Ethical, Legal, and Sociocultural Issues (ELSI) in Nursing Viewed through a Complex Synergistic System Lens

Document Type

Book Section

Publication Date

1-1-2018

Publication Title

Top 10 Contributions on Nursing and Health Care

Publisher

Avid Science

Edition

1

First page number:

2

Last page number:

22

Abstract

As the largest sector of the health professions in the United States with more than three million registered nurses, and as they adjust to the globalization of health and healthcare, the world needs to hear their voices in forging a new vision in nursing education, research and practice. Nursing education, research and practice is constantly evolving as it is at the cutting edge of healthcare. The purpose of this paper is to integrate Ethics, Legal and Sociocultural Issues (ELSI) as nursing’s obligation to society and toward understanding nursing as a Complex Synergistic System (CSS). The theories through which nurses could view ELSI are the complexity theory, synergy theory, and systems theory. Envisioning ELSI through the CSS lens engages nurses in the multifaceted nature of nursing (complexity theory), its collaborative relationship with various disciplines (synergy theory), and the permeability of nursing’s boundaries (systems theory) globally. Understanding ELSI through CSS as a theoretical framework and lens grounds nursing education, research and practice to withstand and transform challenges into opportunities for growth and positive outcomes. CSS is a powerful tool/lens that shapes, magnifies, clarifies, and guides thinking, feeling and behaving in nursing education, research and practice. Evidence-based literature and practice is used as background and foreground information.

Disciplines

Public Health and Community Nursing

Language

English


Share

COinS