Chapter 24 Performance Appraisal PDF

Preview

Summary

Nursing Leadership Test Banks...

Description

Chapter 24: Performance Appraisal Huber: Leadership & Nursing Care Management, 6th Edition MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. A tool used to facilitate conversation in the form of constructive discussion between a staff

member and his or her manager/supervisor in order to clarify work performance and needed improvements is a: a. performance improvement plan. b. performance appraisal. c. peer review. d. self-evaluation. ANS: A

A performance improvement plan (PIP) is defined as a formal performance action plan that is used as a tool to facilitate conversation in the form of constructive discussion between a staff member and his or her manager/supervisor in order to clarify work performance and needed improvements (Heathfield, 2016). A PIP outlines specific goals to work toward and specific improvement steps to take. DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 2. The prevailing purpose of performance appraisal is to: a. improve and motivate staff. b. address the abilities of staff. c. address the needs of the institution. d. mentor staff. ANS: A

The prevailing purpose of performance appraisal is to improve and motivate the staff, which in turn will enhance organizational effectiveness. Thus the process of performance appraisal is a means to address both institutional needs and the needs and abilities of staff. DIF: Cognitive Level: Remember (Knowledge) TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 3. A newer focus of performance appraisal that has the ability to engage high-performing nurses

and motivate people toward even higher levels of performance is: coaching. remedial learning. feedback. peer review.

a. b. c. d.

ANS: C

Although the focus of performance appraisals has been on remedial learning or correcting weaknesses, researchers have more recently called for a reframing of performance development after feedback. A focus on building strengths has the potential to reorient the conversation, engage high-performing nurses, and motivate people toward even higher levels of performance. DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 4. Performance appraisals provide information that is critical to human resources planning.

Having a sense of the current skills of the workforce is crucial for: compensation administration. job analysis. being prepared for future needs. structuring educational programs for staff.

a. b. c. d.

ANS: C

Performance appraisals provide data that are used to make a series of administrative and management decisions. Individual ratings can be used to inform compensation, promotion, and layoff decisions. More broadly, evaluations provide information that is critical to human resources (HR) planning. Having a sense of the current skills of the workforce is critical to being prepared for future needs, including skill gaps, new areas of specialization, and treatment needs. DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 5. A nurse is receiving her annual performance appraisal. To evaluate the nurse’s performance,

the manager considers feedback about the nurse’s performance from the nurse’s peers, subordinates, and patients. This type of evaluation is a: a. feedforward technique. b. self-report rating. c. 360-degree feedback review. d. peer review. ANS: C

In a 360-degree feedback review, managers, peers, subordinates, and patients all provide feedback. The 360-degree process is intended to give the reviewer a fuller and more robust picture of the individual’s performance. DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application) TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 6. A nursing manager is evaluating an employee’s dependability, responsibility, and

decision-making ability on a scale of 1 to 5. This is an example of what type of rating system? a. Behaviors b. Competencies c. Results d. Traits ANS: D

Under trait rating systems, workers are measured according to the extent to which they possess a given personal characteristic. Traits that could be measured include dependability, conscientiousness, responsibility, self-management, responsiveness, and decision-making ability. When using a trait method, a supervisor might be asked to rate to what extent an employee exhibits a certain trait. DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application) TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 7. A performance appraisal criterion that measures the ability to perform a skill successfully is: a. attitudes. b. behaviors. c. competencies. d. teamwork. ANS: C

A competency is the ability to perform a skill successfully. Competencies are more adaptable than behaviors because they describe the capability that underlies the behaviors. Although there is still some subjectivity and bias in rating competencies, these types of scales have been shown to have acceptable levels of validity and reliability. DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 8. An experienced critical care nurse left a CCU staff nurse position to finish a master’s degree.

