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General Systems Theory And The Self Application Theory

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General Systems Theory
Nurses play a critical role in providing care for our patients, but also teaching them how to improve their health in order to retain the patient’s highest level of functioning and stability is also a priority. By understanding our past history and the impact it had on nursing, we are able to incorporate this knowledge in the way we practice our profession. One of the most revolutionary nurses in history is Florence Nightingale. She was instrumental in practicing fundamental values and developing nursing as a profession. Two other factors, that also influence our teachings, consist of understanding the General Systems Theory and the Self-Application Theory. By applying these concepts, the nurse can benefit from incorporating knowledge into their practice and obtain professional growth. The purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of these two theories and how our historical past plays a significant part of the way we practice nursing today.
General Systems Theory
The General Systems Theory was established by a biologist, Karl Ludwig von Bertalanffy, who explained that everyone and everything is made up from a system. However, within that system are other systems, called the sub-systems. A closed system remains fairly steady due to constancy with very few variables. An example of a closed system would be religious beliefs of a family that does not allow certain treatments. The sub-systems are considered an open system which

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