Answer to Question 1
d
a. Incorrect: When issues need to be brought forward to a nursing practice council, this may take time and thus make it difficult or impossible to act when a decision is needed immediately or an organization is large.
b. Incorrect: In a shared governance structure, nurses understand the big picture of the organization, which includes understanding work done in departments other than their own department.
c. Incorrect: Administrators and nurses are both involved in decision making regarding the work of the nursing staff in a shared governance structure. Nurse administrators do not direct the work of nurses within this structure.
d. Correct: Nursing practice councils, and shared governance in general, involves nurses in the decision-making process, and therefore empowers them.
Answer to Question 2
A, B, E
There are a number of different ways in which health care organizations and nurses can work to decrease their risk for liability. For nurses, some of these methods and techniques include: 1) treat all patients and families with respect and kindness; 2) take appropriate actions to meet the patients' nursing needs; and 3) maintain current professional standards of care and the facility's policy and procedure for administering care and reporting incidents. Ways for organizations to decrease their risk of liability include: 1) develop physical, mental, and verbal no abuse policy to be followed by all professional and nonprofessional health care staff; 2) provide administrative support for supervisors and staff who delegate, assign, monitor, and evaluate patient care; and 3) consider applying for magnet status.