The 'grapevine' in an organisation refers to:

Informal communication among staff

Written circulars from the office

In a line organisation, authority flows:

Directly from the top to the lowest level

Through advisory experts to all departments

Equally among all members of a committee

From the staff upwards to the managers

Nursing administration and ward management

50 Kerala PSC Staff Nurse Gr II practice questions on Nursing administration and ward management, part of Professional Trends and Nursing Administration. The first 25 are below; the first 5 with answers and explanations (tap Show answer after you have chosen), the rest in Learn with a free account.

Question 1 · Easy
The 'grapevine' in an organisation refers to:
1. AWritten circulars from the office
2. BInformal communication among staff
3. CMinutes of staff meetings
4. DThe formal chain of command
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Answer: B · Informal communication among staff
The grapevine is the informal network through which news and rumours pass between staff, outside official channels. It is fast but often inaccurate. A wise nurse manager does not try to abolish it, but gives timely, correct information through formal channels so rumours do not spread. It also tells the manager how staff feel.
- A: Circulars are formal written communication.
- C: Minutes are the formal record of a meeting.
- D: The formal chain of command is the scalar chain, the official line.
Question 2 · Medium
Two staff nurses both want the same weekends off. Each agrees to give up part of her claim, taking alternate weekends. This conflict-handling approach is:
1. ACompromising
2. BAvoiding
3. CCompeting
4. DCollaborating
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Answer: A · Compromising
In compromising, each party gives up something to reach an agreement both can accept, so neither is fully satisfied. It is quick and useful when both sides have equal power and a fair split is possible, as in sharing weekend duties. Collaborating, by contrast, seeks a solution that fully meets both needs. Avoiding leaves the conflict to return later.
- B: Avoiding means ignoring the conflict, so nothing is settled.
- C: Competing means one side wins at the other's cost.
- D: Collaborating seeks a win-win solution that fully meets both parties' needs.
Question 3 · Easy
The written request a ward sends to the central store or pharmacy for supplies is called:
1. AAn indent
2. BA voucher
3. CA tender
4. DAn invoice
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Answer: A · An indent
An indent is the requisition form, usually in duplicate or triplicate, that the nurse in charge sends to the store or pharmacy. One copy stays in the ward indent book as a record of what was asked for and received. Indents are raised at fixed intervals, with emergency indents for urgent needs. The store checks the indent against stock and issues the items.
- B: A voucher is a document supporting a payment or issue entry in accounts.
- C: A tender is the bid process used to purchase goods from suppliers.
- D: An invoice is the supplier's bill for goods supplied.
Question 4 · Easy
In the ISBAR handover tool, the letter B stands for:
1. ABed number
2. BBackground
3. CBlood pressure
4. DBehaviour
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Answer: B · Background
ISBAR stands for Identify, Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation. Background gives the relevant history, diagnosis, medicines and recent events. The tool gives every handover and phone call to a doctor the same order, so key facts are not missed. It is widely used at change of shift and during transfers.
- A: The bed number is part of identifying the patient.
- C: Blood pressure is a single finding within the assessment.
- D: Behaviour is part of the assessment, not a separate ISBAR step.
Question 5 · Medium
In a line organisation, authority flows:
1. AThrough advisory experts to all departments
2. BEqually among all members of a committee
3. CDirectly from the top to the lowest level
4. DFrom the staff upwards to the managers
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Answer: C · Directly from the top to the lowest level
A line organisation is the oldest and simplest form, also called the military type. Authority passes in a straight line from the head down to the lowest worker, and each person reports to one superior. It gives clear responsibility and quick decisions, but the head may be overloaded. Line and staff organisation adds specialist advisers to this line.
- A: Advisory experts are added in a line and staff organisation.
- B: Shared authority describes a committee, not a line structure.
- D: Authority does not flow upwards in a line organisation.
Question 6 · Medium
A leader who inspires staff with a shared vision and encourages them to grow beyond their own interests is showing:
1. ATransformational leadership
2. BTransactional leadership
3. CLaissez-faire leadership
4. DAutocratic leadership
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 7 · Hard
After a pay revision, staff nurses in a ward still show low enthusiasm. They say their good work goes unnoticed and they are never given charge. By Herzberg's theory, the ward sister should now:
1. ATighten supervision of their daily work
2. BGive recognition and more responsibility
3. CRequest a further increase in salary
4. DImprove the duty room and its furniture
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 8 · Easy
Which method of correcting a wrong entry in a patient's nursing record is acceptable?
1. ACover it with correction fluid and rewrite
2. BErase it neatly and rewrite the entry
3. CDraw a single line through it, sign and date
4. DTear out the page and rewrite the record
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Question 9 · Medium
In cyclical scheduling of nursing staff, the duty roster:
1. ARepeats the same shift pattern every few weeks
2. BKeeps every nurse on one fixed permanent shift
3. CIs written fresh by the in-charge each week
4. DIs chosen by each nurse to suit her needs
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 10 · Medium
A retrospective nursing audit is done by:
1. AObserving care while the patient is in the ward
2. BReviewing records after the patient is discharged
3. CWatching nurses as they give medicines
4. DInterviewing patients during their admission
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 11 · Medium
When a ward sister delegates a task to a staff nurse, which of the following remains with the ward sister?
1. AThe authority to perform the task
2. BUltimate accountability for the task
3. CThe time needed to finish the task
4. DThe actual performance of the task
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 12 · Medium
A quality team draws a fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram after several patient falls. The diagram helps them:
1. AAssign blame to the nurse on duty
2. BCalculate the fall rate per 1,000 patient days
3. CIdentify the possible causes of the falls
4. DPlan the duty roster for the next month
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 13 · Easy
VED analysis of hospital stores classifies items according to their:
1. AEase of getting supplies
2. BCriticality to patient care
3. CUnit price of each item
4. DAnnual consumption value
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 14 · Medium
A quality circle in a hospital is best described as:
1. AA group of patients who give feedback on the hospital
2. BAn external team that grants accreditation to the hospital
3. CA committee of senior doctors that inspects all wards each year
4. DA small group of staff from one area who meet to solve work problems
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 15 · Easy
To prevent drugs expiring on the ward shelf, stock should be issued by the principle of:
1. AFirst in, first out
2. BLargest pack, first out
3. CHighest cost, first out
4. DLast in, first out
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 16 · Easy
Who is known as the father of scientific management?
1. APeter Drucker
2. BF.W. Taylor
3. CMax Weber
4. DHenri Fayol
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 17 · Easy
Which leadership style is most suitable during a cardiac arrest or a fire in the ward?
1. AParticipative
2. BAutocratic
3. CDemocratic
4. DLaissez-faire
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 18 · Easy
The daily inpatient census of a hospital is usually taken at:
1. A6 am
2. B8 pm
3. CNoon
4. DMidnight
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Question 19 · Medium
In ABC analysis of ward and hospital stores, class A items are those that:
1. AMove slowly and are rarely issued
2. BAre many in number but use little of the budget
3. CAre vital for life-saving care
4. DAre few in number but use most of the budget
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Question 20 · Easy
Which is the first and basic function of management?
1. ADirecting
2. BOrganising
3. CPlanning
4. DControlling
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Question 21 · Medium
Controlled (narcotic) drugs in a ward are kept safely mainly by:
1. AA locked fridge checked once a week by pharmacy
2. BThe patient's bedside locker with his own medicines
3. CA double-locked cupboard and a count at every shift
4. DAn open shelf in the treatment room near the nurses' station
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 22 · Easy
Management by objectives (MBO) was introduced by:
1. AHenri Fayol
2. BFrederick Herzberg
3. CPeter Drucker
4. DAbraham Maslow
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 23 · Easy
The document that lists the duties, responsibilities and reporting line of a staff nurse post is the:
1. AJob specification
2. BPolicy manual
3. CDuty roster
4. DJob description
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 24 · Hard
A 40-bed ward recorded 1,080 inpatient days in April (30 days). What was its bed occupancy rate?
1. A85%
2. B96%
3. C90%
4. D75%
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 25 · Hard
A Pareto chart of 200 medication incidents shows: wrong time 110, omitted dose 50, wrong dose 25, wrong patient 15. To gain the most with limited effort, the team should first target:
1. AWrong time and omitted dose
2. BWrong patient and wrong dose
3. CWrong patient alone
4. DAll four types equally
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25 more Nursing administration and ward management questions

