Using simplified Chaos Theory to manage nursing services.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the part simplified chaos theory could play in the management of nursing services.


BACKGROUND
As nursing care becomes more complex, practitioners need to become familiar with business planning and objective time management. There are many time-limited methods that facilitate this type of planning but few that can help practitioners to forecast the end-point outcome of the service they deliver.


METHODS
A growth model was applied to a specialist service to plot service trajectory.


RESULTS
Components of chaos theory can play a role in forecasting service outcomes and consequently the impact upon the management of such services.


CONCLUSIONS
The ability to (1) track the trajectory of a service and (2) manipulate that trajectory by introducing new variables can allow managers to forward plan for service development and to evaluate the effectiveness of a service by plotting its end-point state.
Haigh
Carol A
CA
Salford Centre for Nursing, Midwifery & Collaborative Research, Department of Nursing, University of Salford, Salford, Greater Manchester, UK. c.a.haigh@salford.ac.uk
D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005544:Forecasting; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D015401:Nursing Administration Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009739:Nursing Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009742:Nursing Theory; D009745:Nursing, Supervisory / Q000458:organization & administration; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010934:Planning Techniques; D011361:Professional Competence; D017748:Time Management / Q000458:organization & administration