Question

A new director of nursing in a small rural hospital wants to make changes from the traditional model of governance to a shared-governance model. Select the characteristic below that best describes the traditional organizational structure in which a staff nurse is assigned to carry out nursing tasks for clients but is not given the chance to provide input into forming the policies and procedures by which care is delivered or the standards by which care is evaluated:

1) Bureaucratic
2) Decentralized
3) Delegated authority and responsibility
4) Delegated responsibility but no authority

Answer 1

The traditional organizational structure described is bureaucratic, marked by a strict hierarchy and division of labor, where nurses execute tasks without participating in decision-making processes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The characteristic that best describes the traditional organizational structure in which a staff nurse is assigned to carry out nursing tasks for clients but is not given the chance to provide input into forming the policies and procedures by which care is delivered or the standards by which care is evaluated is bureaucratic. This type of organization is characterized by a hierarchy of authority, a clear division of labor, explicit rules, and impersonality. Nurses in a bureaucratic setting are expected to follow orders without contributing to decision-making processes, reflecting an environment with delegated responsibility but no authority. Common in many large organizations such as hospitals, this model contrasts with more decentralized or shared-governance models that encourage input and consensus from staff at all levels.