Systems Theory
Assignment: Application: Systems Theory
As noted in the Learning Resources, systems theory provides a meaningful and beneficial means of examining challenges in health care organizations. To do this effectively, however, it is essential to assess all system components, as some may be relatively healthy while others are problematic.
For this Assignment, you apply systems theory to the examination of a problem in a department or a unit within a health care organization. (Note: You may use the same problem you identified for the Discussion as long as it meets the criteria for this assignment.)
To prepare:
- Review the Meyer article, “Nursing Services Delivery Theory: An Open System Approach,” in this week’s Learning Resources. Focus especially on the information presented in Table 1 (p. 2831) and Figure 2 (p. 2833).
- Reflect on your organization or one with which you are familiar. Within a particular department or unit in this organization, identify a problem the staff is encountering.
- Using Table 1 in the Meyer article as a guide, analyze the department or unit, identifying inputs, throughput, output, cycles of events, and negative feedback. Consider whether the problem you have selected relates to input, throughput, output, cycles of events, and/or negative feedback.
- Think about how you could address the problem: Consider what a desired outcome would be, then formulate related goals and objectives, and translate those goals into policies and procedures.
- Research professional standards that are pertinent to your identified problem.
- Reflect on the organization’s mission statement and values. In addition, consider how addressing this problem would uphold the mission and values, while improving the organizational culture and climate. (Depending on the organization you have selected, you may have explored these in the Week 1 Discussion.)
To complete:
BY DAY 7
Write a 3- to 5-page paper (page count does not include title and reference page) that addresses the following:
- Describe a department or unit within a health care organization using systems theory terminology. Include a description of inputs, throughput, output, cycles of events, and negative feedback.
- Describe the problem you identified within the department or unit using an open- systems approach, and state where the problem exists using the systems theory model (input, throughput, output, cycles of events, or negative feedback).
- Based on this information, explain how you would address the problem as follows:
- Formulate a desired outcome.
- Identify goals and objectives that would facilitate that outcome.
- Translate those goals and objectives into policies and procedures for the department or unit.
- Describe relevant professional standards.
- Explain how your proposed resolution to the problem would uphold the organization’s mission and values and improve the culture and climate.
The Assignment, Systems Theory, is due by Day 7 of Week 2.
Reminder: The School of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements. All papers submitted must use this formatting.
This Assignment is due by Day 7 of Week 2 (this week) and must be submitted through the Week 2 Assignment Link.
QUALITY OF WORK SUBMITTED: RUBRIC
THE EXTENT OF WHICH WORK MEETS THE ASSIGNED CRITERIA AND WORK REFLECTS GRADUATE LEVEL CRITICAL AND ANALYTIC THINKING.—
QUALITY OF WORK SUBMITTED:
THE PURPOSE OF THE PAPER IS CLEAR.—
ASSIMILATION AND SYNTHESIS OF IDEAS:
THE EXTEND TO WHICH THE WORK REFLECTS THE STUDENT’S ABILITY TO:
UNDERSTAND AND INTERPRET THE ASSIGNMENT’S KEY CONCEPTS.—
ASSIMILATION AND SYNTHESIS OF IDEAS:
THE EXTEND TO WHICH THE WORK REFLECTS THE STUDENT’S ABILITY TO:
APPLY AND INTEGRATE MATERIAL IN COURSE RESOURCES (I.E. VIDEO, REQUIRED READINGS, AND TEXTBOOK) AND CREDIBLE OUTSIDE RESOURCES.—
ASSIMILATION AND SYNTHESIS OF IDEAS:
THE EXTEND TO WHICH THE WORK REFLECTS THE STUDENT’S ABILITY TO:
SYNTHESIZE (COMBINES VARIOUS COMPONENTS OR DIFFERENT IDEAS INTO A NEW WHOLE) MATERIAL IN COURSE RESOURCES (I.E. VIDEO, REQUIRED READINGS, TEXTBOOK) AND OUTSIDE, CREDIBLE RESOURCES BY COMPARING DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW AND HIGHLIGHTING SIMILARITIES, DIFFERENCES, AND CONNECTIONS.—
WRITTEN EXPRESSION AND FORMATTING
PARAGRAPH AND SENTENCE STRUCTURE: PARAGRAPHS MAKE CLEAR POINTS THAT SUPPORT WELL DEVELOPED IDEAS, FLOW LOGICALLY, AND DEMONSTRATE CONTINUITY OF IDEAS. SENTENCES ARE CLEARLY STRUCTURED AND CAREFULLY FOCUSED–NEITHER LONG AND RAMBLING NOR SHORT AND LACKING SUBSTANCE.—
WRITTEN EXPRESSION AND FORMATTING
ENGLISH WRITING STANDARDS: CORRECT GRAMMAR, MECHANICS, AND PROPER PUNCTUATION—
WRITTEN EXPRESSION AND FORMATTING
THE PAPER FOLLOWS CORRECT APA FORMAT FOR TITLE PAGE, HEADINGS, FONT, SPACING, MARGINS, INDENTATIONS, PAGE NUMBERS, RUNNING HEAD, PARENTHETICAL/IN-TEXT CITATIONS, AND REFERENCE LIST.—
| Total Points: 100 |
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Solution Preview
System Theory in Healthcare
One of the most effective ways through which the contemporary society could address challenges experienced within healthcare organizations is through viewing the healthcare unit as a system, containing inputs, whose effectiveness in performance determines the quality of output within the said unit (Meyer & O’Brien‐Pallas, 2010). Understanding the functionality of the hospital as a system not only guarantees the ability to address issues that would otherwise affect the output within the facility but are easily disregarded. Consequently, the healthcare management within any facility could be as smooth as the consumers would expect, depending on the effectiveness in evaluating and placing the input at par with the expected output.
(975 words)