Systems Theory

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Systems Theory

• SJSU Conceptual
  Framework
• The whole is greater then the sum of the parts
  von bertalanffy 1968

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Systems

• Separate components That have a specific purpose.
• Components are interrelated and interdependent

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Open/Closed

• What is an Open system?
• Living
• Growing
• Interacting
• Interrelated

• What is a closed system?
• A controlled lab test such as a chemical reaction
  under specific conditions Potter Perry

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• Consider Each System as Whole While Identifying
  the Relationships Between the Component
  Subsystems
• Address the Clients Needs
• Desires and Goals
• Which exist and Interact Within
• The Ecological System of
• Client Nurse Environment

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Person As a System

• Are open systems which interact, evolve and grow.
• How many sub-systems and supra-systems
  interacting with each individual?
• Individuals
• Families
• Groups
• Communities

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Environment as a System

• How is the Environment a Living System?
• How does the Environment impact the Client?

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Environment

• Nightingale Theory
• Addressed The Issues Of Environment
• Stating Nursing Is Not Limited To Giving
  Medications
• But Must Also Includes Fresh Air, Light, Warmth,
  Cleanliness, Quiet and Adequate Nutrition.
• How does your Environment affect You?

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The Client The Health Care System
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The Nursing ProcessOriginally Adopted From
General Systems Theory mason Attree (1997)

• The Nursing Process
• an
• Open System
• with
• 5 Principal Interrelated Components

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Applying Systems Theory to Nursing

• Systems Theory Provides a Framework
• Nurses to View Clients and Their Responses to
  Health Concerns

• Components that are Key to applying Systems
  Theory to Nursing
• Holism, Openness, Circularity, and Context

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Holism

• Describes a System as an Integrated Whole
  Composed of Interrelated Parts with the Whole
  Being Greater then the Sum of the Parts. Jorden
  (1999)

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Applying Holism

• A Human Being is an Integrated Whole not just an
  Appendectomy in room 309 or a Broken Hip in room
  509
• How will the Elderly Lady with the Broken Hip
  the Young Man with the Appendectomy React to
  Their Health Concerns from a Psychological,
  Sociocultural Spiritual Standpoint??

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Openness

• Living Systems are Open Systems which Can Receive
  Information and Adapt and Grow Through Ongoing
  Interactions with Their Environments Doordon
  (1999)
• Selectively Semi-Permeable Boundaries Within the
  Clients Systems Control What Comes in and Goes
  Out

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Nursing Process

• During Assessment Nurses Consider How Clients are
  Influenced by the Clients Give Take with the
  Environment.
• The Nature Quality of Assessment Information is
  Affected by Completeness and Accuracy
• Which is Determined by Client Openness

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Question

• Can You Think of an Example of How Boundaries
  can Limit Growth or Cause Potential Complications
  for the Client?

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Circularity

• Nurses Clients Influence Each Other during
  their Interactions
• The patterns of this Influence are Circular
• During Assessment the Nurse MUST Pay Close
  Attention to Client Reactions and Their Own
  Reactions to The Client.
• Nurses Must REMEMBER We Speak a DIFFERENT LANGAGE
  

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• Nursing and Health-care is Influenced by the
  Dominate Culture.
• We Live in a Multi-cultural Society
• What are the Potential Problems due to this
  Influence?
• Remember to be OPEN and to allow for Give
  Take in you Nurse Patient Interactions

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Goals of Circularity

• Create a Nurse patient relationship that is
  collaborative
• Rather then doing for Do with
• The nurse who plans with the Client empowers the
  Client
• Nurses MUST be aware of and Overcome Their Own
  Cultural biases to be accepting of diverse
  Perspectives
• Circular Questioning Openness Allows Ideas to
  Flow an Prompts Trust

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Context

• Open Living Systems are in Constant Interaction
  with their Environments
• Influencing and Being Influenced by all that
  Surrounds Them
• Impacted by Social, Cultural, Historical,
  Environmental Factors

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Context Evaluation

• Context Encompasses the Circumstances of the
  Nurse Client Interactions
• Nurses Must Evaluate Client Outcomes in Context
  to Individual Clients
• Applying Context to Evaluation suggests the
  Importance of Comparing Actual Client Outcomes to
  Client Expectations
• Rather Then Comparing Them To Similar Clients
  with Similar Conditions

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Equifinality

• Many Paths to the Same Goal

• When Applying Equifinality to Evaluation
• The Nurse Must Reevaluate the Nursing Goals and
  Nursing Diagnosis
• Remember Each Clients Response to health Problems
  will be Different

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Change and Stability

• Living Systems are Constantly Changing
• The System Strives for Equilibrium
• Therefore Change maybe
• Functional
• Or
• Dysfunctional
• How Does Person Environment Health and Nursing
  Impact the System?

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The Nurse Must Evaluate Client Outcomes Within
the Clients Personal Context.
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What Systems Impact the Client?

• Physical Needs
• Food Shelter O2
• Communication
• Verbal Non Verbal
• Healthcare Team
• Nurse, MD, PT, RT
• Environment
• Home, Work, Community
• Family

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Systems Theory Paper