Periodically, he would return to work as a per diem nurse in the CCU. The staff was impressed with the nurse’s performance; however, one staff member complained that he was unfamiliar with the new telemetry monitors when he first returned to work several months ago. This comment showed up in his evaluation, resulting in a poorer overall evaluation from the nurse manager compared with previous evaluations. This is an example of: a. contrast bias. b. a horn effect. c. recent behavior bias. d. similar-to-me effect. ANS: B

A horn effect occurs when a manager perceives one negative aspect about an employee or that employee’s performance and generalizes it into an overall poor appraisal rating. DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application) TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 9. This management technique is used to help employees improve performance in a

service-oriented profession. This technique, in which the manager guides the employee through a conversation about his or her past successes as a way of identifying strengths, and then has a detailed discussion about how the employee can use the strengths to enhance future performance, is known as: a. feedforward. b. counseling. c. goal setting.

d. mentoring. ANS: A

The technique asks the manager to guide the employee through a conversation about his or her past successes as a way of identifying strengths. The dyad then has a detailed discussion about how the employee can use the strengths to enhance future performance. The feedforward technique has been found to be effective for improving performance in a service-oriented professional equipment firm. DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 10. The ability to measure performance is challenging, and despite significant advancements,

measurements continue to be imperfect. Inaccuracy in measurement in favor of or against a group is known as: a. validity. b. objectivity. c. reliability. d. bias. ANS: D

Accurately assessing and rating someone according to a predetermined scale is a challenging task. There is a tremendous amount of bias in a performance rating. Bias refers to inaccuracy in the measurement in favor of or against a person or group, typically in a way that is unfair. Bias occurs for a wide range of reasons. DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 11. The process by which a manager examines and evaluates an employee’s work behavior by

comparing it with pre-set standards, documents the results of the comparison, and uses the results to provide feedback to the employee is: a. coaching. b. peer review. c. self-evaluation. d. performance appraisal. ANS: D

Performance appraisal means evaluating the work of others. It is the process by which a manager examines and evaluates an employee’s work behavior by comparing it with pre-set standards, documents the results of the comparison, and uses the results to provide feedback to the employee to show where improvements are needed and why. DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 12. Jennifer is evaluating her own performance over the past year and comparing it to the

standards set by the organization. Jennifer is performing a(n): a. peer review. b. intervention. c. self-evaluation.

d. performance appraisal. ANS: C

Self-evaluation is the aspect of performance appraisal whereby employees do self-assessments of their own perceptions about their performance as compared with stated objectives and expectations. DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 13. The ability to perform a skill successfully is: a. competency. b. acuity. c. aptitude. d. motivation. ANS: A

A competency is the ability to perform a skill successfully. Competencies are more adaptable than behaviors because they describe the capability that underlies the behaviors. DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 14. Karen is a nurse manager who conducts performance appraisals by observing each nurse for a

day and basing the evaluation on that day’s performance. This type of bias is known as: a. halo. b. leniency. c. recency. d. contrast. ANS: C

Recency bias occurs when the most recent events are the focus of the review. DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application) TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 15. Ben has reported to work late four times in the last 3 months. His manager brings this to his

attention and asks him to meet her in her office tomorrow at 10 AM to discuss the issue. At their meeting, Ben is given an opportunity to explain his tardiness and corrective action is determined. A tool the manager can use to monitor Ben’s future performance is a: a. performance review. b. clinical ladder. c. written warning. d. performance improvement plan. ANS: D

A performance improvement plan (PIP) is a formal action plan that addresses work performance and needed improvements using identified goals and specific improvement plans. A PIP can be used as a coaching device for personal professional improvement or as a way of tracking and monitoring the performance of a staff member who may be a cause for concern.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application) TOP: Nursing Process: Planning MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 16. The nurse manager is evaluating Brandon, an emergency department (ED) nurse. The

manager obtains input about Brandon’s performance from another nurse in the ED, the ED physician, a patient-care assistant, and Brandon himself. The type of performance evaluation the nurse manager utilizes is: a. just culture. b. peer review. c. 360-degree feedback review. d. management by objectives. ANS: C

The 360-degree feedback review can be obtained by seeking input from managers, peers, subordinates, and patients. A self-report rating is often part of a 360-degree feedback process. Once all the input is obtained, the evaluating manager adds his or her input and merges the feedback to develop the final score. DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application) TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 17. Carrie, the manager of the pediatric floor, is being evaluated by her director. Carrie set goals

last year such as increasing patient satisfaction on her unit by 20% and decreasing staff turnover by 10%. Carrie’s performance appraisal today is based on how well she achieved those goals. This type of performance appraisal measures: a. traits. b. behaviors. c. competencies. d. results. ANS: D

