes.
D)  Nurse managers have had business courses.

Question 12

Which of the following could have an impact on strategic planning for a community hospital?

Accepted Answer

A)  Change in primary orthopedic surgeon
B)  Increased availability of flu shots
C)  Health promotion by the local nursing school
D)  Community health fairs

Question 13

When interviewing for a position at a new facility, the nurse managers ask to review the mission, vision, and values statements because they understand that these statements provide information about the organization's

Accepted Answer

A)  fiscal responsibility.
B)  direction and purpose.
C)  concern for uninsured.
D)  specific actions to be taken.

Question 14

Action planning is a process by which organizations develop and implement both short-term and long-term goals.What would be expected in these plans?

Accepted Answer

A)  Identification of the strengths and weaknesses for each objective
B)  Identification of the impact on the community
C)  Specific responsibilities and timelines for each objective
D)  Specific patient population for each objective

Question 15

When identifying the objectives in an organization's action plan, what would be an essential tool to use to improve performance?

Accepted Answer

A)  Benchmarking to "best in class performers"
B)  Patient satisfaction survey results
C)  Employee satisfaction survey results
D)  Patient population

Question 16

The overall purpose for strategic planning in an organization includes which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  Increases the chance of success
B)  Frees the nurse manager from day-to-day supervision
C)  Shows interest in the success of the organization
D)  Avoids crisis management

Question 17

Nurse managers involved in the development of the action plan for a unit understand that each objective is individualized such that

Accepted Answer

A)  each objective has an identified population.
B)  each objective has an identified resource.
C)  each objective has an identified goal.
D)  each objective has been identified by the CEO.

Question 18

In developing mission and values statements, health care facilities incorporate tools to describe desirable behaviors of the organization.These tools describe behaviors such as

Accepted Answer

A)  patient risks.
B)  nurse/patient ratios.
C)  organizational direction.
D)  desired outcomes.

Question 19

When developing a unit-based action plan, the nurse manager would need to include which factor in making decisions for implementation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Patient acuity statistics
B)  Patient satisfaction survey
C)  Budget
D)  Staff holiday schedule

Question 20

When referring to the critical success factors (CSFs) that organizations use for developing their strategic plans, the term Financial best describes which characteristic?

Accepted Answer

A)  Financial indicates the economic benefits achieved.
B)  Financial indicates the expertise of the financial manager.
C)  Financial indicates the cost to the patient.
D)  Financial indicates the cost to the community.

Exam 3: Strategic Management and Planning