Complexity, very simply, it is science's most recent attempt to explain how order and novelty emerge in the world. As such it is the intellectual successor to systems theory and chaos theory. Complex systems are created by a number of diverse and interdependent agents that are constantly changing and interacting with each other. Such systems are ubiquitous in life. Some examples include the brain, ant colonies, hospitals, communities, families, economies, and the human heart. The defining feature of complex systems is emergence: the order that emerges through the interactions of components in complex systems is "greater than - and different from - the sum of the parts," to use a familiar phrase.
This scientific discipline is being developed by some of the world's leading researchers, Nobel laureates, and MacArthur "geniuses," such as Murray Gell-Mann, Ilya Prigogine, Edward O. Wilson, Stuart Kauffman and Ralph D. Stacey.
Because nurses play such a central role in health care, also a complex system, and because they interact with so many elements of the system – from patients, families and physicians to communities and public health agencies – it is vital for nursing scholars and leaders to plumb this new science for insights that will enable nurses to enhance the well-being of patients.
This presentation will provide an overview of the history and principles of complexity science, a beginning look at how complexity science insights and practices are being tapped to advance nursing care and the role of nursing in healthcare and society, and suggested resources for symposium attendees who wish to learn more.