Open-Systems Approach in Nursing - Essay Example

"Open-Systems Approach in Nursing" is a perfect example of a paper on care. The healthcare organizations are a perfect embodiment of an open system typified by energy transformation, event cycles, negative entropy, negative feedback, integration, differentiation, and coordination. According to the Nursing service theory, the input, throughput, and output function interact dynamically to impact the global work requirements placed on the nursing staff at the point of care within the production subsystems (Lynn, & Taylor, 2011). Here, Inputs constitute an inflow of information and energy from the external environment to renew the system. Energy-related inputs may include materials, people, and resources from other related organizations. On the other hand, Informational inputs include signals or negative feedback regarding the external environment. Throughput represents the Energies within the system which are transformed whenever inputs are reorganized. A good example is nursing interventions.

The output is the other factor by which Products within the nursing system are exported to the outside environment. This may include product materials or services e.g. patient volumes. The practice of energy exchange and transformation creates a series of repeated activities termed cycles of events that are intended to renew the system (Meyer, & Brien, 2011). Renewal may be created in the event of a system output or on account of its own activities. For instance, the accreditation criteria achieved through revenue Activities. 

The nursing department as an open system also depicts Negative feedback, In this case, internal information regarding the system functioning that serves as a remedial device to regulate expenditure and energy intake. Here, the Subsystem feedback on the operational functioning works to keep the organization within the targeted Negative feedback.

In recent years, my state has experienced a serious nursing staff shortage, a factor that has resulted in deteriorating patient care and staff discontentment (negative feedback). The shortage experienced is a result of low graduates (inputs) from the medical schools, a factor that has led to reduced patient satisfaction and in the worst cases loss of patient’s lives (output).  According to studies done, the present nurse workforce experience constant burnout (cycle of events) on account of the many hours they have to endure while on duty (Nelson, 2010). The many nursing intervention programs such as employing other professionals with related training (throughput) have failed since the nursing vacuum is much too big.

In any health organization, human resource serves as the greatest assets. In healthcare organizations, the nursing field to be precise, well-trained nurses who feel satisfied with their work serves this purpose. The intervention will include plans that seek to achieve the following goals:  first Nurses will be expected to report less burnout from their daily duties. Secondly, the plan will be expected to create higher work engagement, and lastly develop greater organizational commitment among the nursing staff.

To address the issues identified earlier and achieve the desired goals I will do the following: First, I will identify trained nurses who graduated from medical schools (inputs) to fill the vacuum. Additionally, I will establish intervention plans that will improve the service delivery of present nurses. This will include better pay and greater employee-job fit (throughput). Past studies have indicated that nurses with experiences not exceeding two years were more likely to experience greater satisfaction in terms of control, workload, rewards, fairness, community, and values when they access opportunities, information, support, and resources( Meyer, & O'Brien, 2010).   With all this in plan, I expect to not only realize positive change in the present working environment but also stir a new level of commitment.

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