S92-11

Question

During periods when a large number of patients are admitted to a hospital, more qualified nurses are hired and more money is spent on nurse training than when the number of patients in a hospital is low. Thus, the average number of mistakes made by nurses should be lower during periods when there is a large number of patients in a hospital than when there is a small number of patients in a hospital and less money is available to hire qualified nurses and provide training to all nurses.
 
Which of the following, if true about a hospital during a period in which a large number of patients are admitted, casts the most serious doubt on the conclusion drawn above?

A. Its nurses demand higher wages than they do at other times.
B. Its nurses have less time to spend with each patient than they have at other times.
C. Its staff members are less likely to lose their jobs then they are at other times.
D. Its management provides opportunities for patients to provide feedback about their nurses.
E. Its training program for nurses is very rigorous.

Bunuel · Answer

Official Solution:

During periods when a large number of patients are admitted to a hospital, more qualified nurses are hired and more money is spent on nurse training than when the number of patients in a hospital is low. Thus, the average number of mistakes made by nurses should be lower during periods when there is a large number of patients in a hospital than when there is a small number of patients in a hospital and less money is available to hire qualified nurses and provide training to all nurses.
 
Which of the following, if true about a hospital during a period in which a large number of patients are admitted, casts the most serious doubt on the conclusion drawn above?

A. Its nurses demand higher wages than they do at other times.
B. Its nurses have less time to spend with each patient than they have at other times.
C. Its staff members are less likely to lose their jobs then they are at other times.
D. Its management provides opportunities for patients to provide feedback about their nurses.
E. Its training program for nurses is very rigorous.

Because more money is spent on hiring highly qualified nurses and training all nurses in a hospital when the number of patients is high, the average number of mistakes made by nurses is postulated to be lower than it is at other times. The answer will weaken the link between hiring qualified nurses and fewer mistakes made by nurses.
 
Choice A states that nurses demand higher salaries. The conclusion is about mistakes, not about wages.
 
Choice B states that nurses have less time to spend with each patient. This statement properly identifies a point that undermines the conclusion; less time per patient could feasibly result in more mistakes. Choice  B  is correct.
 
choice C is irrelevant. Whether or not staff are likely to lose their jobs does not affect the likelihood of nurses committing errors.
 
Choice D,  management provides opportunities for patients to provide feedback , does not address the likelihood of nurses making mistakes. In fact, knowing that patients could provide feedback may make nurses less likely to commit errors.
 
 choice E is incorrect. A rigorous training program is more likely to result in fewer mistakes, strengthening the argument.

Answer: B

manhasnoname · Answer

Since the nurses are very well qualified, can't they do the same job in less time?

How on earth would spending less time leads to mistakes?

No information in the passage that gives us clue that spending less time leads mistakes.

Could someone help?

slee · Answer

there is no implication from the article that those nurses you mentioned are better qualified than nurses in a small hospital.

j1551821 · Answer

I agree this is likely wrong assumption.
The problem assumes by itself that less time = more mistakes.
Option A is far better it states that less money is available to train and thus more mistakes are likely.

This questions is dubious version of 
When demand for a factory's products is high, more money is spent at the factory for safety precautions and machinery maintenance than when demand is low. Thus the average number of on-the-job accidents per employee each month should be lower during periods when demand is high than when demand is low and less money is available for safety precautions and machinery maintenance.

Which of the following, if true about a factory when demand for its products is high, casts the most serious doubt on the conclusion drawn above?

(A) Its employees ask for higher wages than they do at other times.
(B) Its management hires new workers but lacks the time to train them properly.
(C) Its employees are less likely to lose their jobs than they are at other times.
(D) Its management sponsors a monthly safety award for each division in the factory.
(E) Its old machinery is replaced with modern, automated models.

The answer for the above is far more reasonable and conclusive.
Who so ever is making these wrong versions need to stop ,because they are just lowering others' morale by giving inconclusive justification to their wrong versions.
The Original one is far more superior.

targetbusiness · Answer

I think this is a  high-quality  question and I don't agree with the explanation. B. even if the nurses spend less time with each patient, they might be competent enough to work within that window.
Maybe the work assigned to them requires them to spend less time with each patient which cold be sufficient to complete the job.
E. Whereas if the training program for nurses is rigorous, it ensures that each nurse who passed though the training program is competent and thus will commit less no. of mistakes.

Sanjay2043 · Answer

the only relevant answer to your questions seems to be D. Whether high demand or low demand, the management each month sponsors safety award for each division in the factory and that may be the reason behind low number of on the job accidents.

binladen96 · Answer

Answer B is correct, but the way they explained it was wrong.
Here is better!
Less time spent ==> (Productivity increases) =(weakens)====>> "Less money is available to hire qualified nurses"

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