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Absenteeism In Nursing Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

updated at

Updated on Jul 02, 2024, 11:57

The IELTS Reading section evaluates your ability to read and understand texts in English from academic and general sources. In this 60-minute test, you will encounter three passages and 40 questions that assess your comprehension skills, including identifying main ideas, understanding specific details, and interpreting implicit information.
 

Key highlights of the IELTS Reading section:
 

  • You have 60 minutes to answer 40 questions based on three passages.
  • The passages are diverse in content and complexity, drawn from sources such as books, journals, and newspapers.
     

In the passage "Absenteeism In Nursing," you will explore the factors contributing to absenteeism among nurses in healthcare settings. This text examines the impact of absenteeism on patient care, hospital operations, and strategies aimed at reducing absenteeism rates. Understanding this topic is crucial for comprehending workforce challenges in healthcare and the implications for quality of care delivery. 

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1. Absenteeism In Nursing

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 - 13 based on the Reading Passage below. This approach can help manage time effectively during a reading comprehension activity or exam. 

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2. Absenteeism In Nursing Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Absenteeism In Nursing

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1.

Absenteeism In Nursing Reading Passage

General Information

  • Read Instructions: Understand each question before answering.
  • Manage Time: Spend about 20 minutes per passage.
  • Skim and Scan: Quickly get the main idea and find specific information.
  • Highlight Key Info: Underline essential words or phrases.
  • Answer All Questions: Attempt every question; no penalty for wrong answers.
  • Stay Focused: Avoid distractions and keep your attention on the task.
  • Check Spelling: Ensure correct spelling and grammar.
  • Transfer Answers Clearly: Write answers neatly on the answer sheet.
  • Don’t Dwell: Move on if stuck and return later.
  • Review: If time allows, review your answers.

 

 

 

Absenteeism In Nursing 



Paragraph 1

Absence from work is a costly and disruptive problem for any organisation. The cost of absenteeism in Australia has been put at 1.8 million hours per day or $1400 million annually. The study reported here was conducted in the Prince William Hospital in Brisbane, Australia, where, prior to this time, few active steps had been taken to measure, understand or manage the occurrence of absenteeism.

 

Nursing Absenteeism

Paragraph 2

A prevalent attitude amongst many nurses in the group selected for the study was that there was no reward or recognition for not utilising the paid sick leave entitlement allowed them in their employment conditions. Therefore, they believed they might as well take the days off sick or otherwise. Similar attitudes have been noted by James (1989), who noted that sick leave is seen by many workers as a right, like annual holiday leave.

 

Paragraph 3 

Miller and Norton (1986), in their survey of 865 nursing personnel, found that 73 per cent felt they should be rewarded for not taking sick leave, because some employees always used their sick leave. Further, 67 percent of nurses felt that administration was not sympathetic to the problems shift work causes to employees' personal and social lives. Only 53 per cent of the respondents felt that every effort was made to schedule staff fairly.
 

Paragraph 4 

In another longitudinal study of nurses working in two Canadian hospitals, Hacket Bycio and Guion (1989) examined the reasons why nurses took absence from work. The most frequent reason stated for absence was minor illness to self. Other causes, in decreasing order of frequency, were illness in the family, family social function, work to do at home and bereavement.
 

Method

Paragraph 5

 In an attempt to reduce the level of absenteeism among the 250 Registered and Enrolled Nurses in the present study, the Prince William management introduced three different, yet potentially complementary, strategies over 18 months.

 

Strategy 1: Non-financial (material) incentives

 

Paragraph 6

Within the established wage and salary system it was not possible to use hospital funds to support this strategy. However, it was possible to secure incentives from local businesses, including free passes to entertainment parks, theatres, restaurants, etc. At the end of each roster period, the ward with the lowest absence rate would win the prize.

 

Strategy 2: Flexible fair rostering

 

Paragraph 7

Where possible, staff were given the opportunity to determine their working schedule within the limits of clinical needs.
 

Strategy 3: Individual absenteeism and counselling
 

Paragraph 8 

Each month, managers would analyse the pattern of absence of staff with excessive sick leave (greater than ten days per year for full-time employees). Characteristic patterns of potential 'voluntary absenteeism' such as absence before and after days off, excessive weekend and night duty absence and multiple single days off were communicated to all ward nurses and then, as necessary, followed up by action.

 

Results
 

Paragraph 9

Absence rates for the six months prior to the Incentive scheme ranged from 3.69 per cent to 4.32 per cent. In the following six months, they ranged between 2.87 percent and 3.96 per cent. This represents a 20 percent improvement. However, analysing the absence rates on a year-to-year basis, the overall absence rate was 3.60 per cent in the first year and 3.43 per cent in the following year. This represents a 5 percent decrease from the first to the second year of the study. A significant decrease in absence over the two-year period could not be demonstrated.
 

Discussion
 

Paragraph 10 

The non-financial incentive scheme did appear to assist in controlling absenteeism in the short term. As the scheme progressed it became harder to secure prizes and this contributed to the program's losing momentum and finally ceasing. There were mixed results across wards as well. For example, in wards with staff members who had long-term genuine illness, there was little chance of winning, and to some extent the staff on those wards were disempowered. Our experience would suggest that the long-term effects of incentive awards on absenteeism are questionable.
 

