Discussion: Chaos and Complexity Theory in Health Care

Every organization must be considered the sum of its parts: the people, problems, and tools within it. Together, these parts shape the face of the institution and make it unique. When coming into a new organization, one should not presume that anything is so just because "that's the way it was done at my other institution." Different organizations have varying structures and approaches to management, and newcomers may find the environment confusing at first.

Consumers of health care expect predictable, safe, and quality care. Recall from the readings that organizational theory attempts to explain how organizations are structured and managed. Based on this week's readings and what has been presented on organizational theory, respond to the following:

Do chaos theory and complexity theory have any place in health care systems? Why or why not?

Post your response.

Support your response with references from the professional nursing literature.