Principles of administration includes all the following, except?

RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2018

Nursing Management & leadership

Easy

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2018

Explanation

the option that is not a recognized principle of administration as defined by Henri Fayol.
'Unity of collective behavior' is not one of Fayol's 14 principles of management.
The principle that addresses team harmony, unity, and cooperation is 'Esprit de Corps', which means 'union is strength'.
The other options—Unity of Command, Unity of Direction, and Scalar Chain—are all core principles of Fayol's management theory.

Option A: This is a valid principle of administration. It states that an employee should report to and receive orders from only one supervisor to avoid confusion and conflicting directives.
Option B: This is a valid principle of administration. It means that all activities and personnel with a common objective should be managed under a single plan and a single leader.
Option C: This is a valid principle of administration. It refers to the formal line of authority and communication that runs from the top to the bottom of an organization.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Henri Fayol's 14 Principles of Management as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
In a hospital unit, the 'Unity of Command' principle is critical. A staff nurse receiving conflicting instructions from a charge nurse and a physician can lead to medication errors or improper patient care.
The 'Scalar Chain' ensures that a critical patient concern is escalated properly, from the bedside nurse to the charge nurse, then to the nurse manager, and up to the director of nursing if necessary, ensuring a clear line of accountability.
What if? If the 'Unity of Direction' principle is violated, two different nursing teams on the same floor might implement conflicting patient education plans for post-operative care, leading to patient confusion and non-compliance.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the keyword 'except' in the question. This means you are looking for the option that does not belong or is incorrect.
The question asks about 'Principles of administration'. This should trigger your recall of management theories, particularly those of Henri Fayol.
Systematically evaluate each option against your knowledge of Fayol's 14 principles.
Option A, 'Unity of command', is a well-known principle.
Option B, 'Unity of direction', is also a core principle.
Option C, 'Scalar chain of command', is another fundamental principle.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Henri Fayol's 14 Principles of Management
Stem keywords: Principles of administration, except
Lead-in keywords: except
Negative lead-in flag: This question uses negative framing ('except') to ask for the option that is NOT a principle of administration.

Qs5CAE4QfaWFx5koRXTFFv

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 Textbook of Nursing Management and Leadership I. Clemen — Subpart A (pp 26-327 of 982) p. 87-89

E6 Nursing_Management_and_leadership_Johny_Kutty_JosephCbs_Publishers (pp 16-364 of 374) p. 35-37