Imogene King’s General Systems Framework

King’s General Systems Framework

King’s General Systems Framework

Type/Purpose: CM -> Grand Theory -> Mid-Range (Goal Attainment Theory)/why do we do things? Philosophical Claims: Reciprocal Interaction

Context: Metaparadigm (Concepts)

  • Human Beings: Holistic open systems (perceptions) represented by personal Sys., interpersonal Sys., and social systems.
  • Environment: NOT DEFINED; internal and external are sources of stress. 3 systems interact with the environment and exchange matter, info, ENERGY.
  • Health:  Function ability and health occurs with groups. 8 features; genetics, subjective, relative, dynamic, environmental, culture, perception. Illness is deviation from norm, imbalance not just physiological.
  • Nursing:  Represented as a process of action, reaction, and interaction r/t a goal of achieving the maximum potential for daily living.

GOAL OF NURSING: assist individual groups, society to attain, maintain, and restore health – for individuals this is the ability to function in social roles. CONTENT OF THE MODEL:

Personal Systems (INDIVIDUALS) 7 Dimensions

    1. Perception: self-awareness, your own representation of reality and involves; input of the environment, the transformation of energy, processing information, storing of information, and export of information as behavior
    2. Self: composed of thoughts, desires, imaginations, and awareness
    3. Growth & Dev: genetic experiences, molecular and behavior changes
    4. Body Image: your appearance
    5. Time: interval btw. past, present, and future; life, stress, and recovery
    6. Personal Space: territory and boundaries to orientate to your environment and space
    7. Learning: critical thinking, self-activities, conceptualizing based on in/outputs

Interpersonal Systems (SMALL GROUPS; PEERS) 6 Dimensions:

    1. Interaction: judgments, goal-directed communications, simultaneous perceptions
    2. Communication: all behavior,2 subdivisions; verbal/nonverbal (symbols, gestures, touch, the use/defense of space) that express goals and values
    3. Transaction: observable behaviors and interaction of valued goals
    4. Role: expected position and obligations, a relationship in a specific situation
    5. Stress: dynamic state of a person’s interaction with the environment, either positive or negative
    6. Coping: r/t coping with stress/stressors (NOT DEFINED)

Imogene King's Concepts

Social systems (groups formed to achieve a specific purpose; family, school, hospital, business) 6 dimensions:

    1. Organization: prescribed roles/positions, using resources to accomplish goals
    2. Authority: reciprocal interactions to define/validate/accept the authority of individuals
    3. Power: to resolve or influence situations
    4. Status: the position of an individual compared to others, applied concepts
    5. Decision making: the goal-directed process, the choice is made to answer a question or attain a goal
    6. Control: power/authority (NOT DEFINED)

The Nursing Process with King’s Theory

ASSESSMENT (collect data) 

  1. Perception: the nurse and client meet in some nursing situation and perceive each other
  2. Judgment: the nurse and client make mental judgments about each other (or health/abnormality)
  3. Action: behaviors and mental activities to improve health or attain goals
  4. Reaction: the nurse and client mentally react to each one’s perceptions of the other

DIAGNOSIS

  1. Disturbance Phase: Interaction btw nurse and client, the nurse identifies the client’s concerns, problems, and disturbances in health -obtains a medical/physical examination, lab work

PLANNING

  1. Mutual Goal Setting: the agreed goals based on the nurse’s assessment, has ethical considerations
  2. Exploration of Means to Achieve Goals: to explore the means to achieve mutually set goals
  3. Agreement on Means to Achieve Goals: to interact purposefully to agree on the means to achieve mutually set goals

IMPLEMENTATION

  1. Transaction: the behaviors carried out to achieve the mutually agreed goals

EVALUATION

  1. Attainment of Goals: expressed in terms of the client’s state of health or ability to perform/function in social roles. Did they (not) obtain the goal? Examples of goals: dietary management & exercise, maintaining a controlled blood sugar. Application is r/t people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

-Current Nursing

Additional Information & References