Paragraph 11 

Over the time of the study, staff were given a larger degree of control over their rosters. This led to significant improvements in communication between managers and staff. A similar effect was found in the implementation of the third strategy. Many of the nurses had not realised the impact their behaviour was having on the organisation and their colleagues, but there were also staff members who felt that talking to them about their absenteeism was 'picking' on them, and this usually had a negative effect on management-employee relationships.
 

Conclusion
 

Paragraph 12 

Although there has been some decrease in absence rates, no single strategy or combination of strategies has had a significant impact on absenteeism per se. Notwithstanding the disappointing results, it is our contention that the strategies were not in vain. A shared ownership of absenteeism and a collaborative approach to problem-solving have facilitated improved cooperation and communication between management and staff. It is our belief that this improvement alone, while not tangibly measurable, has increased the ability of management to manage the effects of absenteeism more effectively since this study. 

2.

Absenteeism In Nursing Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Absenteeism In Nursing

Questions and Answers 1-7
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage.
In boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet, write

  • YES, if the statement agrees with the information
  • NO, if the statement contradicts the information
  • NOT GIVEN, if there is no information on this in the passage

 

1. The Prince William Hospital has been trying to reduce absenteeism among nurses for many years.

2. Nurses in the Prince William Hospital study believed that there were benefits in taking as little sick leave as possible.

3. Just over half the nurses in the 1986 study believed that management understood the effects that shift work had on them.

4. The Canadian study found that 'illness in the family' was a greater cause of absenteeism than 'work to do at home'.

5. In relation to management attitude to absenteeism the study at the Prince William Hospital found similar results to the two 1989 studies.

6. The study at the Prince William Hospital aimed to find out the causes of absenteeism amongst 250 nurses.

7. The study at the Prince William Hospital involved changes in management practices.

 
 

Absenteeism In Nursing  Reading Answers with Explanations (1-7)

 

Type of question: Yes/No/Not Given(True/False/Not Given)

In this question type, you are required to determine whether the statements provided agree with, contradict, or are not mentioned in the reading passage. 

 

How to best answer: 
 

  • Understand what information is being presented and what is being asked.
  • Find relevant information in the reading passage that relates to the statement.
  • Determine if the statement agrees with, contradicts, or is not mentioned in the passage.
  • If the information is not explicitly provided in the passage, select 'Not Given' rather than making assumptions.
  • Base your answers solely on the information presented in the passage, avoiding personal opinions or outside knowledge.

 

1. No

 

Reference:

From paragraph 1: " The study reported here was conducted in the Prince William Hospital in Brisbane, Australia, where, prior to this time, few active steps had been taken to measure, understand or manage the occurrence of absenteeism."
 

Explanation

The paragraph states that prior to the study reporting, the hospital had not actively addressed absenteeism, indicating that efforts to reduce absenteeism were relatively recent. Therefore, the answer is No, as it contradicts the idea that the hospital has been trying to reduce absenteeism for many years.
 

2. No


Reference:

From paragraph 2: “A prevalent attitude amongst many nurses in the group selected for study was that there was no reward or recognition for not utilising the paid sick leave entitlement allowed them in their employment conditions.”
 

Explanation

The paragraph explains that nurses perceived no reward or recognition for not using sick leave, suggesting there were no perceived benefits for minimising sick leave. Hence, the answer is No, as it contradicts the statement that nurses believed there were benefits in taking as little sick leave as possible.
 

3. No

 

Reference:

From paragraph 3:  “Further, 67 percent of nurses felt that administration was not sympathetic to the problems shift work causes to employees’ personal and social lives.”
 

Explanation

This paragraph discusses nurses' perception that management was not sympathetic to the issues caused by shift work, indicating a lack of understanding or sympathy. Therefore, the answer is No, as it contradicts the statement that just over half the nurses believed management understood the effects of shift work.
 

4. Yes

 

Reference:

From paragraph 4: “The most frequent reason stated for absence was minor illness to self. Other causes, in decreasing order of frequency, were illness in the family, family social function, work to do at home, and bereavement.”

 

Explanation

The paragraph lists the reasons for absenteeism, with illness in the family mentioned before work to do at home, supporting the statement that illness in the family was a greater cause of absenteeism than work to do at home. Thus, the answer is Yes.
 

5. Not Given

 

Reference:

From paragraph: N.A.


Explanation

There is no comparison made in the passage between management attitudes to absenteeism at Prince William Hospital and the two 1989 studies. Therefore, the answer is Not Given.
 

6. No

 

Reference:

From paragraph 5: “In an attempt to reduce the level of absenteeism amongst the 250 registered and enrolled nurses in the present study, the Prince William management introduced three different, yet potentially complementary, strategies over 18 months.”
 

Explanation

This paragraph discusses the introduction of strategies to reduce absenteeism among nurses, focusing on actions taken rather than identifying causes. Thus, the answer is No, as it contradicts the statement that the study aimed to find out the causes of absenteeism.

