During a team meeting, a head nurse (the superior) and a staff nurse (the subordinate) are having a disagreement over the unit's dressing change procedure. The staff nurse wishes to use a new procedure based on newly released nursing research. The head nurse disagrees. The head nurse later makes comments to other staff members questioning the credibility of the staff nurse. This behavior is associated with:

A. Horizontal violence, also known as lateral violence, refers to aggressive or disruptive behavior between colleagues at the same level, such as between nurses. Since the head nurse is in a superior position and the staff nurse is a subordinate, the behavior described does not fit the definition of horizontal violence.
B. Bullying involves repeated, intentional actions that undermine or belittle another person. The head nurse’s comments about the staff nurse’s credibility to other staff members could be considered a form of bullying, especially if this behavior is persistent and aims to undermine the staff nurse’s professional reputation or confidence.
C. Confrontation is a direct approach to addressing disagreements or conflicts between individuals. It involves discussing differing views openly and is intended to resolve issues through dialogue. In this
case, the head nurse’s behavior does not involve direct confrontation with the staff nurse about the disagreement but rather involves undermining the staff nurse's credibility behind their back.
D. Mediation is a process where a neutral third party helps facilitate communication and negotiation between conflicting parties to reach a resolution. The behavior described does not involve mediation; instead, it involves negative comments and undermining behavior without seeking resolution or involving a mediator.

A. Nurse-patient ratios refer to the number of patients assigned to a nurse at any given time. While maintaining optimal nurse-patient ratios is crucial for patient care quality and nurse workload management, it is not directly related to the concept of intellectual capital.
B. Centralized staffing involves managing staffing needs and scheduling from a central point to ensure coordination and efficiency across departments. While centralized staffing can improve organizational efficiency and care coordination, it does not directly address the concept of increasing overall organizational improvement through intellectual capital.
C. According to the NIC Theory, intellectual capital is crucial for improving organizational performance. An increase in knowledge—whether at the individual, group, or organizational level—directly contributes to overall improvement. Enhanced knowledge and skills among nursing staff lead to better decision-making, innovation, and overall quality of care, thereby positively impacting organizational outcomes.
D. Adherence to budget-based staffing involves staffing levels and allocation based on budgetary constraints. While important for financial management and resource allocation, budget-based staffing does not directly relate to the concept of increasing organizational improvement through intellectual capital.