Final answer:
To compare the number of nurses enrolled in continuing education programs over the quarters, the most suitable charts would be bar graphs or column charts for temporal comparisons, or a pie chart to represent the proportion of the whole. It is important for the chosen chart to be clear, legible, and effective in conveying the intended data.
Step-by-step explanation:
To compare the enrollment numbers in continuing education programs over each quarter, the nurse manager should consider using a bar graph or a column chart. These types of charts are effective for displaying changes over time and allow for easy comparison between different periods, such as quarters. When designing the chart, it's important to organize the bars in chronological order and to use colors that make the data easily distinguishable. The scales and axes should be labeled clearly to ensure that the information is conveyed effectively and can be understood by the audience.
If the nurse manager aims to showcase the data in a manner that encapsulates the part-to-whole relationship, such as the proportion of total nurses enrolled in continuing education within each quarter, then a pie chart could also be considered. In this case, each slice of the pie would represent the percentage share of the total enrollment for each quarter, providing a visual representation of distribution. Regardless of the chart type chosen, it is crucial that the visual aid created is legible and provides a clear representation of the data intended for program managers.