 

7. Yes

 

Reference:

From paragraph 5: “In an attempt to reduce the level of absenteeism amongst the 250 registered and enrolled nurses in the present study, the Prince William management introduced three different, yet potentially complementary, strategies over 18 months.”
 

Explanation

The paragraph describes how managers monitored and intervened in absenteeism patterns, indicating changes in management practices to address absenteeism. Therefore, the answer is Yes.

Questions and Answers 8-13
  • Complete the notes below.
  • Choose ONE OR TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
  • Write your answers in boxes 8-13 on your answer sheet.

 

In the first strategy, wards with the lowest absenteeism in different periods would win prizes donated by 8._______________.

In the second strategy, staff were given more control over their 9.__________.

In the third strategy, nurses who appeared to be taking 10.______________.

sick leave or 11. ___________ were identified and counselled. Initially, there was a 12. _______ per cent decrease in absenteeism. The first strategy was considered ineffective and stopped. The second and third strategies generally resulted in better 13.___________
among staff.

 

Absenteeism In Nursing  Reading Answers with Explanations (8-13)

 

Type of question: Notes completion

Under this task, you will be required to fill in missing information within a given text, often in the form of words, phrases, or sentences. These questions are designed to test your comprehension, attention to detail, and ability to infer meaning from context. 

How to answer:  

  • Read the passage carefully to understand the context and main ideas.
  • Identify the type of information missing, such as words, phrases, or sentences.
  • Look for contextual clues or keywords surrounding the missing information.
  • Use logical reasoning and inference to fill in the missing parts.
  • Ensure that the completed notes are concise and grammatically correct.
  • Verify and finalise your answers.
     
8. (local) businesses

 

Reference:

From paragraph 6: "Within the established wage and salary system, it was not possible to use hospital funds to support this strategy. However, it was possible to secure incentives from local businesses, including free passes to entertainment parks, theatres, restaurants, etc. At the end of each roster period, the ward with the lowest absence rate would win the prize."
 

Explanation

The answer is (local) businesses because local businesses sponsored prizes like entertainment passes, reflecting how external incentives were utilised to reward wards with the lowest absenteeism rates.
 

9. (work/working) schedule/rostering/roster (s)

 

Reference:

From paragraph 7: “Where possible, staff were given the opportunity to determine their working schedule within the limits of clinical needs.”
 

Explanation

The answer is (work/working) schedule/rostering/roster (s) because this strategy allowed nurses to have greater control over their work schedules, aligning their preferences with clinical requirements, thereby enhancing job satisfaction and potentially reducing absenteeism.

 

10. excessive

 

Reference:

From paragraph 8: "Each month, managers would analyse the pattern of absence of staff with excessive sick leave (greater than ten days per year for full-time employees). Characteristic patterns of potential 'voluntary absenteeism' such as absence —-------- then, as necessary, followed up by action."
 

Explanation

The answer is excessive because managers identified nurses with excessive sick leave patterns for counselling and intervention, aiming to mitigate voluntary absenteeism and improve attendance reliability among staff.

 

11. voluntary absence/absenteeism

 

Reference:

From paragraph 9: "Characteristic patterns of potential ‘voluntary absenteeism’ such as absence before and after days off, excessive weekend and night duty absence and multiple single days off were communicated to all ward nurses and then, as necessary, followed up by action.”
 

Explanation

The answer is voluntary absence/absenteeism because the paragraph details how managers identified and addressed patterns of voluntary absenteeism among nurses, including behaviours like frequent single-day absences and scheduling absences around days off, through regular analysis and communication with staff.

 

12. twenty/20

 

Reference:

From paragraph 9: "This represents a 20 percent improvement. However, analysing the absence rates on a year-to-year basis, the overall absence rate was 3.60 per cent in the first year and 3.43 per cent in the following year."

 

Explanation

The answer is twenty/20 because the passage states a significant 20 percent improvement in absenteeism rates, indicating a positive impact of implemented strategies on reducing absenteeism within the study period.

 

13. communication (h6)

 

Reference:

From paragraph 11: "Over the time of the study, staff were given a larger degree of control over their rosters. This led to significant improvements in communication —----- talking to them about their absenteeism was 'picking' on them, and this usually had a negative effect on management-employee relationships.."

 

Explanation

The answer is communication because the paragraph discusses improved communication between managers and staff as a result of strategies implemented to reduce absenteeism, highlighting enhanced collaboration and understanding within the workplace.

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FAQs

Q. How long is the IELTS reading test?

Ans.  The IELTS reading test has a duration of 60 minutes. Within this time frame, test-takers are required to read three passages that progressively increase in difficulty. Following the reading portion, they must answer a total of 40 questions that are directly related to the content of the passages.
 

 


 

Q. How to pass the IELTS reading test?

Ans.  To do well on the IELTS reading test, it's important to practise. Get to know the different types of questions and the best strategies for them. Work on reading faster and understanding better. Also, use practice tests and materials you can find online or in study guides.


 


 


 

Q. How to score on the IELTS reading test?

Ans. Your score in the IELTS reading test depends on the number of correct answers. Each correct answer earns one point, and there's no penalty for incorrect answers. Your final score is then converted into an IELTS band score, ranging from 0 to 9.