Missed nursing care and complexity theory: a conceptual paper

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Healthcare Management
• Complexity Theory

Background:

• Missed nursing care is a significant issue in acute hospital settings.
• Existing interventions to minimize missed care lack consensus on effectiveness.
• A need exists for novel theoretical frameworks to understand this phenomenon.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conceptually understand missed nursing care through the lens of complexity theory.
• To explore the applicability of complexity theory in addressing missed nursing care.

Main Methods:

• A literature review was conducted on missed nursing care.
• Complexity theory concepts were reviewed in the context of healthcare.

Main Results:

• Complexity theory highlights adaptation, self-organization, non-linear interactions, and history as relevant to missed nursing care.
• A complex adaptive systems approach may equip nurse managers to better prepare nurses for clinical uncertainty.
• This approach can potentially reduce instances of missed nursing care.

Conclusions:

• Current methods for studying missed nursing care require re-evaluation.
• Implementing strategies informed by complexity theory could enhance nursing staff's ability to provide quality, innovative care.
• This theoretical shift may improve healthcare delivery in modern systems.