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Study Professional Trends and Nursing Administration

Nursing administration and ward management

The 'grapevine' in an organisation refers to:

Two staff nurses both want the same weekends off. Each agrees to give up part of her claim, taking alternate weekends. This conflict-handling approach is:

The written request a ward sends to the central store or pharmacy for supplies is called:

In the ISBAR handover tool, the letter B stands for:

In a line organisation, authority flows:

A leader who inspires staff with a shared vision and encourages them to grow beyond their own interests is showing:

After a pay revision, staff nurses in a ward still show low enthusiasm. They say their good work goes unnoticed and they are never given charge. By Herzberg's theory, the ward sister should now:

Which method of correcting a wrong entry in a patient's nursing record is acceptable?

In cyclical scheduling of nursing staff, the duty roster:

A retrospective nursing audit is done by:

When a ward sister delegates a task to a staff nurse, which of the following remains with the ward sister?

A quality team draws a fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram after several patient falls. The diagram helps them:

VED analysis of hospital stores classifies items according to their:

A quality circle in a hospital is best described as:

To prevent drugs expiring on the ward shelf, stock should be issued by the principle of:

Who is known as the father of scientific management?

Which leadership style is most suitable during a cardiac arrest or a fire in the ward?

The daily inpatient census of a hospital is usually taken at:

In ABC analysis of ward and hospital stores, class A items are those that:

Which is the first and basic function of management?

Controlled (narcotic) drugs in a ward are kept safely mainly by:

Management by objectives (MBO) was introduced by:

The document that lists the duties, responsibilities and reporting line of a staff nurse post is the:

A 40-bed ward recorded 1,080 inpatient days in April (30 days). What was its bed occupancy rate?

A Pareto chart of 200 medication incidents shows: wrong time 110, omitted dose 50, wrong dose 25, wrong patient 15. To gain the most with limited effort, the team should first target: