In the Past, Hospitals Deferred to Physicians' Judgments in How

question 27

Multiple Choice

In the past, hospitals deferred to physicians' judgments in how they carry out their work. More recently, hospitals have begun asking surgical teams to use pre-surgical checklists aimed at avoiding miscommunications and oversights. From a job design perspective, why is this aspect of work flow an appropriate one for a hospital to focus on?

• A) Simplifying work is especially beneficial when jobs are challenging and the costs of error are severe.
• B) Simplifying work is especially important when jobs are challenging and employees are poorly trained.
• C) When jobs are complex and challenging, job design should focus on motivational issues such as autonomy.
• D) Simplifying the mental demands of the jobs may enable a hospital to replace high-priced physicians with technicians.
• E) Use of checklists will limit the amount of memorization and information required by a surgical team.

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Definitions:

Accord and Satisfaction

A legal agreement between parties to settle a dispute by both agreeing to and performing new terms different from the original contract.

Original Debt

The initial amount of money borrowed or owed, before any interest or fees are added.

Implied-in-Fact Conditions

Terms and conditions in a contract that are not expressly stated but can be inferred from the nature of the agreement and the actions of the parties involved.

Literally Occur

An event or action that takes place exactly as described or indicated without metaphor or exaggeration.