Healthcare Human Resources & Workforce Development Flashcards

Which federal law requires covered healthcare employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities, unless doing so would cause undue hardship?

Answer: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990

The ADA of 1990 prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities and requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations that enable disabled employees to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

In healthcare organizational management, what does 'span of control' refer to?

Answer: The number of subordinates directly supervised by one manager

Span of control refers to the number of direct reports (subordinates) that a single manager effectively supervises; a wide span means many direct reports, while a narrow span means fewer, allowing for closer supervision.

What is collective bargaining in the context of healthcare labor relations?

Answer: A negotiation process between employer representatives and a union to establish wages, hours, and working conditions in a labor contract

Collective bargaining is the process by which a union (representing employees) and employer management negotiate in good faith to reach a binding labor agreement (collective bargaining agreement) covering wages, benefits, hours, and working conditions.

Which federal agency is primarily responsible for enforcing workplace safety regulations, including those protecting healthcare workers from occupational hazards?

Answer: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

OSHA, within the U.S. Department of Labor, is the federal agency responsible for setting and enforcing workplace health and safety standards and conducting workplace inspections to protect employees, including healthcare workers, from occupational hazards.

What is the primary function of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in the context of healthcare workforce management?

Answer: Protecting employees' rights to organize and engage in collective bargaining, and preventing unfair labor practices

The NLRB is a federal agency that enforces the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), protecting workers' rights to form and join unions, engage in collective bargaining, and take collective action, while also investigating and remedying unfair labor practices by employers or unions.

Which organizational structure assigns employees to both a functional department and a project or product team, creating dual reporting relationships?

Answer: Matrix organizational structure

A matrix organizational structure creates dual reporting lines where employees report to both a functional manager (e.g., nursing director) and a project or program manager simultaneously, enabling cross-functional collaboration but requiring careful coordination.

Which retention strategy has been shown to be most effective at reducing voluntary turnover among registered nurses in acute care hospital settings?

Answer: Implementing shared governance models that give nurses a voice in clinical and operational decisions

Research consistently shows that shared governance — a professional practice model that empowers nurses to participate in decision-making about their practice environment, staffing, and quality improvement — is among the most effective strategies for improving nurse satisfaction and reducing voluntary turnover.