title: A case for chaos theory in nursing.
abstract: This paper addresses the question of why nurses should understand chaos theory. A critique of the literature is used to demonstrate how chaos theory has been utilised in a number of disciplines, including nursing. Possible applications of chaos theory in nursing are proposed in order to demonstrate where it might assist nurses, in particular researchers, educators and policy makers. The appropriateness of the application of chaos theory as a framework for knowledge generation is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Australian Catholic University, Fitzroy, Victoria.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lett
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007254:Information Science; D019359:Knowledge; D008433:Mathematics; D017145:Models, Educational; D016294:Models, Nursing; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D015399:Nursing Research; D009742:Nursing Theory; D009745:Nursing, Supervisory; D012586:Science; D013598:Systems Theory