IGNOU PB Bsc Nsg Entrance-2017
Nursing Management & leadership
Medium

In administration, the principle of division of work is essential because?

Appeared in: IGNOU PB Bsc Nsg Entrance-2017

Explanation

  • The core reason for dividing work is that the scope, volume, and complexity of tasks in any organization are too great for one person to perform alone.
  • This principle, part of Henri Fayol's management theories, acknowledges the physical and cognitive limits of a single administrator.
  • By dividing work, tasks can be assigned to various individuals, allowing for specialization and the accomplishment of goals that would otherwise be impossible.
  • The administrator's role shifts from doing all the work to organizing, delegating, and coordinating the work of others.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option A: This is a statement about worker psychology and management style (micromanagement), not the foundational administrative principle for structuring work.
  • Option B: Job satisfaction is a potential positive outcome, but it's not the primary reason for dividing work. In fact, over-specialization (a result of division of work) can sometimes lead to boredom and dissatisfaction.
  • Option D: This is a significant benefit and a goal of effective organization, but it is a consequence of dividing work, not the primary reason for it. The need to divide work (because one person can't do it all) precedes the benefit of preventing overlap.

Related Visual

Visual explanation — Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
  • Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain The fundamental reason for the principle of division of work in management as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
  • In a nursing unit, the Nurse Manager cannot perform all tasks. They must divide work based on scope of practice: RNs handle assessments and complex care, LPNs/LVNs manage stable patients and medications, and CNAs/UAPs assist with activities of daily living. This division is essential for safe and efficient patient care.
  • The principle ensures that specialized tasks, like wound care or IV insertion, are performed by nurses with the appropriate training and competency, improving patient outcomes.
  • What if? If a Nurse Manager tried to do everything themselves (e.g., all patient assessments, all medication passes, and all administrative duties), patient care would suffer due to delays, tasks would be missed, and the manager would quickly burn out. This highlights the absolute necessity of delegation and work division.
How to Approach the Question
  • Identify the core concept of the question: It asks for the essential reason behind the 'division of work'.
  • Analyze the options to differentiate between a foundational cause and a resulting benefit.
  • Option C ('Administrator cannot do all the work') presents a fundamental limitation and the root cause for needing to divide work.
  • Option D ('Prevents overlapping') is a positive outcome or a goal of good organization, which happens after the work is divided.
  • Options A and B are potential side effects related to worker psychology, not the primary administrative principle.
  • Conclude that the most fundamental reason is the impossibility of one person doing everything, making Option C the best answer.
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: The fundamental reason for the principle of division of work in management.
  • Stem keywords: administration, principle of division of work, essential
  • Lead-in keywords: because

Question ID

QNmtGCWG57Uw-n_eTVIsta

Reference Book

E6 Principles and Practice of NURSING Management Leadership for BSc Nursing 3rd Edi Jogindra Vati — Subpart A (pp 26-339 of 1017) p. 88-90

E6 Nursing_Management_and_leadership_Johny_Kutty_JosephCbs_Publishers (pp 16-364 of 374) p. 201-203

E6 Textbook of Nursing Management and Leadership I. Clemen — Subpart A (pp 26-327 of 982) p. 247-249

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