NEA-BC cheat sheet

Transformational leadership has four components: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration.

Situational leadership matches style to follower readiness: directing (low readiness), coaching, supporting, and delegating (high readiness).

Magnet Recognition requires empirical outcomes across five model components: transformational leadership, structural empowerment, exemplary professional practice, new knowledge and innovations, and empirical quality results.

Just culture distinguishes human error (console), at-risk behavior (coach), and reckless behavior (sanction) as response categories.

Servant leadership inverts the hierarchy of authority so that the needs of patients and frontline staff rank above those of leaders.

Emotional intelligence frameworks typically include self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill.

Shared governance structures move decision authority for nursing practice to councils of direct-care nurses rather than the executive chain alone.

Lewin's change model stages are unfreezing, moving (change), and refreezing; Kotter's model expands this into eight sequential steps.

SWOT analysis categorizes internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats before strategy selection.

SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

Porter's five forces: threat of new entrants, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat of substitutes, and rivalry among existing competitors.

A service line business plan typically includes market assessment, competitor analysis, volume projections, staffing model, capital needs, and pro forma financials.

The product life cycle stages are introduction, growth, maturity, and decline; strategy shifts from market penetration to differentiation to cost control.

Vertical integration expands along the supply chain (e.g., adding home care or post-acute services); horizontal integration merges similar services or facilities.

Break-even volume equals fixed costs divided by the contribution margin per unit (price minus variable cost per unit).

Operating margin = (operating revenue − operating expenses) ÷ operating revenue.

Total margin = (total revenue − total expenses) ÷ total revenue; it includes non-operating income such as investments.

Days in accounts receivable = (net accounts receivable ÷ net patient service revenue) × 365.

FTE (full-time equivalent) = total paid hours ÷ 2,080 hours per year for a standard full-time position.

Nursing hours per patient day (HPPD) = total productive nursing hours ÷ total patient days.

Contribution margin = net revenue per unit − variable cost per unit; it funds fixed costs and profit.

Return on investment = (net gain from investment ÷ cost of investment) × 100.

Variance analysis compares budgeted to actual results; a favorable expense variance means actual cost was below budget.

Capital budgeting ranks projects using net present value, internal rate of return, payback period, and discounted cash flow.

EMTALA requires a medical screening examination and stabilizing treatment for anyone presenting to a Medicare-participating emergency department, regardless of ability to pay.

HIPAA Privacy Rule permits disclosure for treatment, payment, and operations without patient authorization; other uses require authorization.

The Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals include patient identification, communication among caregivers, medication safety, and infection prevention.

CMS Conditions of Participation are the minimum health and safety standards a facility must meet to receive Medicare and Medicaid payment.

The Nurse Practice Act of each state defines scope of practice, licensure, and grounds for discipline; it is enacted by the state legislature and enforced by the board of nursing.

The ANA Code of Ethics has nine provisions; Provision 1 addresses compassion and respect for the inherent dignity of every person.

Advocacy levers include legislative testimony, grassroots letter campaigns, regulatory comment periods, and coalition building with professional associations.

Nurse staffing legislation varies by state; some states mandate ratios while others require staffing committees or public reporting.

The IOM (Institute of Medicine) six aims for improvement are safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable.

Structure, process, and outcome form the Donabedian model for evaluating quality.

PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) is a rapid-cycle improvement method; DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) is the Six Sigma counterpart.

A sentinel event is an unexpected occurrence involving death or serious physical or psychological injury; root cause analysis is the required response.

Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is prospective risk assessment; root cause analysis is retrospective.

The safety huddle and the SBAR handoff format reduce communication-related adverse events.

Central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) prevention bundles include hand hygiene, maximal sterile barrier precautions, chlorhexidine skin antisepsis, optimal site selection, and daily review of line necessity.

Statistical process control charts distinguish common-cause variation from special-cause variation; only special cause warrants action on the process.

Nurse turnover rate = (number of separations ÷ average number of employees) × 100 over the period.

Vacancy rate = (number of vacant positions ÷ number of budgeted positions) × 100.

RN-to-patient ratios are computed from unit census, acuity, and required HPPD rather than a single fixed number.

The nursing recruitment cycle stages are sourcing, screening, interviewing, offer, onboarding, and retention.

A clinical ladder rewards advancement along a defined continuum of education, certification, and evidence-based practice contribution.

The four phases of onboarding are pre-boarding, orientation, transition-to-practice residency, and ongoing professional development.

Succession planning identifies high-potential staff and develops them for key leadership roles ahead of vacancy.

Just culture and fair-witness peer review protect both accountability and psychological safety in performance management.

SBAR is Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation; it structures handoffs and escalations.

CUS (Concerned, Uncomfortable, Safety issue) is a graded assertiveness tool for escalating concerns.

TeamSTEPPS core competencies are team leadership, situation monitoring, mutual support, and communication.

Conflict resolution modes (Thomas-Kilmann) are competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, and accommodating; collaborating is the win-win mode.

I-messages state the observation, the impact, and the request without assigning blame.

Closed-loop communication requires the receiver to repeat back the message and the sender to confirm it.

Crucial conversations follow the sequence: start with heart, master my stories, make it safe, state my path, and explore others' paths.

Interprofessional rounds with a shared care plan improve coordination and reduce length of stay.