Ethics & Issues in Contemporary Nursing

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C because the highest level of nursing education for most RNs is an associate degree. This is supported by data showing that a significant proportion of registered nurses have obtained their education through associate degree programs. Additionally, pursuing an associate degree is a common pathway for individuals entering the nursing profession due to its accessibility and shorter duration compared to obtaining a bachelor's or graduate degree. Choice A is incorrect because while there may be second-degree nursing students entering the field, the average age of individuals entering nursing is typically younger than 45 years old. Choice B is incorrect as there is increasing diversity in the nursing workforce, with nurses from various ethnic backgrounds entering and obtaining graduate degrees. Choice D is incorrect as the majority of nurses are not practicing in hospitals, with many working in other healthcare settings such as clinics, long-term care facilities, and community health centers.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Time plot. A time plot is the most appropriate graph for displaying data over time to identify trends and patterns. In this scenario, plotting patient satisfaction levels monthly over a year allows the staff to analyze fluctuations and identify periods of greatest dissatisfaction accurately. Summary of other choices: B: Pareto chart - Pareto charts are used to display the frequency of occurrences in a dataset in descending order. It is not suitable for analyzing trends over time. C: Flowchart - Flowcharts are used to represent processes and workflows, not suitable for displaying time-series data. D: Cause-and-effect diagram - Cause-and-effect diagrams are used to identify and analyze potential causes of a problem, not suitable for displaying time-series data.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Total patient care. Total patient care system involves one nurse being responsible for all aspects of care for a specific patient, including personal hygiene, medication administration, education, and emotional support. This system ensures continuity, individualized care, and better communication between the nurse, patient, and family. Partnership nursing (B) involves collaboration between the nurse and patient, team nursing (C) involves a team of healthcare providers working together, and functional nursing (D) involves dividing tasks among different healthcare professionals, none of which fully align with the comprehensive care provided in total patient care system.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Zero-based. Zero-based budgeting requires starting from scratch each budget cycle, meaning all expenses must be justified regardless of previous budgets. In this scenario, the nurse managers are planning for a budget based on the expectation of lower patient census due to the economic slowdown. This aligns with the zero-based approach as they will need to re-evaluate and justify all expenses to accommodate the changes in patient volume. A: Incremental budgeting involves making adjustments to the previous budget, which is not suitable for significant changes like a decrease in patient census. C: Productivity metrics focus on measuring efficiency and performance, rather than the budgeting approach. D: Capital budgeting is related to long-term investments in assets, which is not the primary focus in this scenario.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A because it directly addresses the shortage of nursing faculty by highlighting the issue of burnout and job dissatisfaction, which leads to faculty turnover and limits enrollment. This explanation aligns with the initial statement that qualified applicants are being turned away due to the shortage of faculty. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because they do not directly address the main issue of faculty shortage. B talks about the stability of faculty numbers in Associate Degree programs, which is irrelevant to the shortage. C discusses the decrease in the mean age of nursing faculty and the departure of older mentors, but this does not explain the shortage of faculty. D mentions increasing job competition from clinical sites, which is not the primary reason for the shortage of nursing faculty.