12. The nurse manager is discussing ways to motivate the nursing staff with the nurse manager's immediate supervisor. Which of the following is the best example of a reward for the staff nurse working on this unit?

Question

1. All nurses on this unit work 8 hours per shift, five times each week.
2. Tuition reimbursement benefits are extended to those moving from a licensed practical nurse to a registered nurse.
3. The organization adopts a clinical ladder system.
4. All full-time nurses are provided with health care insurance.

Answer 1

Answer: 3

Rationale: Nursing managers who state that all of the nurses who work on the unit must work 8 hours per shift, five times each week are using a traditional schedule. This type of schedule is not a variant schedule. Variant schedules are used as a reward for staff nurses, and help keep staff nurses in the profession. A variant schedule allows the staff nurse more control over the work schedule. Tuition reimbursement should be extended to nurses who want more education regardless of their current degree, to be thought of as a reward. Adopting a clinical ladder system for nurses rewards all of the nurses who choose to "climb" the clinical ladder. The clinical ladder rewards individual nurses who choose leadership roles and choose to further their education. It would be rewarding to offer staff nurses a menu to select which benefits they need or want, instead of just providing health care insurance to everyone, regardless of need. Some nurses may not need health care insurance.