Complexity Theory in Nursing

The Complexity Integration Theory gives a nurse a common language and an organized and systemic way to consistently address complex phenomena in her practice. It emphasizes how a patient and his nurse are interconnected with the environment.

Focus

• Complexity theorists believe the patient and his nurse are individuals with free will who actively participate in the care process.

Features

• According to this theory, a nurse is socialized through his family, peer group and educational system; processes within the natural environment; and mutual interactions with his patient.

Example

• The Theory of Nursing Knowledge/Wisdom and Nursing Praxis is an example of a complexity integration theory that uses mathematics to analyze a large number of elements in nursing practice, explain the relationships between elements, and predict nursing practice patterns.

Benefits

• Complexity integration theory demystifies the socialization of a new nurse into her profession by providing a comprehensive and practical guide to define complex phenomena and show how they are interconnected.

Theory-Practice Gap

• Unfortunately, there is still a gap between nursing theories developed in academic setting and everyday practice in nursing, particularly for very abstract metatheories such as complexity integration theory.