A busy ICU unit has a high noise level. The charge nurse is ...

[jlmhmf]

A busy ICU unit has a high noise level. The charge nurse is frustrated due to the noise level and the inability to focus when entering physicians orders into the electronic medical record.
 
  Which of the following would be an appropriate action by the ICU nurse manager? 1. Decrease the noise level on the unit.
  2. Inform other staff they are to lower their voices.
  3. Close the doors to the clients rooms.
  4. Arrange an area that is quiet and removed from the nurses work area to enter orders.

Question 2

A rural hospital has been at capacity for the past 3 months. The CNO (chief nurse officer) has heard numerous complaints from the nursing staff. Most of the complaints are issues related to other nursing departments and are minor.
 
  The CNO realizes: 1. The nursing staff are inefficient in managing the client load.
  2. This is a typical reaction amongst nursing departments.
  3. The nursing staff is stressed due to a sustained, increased workload.
  4. The nurses are ready to unionize.

[iceage]

Answer to Question 1

4
Explanation: 1. The physical environment is stressful. Participative management can reduce job stress. It is
appropriate for the manager to investigate other measures to lower the noise level. It is
inappropriate at times to close doors to the clients rooms. This does not allow for the nurse to
visualize the client or monitors.

Answer to Question 2

3
Explanation: 1. Stress can result from job-related factors, such as task overload, conflicting tasks, inability to
do the tasks assigned because of a lack of preparation/experience, and insufficient information
regarding the assignment. The nursing staffs efficiency is not in question. The staff are
complaining about other departments and the CNO believes the complaints are minor.

[jlmhmf]

Excellent

[yeungji]

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