Interdisciplinary Theories and Nursing Practice Issues: Complexity Science/Chaos Theory/CAS

Description of Complexity Science and Complex Adaptive Systems

Complexity science, also known as chaos theory or complex adaptive systems (CAS), represents a revolutionary interdisciplinary framework that fundamentally challenges traditional linear approaches to understanding healthcare systems and nursing practice. Unlike the traditional way of thinking, complexity science sees that changes in healthcare situations can lead to effects that are impossible to foresee. This theory points out that healthcare organizations act as complex adaptive systems, display nonlinear relations, produce new behaviors, organize by themselves, and react to changes in their setting: Interdisciplinary Theories and Nursing Practice Issues: Complexity Science/Chaos Theory/CAS.

Healthcare complex adaptive systems have different features than simple ones. Such systems may include a range of linked elements, feedback processes that can either increase or decrease the effect of certain actions, new abilities that only happen thanks to the interactions among elements, and the talent to adapt and change according to what is happening in their environment. This theory points out that healthcare systems are best located at the edge of chaos, where they can function properly while being creative and experiencing transformation.

Practice Issue: Managing Nurse Burnout and Turnover in Critical Care Units

The practice issue selected for this discussion centers on the persistent challenge of nurse burnout and high turnover rates in critical care units, a problem that intensified significantly during and following the COVID-19 pandemic. Such a complex issue is linked to the safety of patients, the effectiveness of care, the work environment, and the ability to sustain the health system. When burnout was the main concern, most efforts were made through one-off steps like having more staff, offering employee programs, or changing salaries. Still, these approaches rarely handle the problem’s many connected aspects, and as a result, the changes made are just short-lived.

Critical care places exemplify systems that have many different elements interacting in unexpected manners. Some of the causes of burnout are too much workload, working with difficult patients, having poor relationships, experiencing an unfriendly work environment, dealing with certain types of leaders, not having enough resources, technology demands, and family and administrative pressures. These aspects are linked and may either cause greater stress and burnout or help people become more resilient and enjoy their work.

Application of Complexity Science to Nurse Burnout and Turnover

Complexity science explains nurse burnout as the result of complex system interactions, not just because of one person’s troubles. A recent review by Olsson et al. (2020) points out that complexity science helps nurses abandon the view in nursing that only emphasizes problem-solving and routine actions. It changes the focus from looking at a single cause to studying what causes and conditions are related to the rise of burnout.

By using complexity theory, burnout patterns result from interactions between nurses’ traits, the environment at work, office regulations, and forces within the healthcare system. Making small changes in such a complex situation can cause bigger and lasting benefits thanks to amplification and feedback. Take peer support circles, for example. They are considered modest on paper, but they can cause changes in communication, feeling of unity, and psychological safety and ultimately lead to higher retention rates.

Borghmans et al. (2024) point out in their recent study that meaning in one’s work is important for nurses’ dedication, well-being, desire to stay in the field, and productivity. Such a finding is supported by complexity science, as it shows that meaning-making happens due to nurses’ interactions with patients, colleagues, and the organization rather than independent expression by one person.

Practical Applications and System-Level Interventions

Complexity science states that good ways to address nurse burnout need to recognize how all the different parts are linked and should focus on helping the system have better outcomes rather than controlling each step individually. The point of this model is to find places where minor changes can greatly improve the overall system. Important practices are to build flexible leadership skills, establish ways for the system to learn and adjust fast, and help nursing teams self-organize.

Furthermore, the theory stresses that different elements and similar actions make a system stronger. As a result, organizations should hire people with different skills and experiences, design various ways for career progression, and set up backup support in case the main ones are not available. They make the system flexible to unexpected threats and still carry out essential responsibilities.

Applying these interventions successfully calls for organizations to accept the uncertainty and try out different solutions instead of expecting a single solution. The approach relies on trying out various small initiatives together, observing the system’s reactions from various sources, and either expanding useful efforts or not using those that fail. Thus, these strategies fall in line with complexity science, as they see that useful solutions may come about through trial and error rather than just following a plan (Notarnicola et al., 2024).

Conclusion

Complexity science allows nurses to grasp and deal with detailed issues related to nurse burnout and turnover. Since it views healthcare environments as lively and connected, this theory allows for interventions that are better matched with how the system is set up. By using complexity science in nursing, problems are no longer treated only by breaking them down but by working on the overall system that includes all its parts.

References

Borghmans, T., Van Rompaey, B., & Elseviers, M. (2024). Finding meaning in complex care nursing in a hospital setting. Nursing Inquiry, 31(2), e12633. https://researchmgt.monash.edu/ws/portalfiles/portal/634764115/583230458-oa.pdf

Notarnicola, I., Lommi, M., Ivziku, D., Carrodano, S., Rocco, G., & Stievano, A. (2024). The nursing theory of complex adaptive systems: A new paradigm for nursing. Healthcare, 12(19), 1997. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12191997

Olsson, L. E., Jakobsson Ung, E., Swedberg, K., & Ekman, I. (2020). A scoping review of complexity science in nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 76(9), 2242-2252. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14382

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INTERDISCIPLINARY THEORIES AND NURSING PRACTICE ISSUES
The field of nursing has come to understand the importance of working with disciplines other than nursing, such as the behavioral, social, and physical sciences, for example, in order to improve health outcomes. As this recognition has grown, numerous interdisciplinary theories have evolved out of the research of collaborative teams.

For this Discussion, you will continue to focus on the same practice or organization issue you did in the Week 2 Discussion. You will be assigned an interdisciplinary theory. You will then research your assigned interdisciplinary theory for applications in addressing your practice or organization issue.

Note: Although your task is to explore your assigned interdisciplinary theory in depth, as you engage with the Learning Resources and your colleagues, consider the other theories that may also apply to your practice or organization issue.