In an effort to reduce as much bias as possible in performance ratings, some evaluators look to results-based measures of performance. This type of measurement asks the question “what will be the outcome of high performance?” Although these types of measurements allow for objectivity in the rating, there are some clear limitations as the ratings do not capture everything that is important to performance for a job well done. DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application) TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 18. A performance appraisal bias that occurs when all members of the team receive the same

satisfactory rating is: a. halo. b. recency. c. similar-to-me. d. leniency. ANS: D

Leniency is a type of bias that occurs when all members of the team receive the same satisfactory rating.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care MULTIPLE RESPONSE 1. The effectiveness of the performance review process can be improved when the manager and

the employee can collaboratively: (Select all that apply.) set goals. discuss merit raises. make developmental plans. determine performance corrections. talk about future prospects.

a. b. c. d. e.

ANS: A, C, E

The performance review meeting needs to be seen as an opportunity. A reframing of the performance review as a meeting where the manager and the nurse can collaboratively set goals, make developmental plans, and talk about future prospects has the potential to shift the effectiveness of the entire performance review process. If performance corrections are given on the job as the need arises, then the review meeting can be refocused on meaningful development. DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 2. A successful performance review system must be: (Select all that apply.) a. in line with the organization’s strategic objectives. b. fair and transparent. c. free from bias. d. administratively practical. e. effectively administered. ANS: A, B, D, E

The performance review process needs to be in line with the organization’s strategic objectives. An effective review system should be fair, transparent, and perceived as just by both those who administer the process and those who are evaluated. The review system needs to be administratively practical. If the system is too onerous, too time consuming, or too taxing on anyone, it can easily fall apart. It is important to understand that there is likely to be some bias in performance appraisals. DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: Planning MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 3. Stakeholders who might be represented within the employment review process of a CCU

nurse include: (Select all that apply.) a. patients/patient families. b. physicians. c. the chief financial officer. d. organizational board members. e. nurses in the CCU.

ANS: A, B, E

Historically, the manager has been at the center of the employment review process. Although this is still the case today, others are often involved in providing feedback. This can be an important part of the process. Anyone who has the opportunity to observe the individual under review has something to offer. This might include peers, physicians, and patients. In team environments, it is useful to have team members provide feedback. DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: Planning MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 4. A self-report rating is an important component in the appraisal process. The self-report

promotes: (Select all that apply.) a. relationships among peers. b. perceptions of fairness. c. heightened awareness of performance deficits. d. individual accountability in the performance review process. e. an opportunity to reflect on disagreements with ratings from others. ANS: B, C, E

A self-report rating can be quite useful for two key reasons. First, the rater then has an opportunity to reflect on the disagreement between their self-rating and the ratings given by others. These discrepancies have been shown to heighten awareness of performance deficits and motivate performance change. Second, self-reports increase perceptions of fairness on the part of the person being reviewed. If the employee has an opportunity to have input in the process, then they feel that they have a voice and are actively participating in the process. DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 5. The goals of a performance improvement plan should include: (Select all that apply.) a. education of the employee. b. support in making improvements. c. punishing negative behavior. d. promotion of successful performance. e. providing a raise if earned through positive behavior. ANS: A, B, D

In the case of a poor performance appraisal, the nurse needs to look for a formal PIP with goals, strategies, expected outcomes, and deadlines. The optimum outcome is that the PIP becomes an opportunity to educate the employee, provide support in making improvements, and promote successful performance that benefits the employee and the organization. DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care COMPLETION 1. The definition of _____ is the execution of an action; something accomplished; or the

fulfillment of a promise, claim, or request.

ANS:

performance Performance is defined as the execution of an action; something accomplished; or the fulfillment of a promise, claim, or request (Merriam-Webster.com, 2012). DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 2. The process by which nurses systematically evaluate the quality of nursing care provided by

peers as measured against professional standards is called _____. ANS:

peer review Peer review in nursing (defined in 1988 by the American Nurses Association and still applicable today) is the process by which nurses systematically evaluate the quality of nursing care provided by peers as measured against professional standards (American Nurses Association, 1988, p. 3). DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care 3. _____ is a type of bias that occurs when individuals who are similar to the rater in some way

are rated more favorably. ANS:

Similar-to-me Similar-to-me is a type of bias that occurs when individuals who are similar to the rater in some way are rated more favorably. DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process: A...