In determining a way to make shift change more effective for the nurse and the client, a hospital implemented a course of action. After a week of implementation, the decision was deemed inappropriate. What step of Roger's diffusion of innovations is this?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Confirmation. In Roger's diffusion of innovations theory, Confirmation is the stage where individuals evaluate the decision to adopt or reject an innovation after trying it out. In this scenario, the hospital implemented a course of action for shift change, and after a week, it was deemed inappropriate, indicating that the decision reached the Confirmation stage. Summary: - B: Implementation is incorrect as the hospital had already implemented the course of action. - C: Knowledge is incorrect as this stage involves acquiring information about the innovation. - D: Persuasion is incorrect as it focuses on influencing individuals to adopt the innovation, which is not the case in this scenario.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Using barcoding technology for medication administration. This strategy is most effective for reducing medication errors because it helps ensure the right medication is given to the right patient at the right time. Barcoding technology allows nurses to scan both the patient's wristband and the medication label to verify accuracy before administration, reducing the risk of errors due to human factors. A: Increasing the nurse-to-patient ratio may help with workload distribution but does not directly address medication errors. B: Providing ongoing education is important but may not be as effective as implementing technological solutions like barcoding. D: Increasing the use of PRN medications may actually increase the risk of errors if not managed properly. In summary, using barcoding technology for medication administration is the most effective strategy as it directly addresses the root cause of medication errors by ensuring accurate medication administration.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Provide individualized care. Clinical pathways aim to offer a structured approach to patient care while allowing customization based on individual patient needs. By providing a standardized outline of care steps, healthcare providers can tailor treatment plans to meet each patient's unique circumstances. This promotes more personalized and effective care delivery. Incorrect choices: A: Reduce hospital readmissions - Clinical pathways may help in reducing readmissions, but this is not their primary purpose. B: Standardize care - While clinical pathways do standardize care to some extent, their main goal is to individualize care based on patient needs. D: Streamline care processes - While clinical pathways can streamline care processes, the primary focus is on providing individualized care rather than solely on process efficiency.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Encouraging innovation. Transformational leadership involves inspiring and motivating followers to think creatively, embrace change, and strive for continuous improvement. By encouraging innovation, transformational leaders empower their team to challenge the status quo, adapt to new situations, and drive growth and success. This approach fosters a culture of creativity and openness to new ideas, leading to organizational transformation and long-term success. Now, let's analyze why the other choices are incorrect: A: Maintaining the status quo goes against the essence of transformational leadership, which is about driving change and growth. C: Focus on short-term goals is more aligned with transactional leadership, where the emphasis is on achieving immediate results rather than long-term vision and innovation. D: Top-down communication is characteristic of traditional, hierarchical leadership styles, whereas transformational leadership emphasizes open and collaborative communication to inspire and engage followers.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Assess external opportunities. Conducting a SWOT analysis in healthcare helps identify internal strengths and weaknesses (option A), but the main purpose is to evaluate external opportunities and threats. This is crucial for healthcare organizations to make informed decisions and develop strategies based on the external environment. Developing strategic goals (option B) can be a result of the SWOT analysis, but it is not the primary purpose. Streamlining healthcare processes (option D) focuses on operational efficiency, which is not the main goal of a SWOT analysis in healthcare.