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.
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
· McEwen, M., & Wills, E. M. (2022).
Theoretical basis for nursing (6th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
· Chapter 11, “Overview of Selected Middle Range Nursing Theories” (pp. 230–260)
· Chapter 13, “Theories From the Sociologic Sciences”
· “Systems Theories” (pp. 284–289)
· “Complexity Science/Chaos Theory/CAS” (pp. 303–306)
· Chapter 14, “Theories From the Behavioral Sciences”
· “Health Belief Model” (pp. 329–331)
· “Theory of Planned Behavior” (pp. 331–332)
· Chapter 15, “Theories From the Biomedical Sciences”
· “Gate Control Theory” (pp. 361–363)
· “Web of Causation” (pp. 346–347)
· Chapter 16, “Theories, Models, and Frameworks From Leadership and Management”
· “Change Theory” (pp.384–386)
· “Transformational, Authentic, and Servant Leadership” (pp. 377–379)
· Chapter 17, “Learning Theories”
· “Social Learning Theory” (pp. 411–412)
· “Knowles Theory of Adult Learning” (pp. 416–418)
· Chapter 19, “Application of Theory in Nursing Practice” (pp. 448–466)
· Chapter 21, “Application of Theory in Nursing Administration and Management” (pp. 491–518)
· Chapter 22, “Application of Theory in Nursing Education” (pp. 519–537)
· Chang, H. E., & Manojlovich, M. (2023).
Clinical nurses’ patient safety competency, systems thinking and missed nursing care: A cross‐sectional surveyLinks to an external site..
International Journal of Nursing Practice, 29(2), Article e13130.
· Chen, J., Ghardallou, W., Comite, U., Ahmad, N., Ryu, H. B., Ariza-Montes, A., & Han, H. (2022).
Managing hospital employees’ burnout through transformational leadership: The role of resilience, role clarity, and intrinsic motivationLinks to an external site..
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(17).
· Ghasemian, A., Sargeran, K., Khami, M. R., & Shamshiri, A. R. (2024).
Effects of educational interventions based on the theory of planned behavior on oral cancer-related knowledge and tobacco smoking in adults: A cluster randomized controlled trialLinks to an external site..
BMC Cancer, 24(1), Article 45.
· Komaç, F., & Duru, P. (2024).
The effect of education based on a health belief model and motivational interviews on cardiovascular disease risk factors and healthy lifestyle behaviour changes in patients with essential hypertension: A randomized controlled trialLinks to an external site..
Patient Education and Counseling, 120, Article 108126.
· McPherson, K., Barnard, J. G., Tenney, M., Holliman, B. D., Morrison, K., Kneeland, P., Lin, C.-T., & Moss, M. (2022).
Burnout and the role of authentic leadership in academic medicineLinks to an external site..
BMC Health Services Research, 22(1), Article 627.
To Prepare
· Select
one practice or organization issue on which to focus for this Discussion.
Note: You may reuse an issue you selected earlier in this course, or you may select a new one.
· Based on the
first letter of your
last name, you will be assigned to
one of the following interdisciplinary theories:
·
Theories From the Behavioral Sciences
· Last name starts with A–C: Health Belief Model
· Last name starts with D–E: Theory of Planned Behavior
·
Theories From Leadership and Management
· Last name starts with F–H: Change Theory
· Last name starts with I–K: Transformational Authentic and Servant Leadership
·
Theories From the Biomedical Sciences
· Last name starts with L–M: Gate Control Theory
· Last name starts with N–O: Web of Causation
·
Theories From the Sociological Sciences
· Last name starts with P–Q: Complexity Science/Chaos Theory/CAS
· Last name starts with R–S: Systems Theory
·
Theories From Education
· Last name starts with T–V: Theory of Adult Learning (Knowles)
· Last name starts with W–Z: Social Learning Theory
· Review the Learning Resources. Pay particular attention to information related to the theory to which you are assigned.
· Search the Walden Library and/or the internet to identify least
two recent, peer-reviewed articles (published within the last 5 years) related to your assigned theory.
· From the articles you selected, identify key insights and examples of how this theory can be applied to your practice or organization issue.
By Day 3 Of Week 3
Post the following:
· A description of the interdisciplinary theory to which you were assigned
· A description of the practice or organization issue you selected
· An explanation of how the theory aligns with and can be applied to the practice or organization issue you selected (Be specific and cite at least two recent, peer-reviewed articles—published within the last 5 years—to support your points.)
· RESPOND TO THIS DISCUSSION POST
Ju Pa
Description of Complexity Science/Chaos Theory/CAS
Complexity Science and Chaos Theory, often integrated with Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS), describe systems’ behavior where outcomes emerge from the interaction of multiple interdependent components. These theories, rooted in sociological sciences, emphasize complex systems’ dynamic and non-linear nature, such as healthcare organizations. Fundamental principles include adaptability, self-organization, feedback loops, and the interconnectedness of system components (Chandler et al., 2016). CAS highlights the need for flexibility and innovation, recognizing that small changes can lead to great outcomes through ripple effects in the system.
Description of the Practice or Organization Issue
The organizational issue I selected, workplace violence in mental health settings, is of significant concern, particularly its impact on healthcare workers. Workplace violence affects staff well-being, staff retention, and patient care quality. Mental health workers constantly face physical or verbal aggression, which can lead to burnout, decreased job satisfaction, and secondary trauma. Addressing workplace issues requires a multifaceted approach considering the interactions between staff behavior, environmental factors, organizational policies, and patient dynamics.
Application of Complexity Science/Chaos Theory/CAS to Workplace Violence
Complexity Science/Chaos Theory/CAS is highly applicable to workplace violence in mental health settings. Workplace violence arises from the complex interactions of organizational, environmental, and individual factors. This non-linear and adaptive nature aligns with the principles of Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS), where the focus shifts from isolated interventions to understanding and influencing the broader system.
1. Interdependence and Feedback Loops
Complexity Science/Chaos Theory/CAS highlights the interdependence of various system components, such as staff training, organizational culture, patient dynamics, and physical environment. For example, implementing violence de-escalation training programs can influence how staff interact with patients, reduce the likelihood of aggression, and create a safer work environment. Implementing these small changes can have a ripple effect, causing an improvement in staff morale and ultimately reducing turnover rates. Feedback loops, where improvements in one area positively reinforce changes in another, are central to this approach (Taylor & Thomas, 2020).
2. Adaptability and Resilience
Adaptability and resilience are required to address workplace violence, as mental health environments often have chaos and are unpredictable. CAS fosters resilient systems where staff are empowered to respond effectively to challenges. For instance, creating a culture of psychological safety, where employees feel supported in reporting incidents and a just culture, aligns with CAS’s adaptive nature. Flexible policies that evolve based on staff feedback can also enhance resilience.
3. Emergent Solutions
Solutions to workplace violence often emerge through collaboration and innovation. Complexity Science/Chaos Theory/CAS encourages viewing the organization as a self-organizing system where diverse stakeholders—administrators, frontline workers, and patients—co-create strategies. This approach offers hope, as emergent solutions can lead to significant improvements. For example, multidisciplinary teams might collaboratively design interventions, such as adjusting physical layouts to reduce aggression triggers or introducing mindfulness programs for stress management (Ford et al., 2021).
4. Non-linear Impacts
Complexity Science acknowledges that the small changes we institute can lead to great outcomes, sometimes unpredictable, outcomes. The understanding of this theories can empowers us to make changes that can have a significant impact. For example, redesigning shift schedules to minimize fatigue might reduce irritability among staff and patients, lowering the likelihood of violent incidents. These small but strategic changes exemplify CAS’s emphasis on non-linear impacts.
Conclusion
Complexity Science/Chaos Theory/CAS teaches us an indispensable and valuable framework for implementing strategies to address workplace violence in mental health settings by focusing on system-wide interactions, adaptability, and emergent solutions. This theory enables a shift from reactive approaches to proactive system redesign, fostering a safer and more resilient work environment. Recognizing the connected factors that contribute to workplace violence, healthcare organizations can initiate and implement sustainable changes that enhance staff well-being and patient care quality.
References
Chandler, J. A., Rycroft-Malone, J., Hawkes, C., & Noyes, J. (2016). Application of simplified Complexity Theory concepts for healthcare social systems to explain the implementation of evidence into practice.
Journal of Advanced Nursing, 72(2), 461–480.
Ford, K., Cooper, S., & Booker, L. A. (2021). Building resilience in mental health workers: Perspectives of frontline workers and organizational leaders.
Journal of Mental Health, 30(1), 1–9.
Taylor, J. L., & Thomas, P. (2020). Organizational interventions for preventing and mitigating workplace violence among healthcare workers: A realist review.
Workplace Health & Safety, 68(5), 217–228.
· Expand discussion thread from Julla Panneh
