Imogene King's Goal Attainment Theory

Vocabulary flashcards covering Imogene King's Goal Attainment Theory, Interacting Systems Framework, and key metaparadigm concepts.

Goal Attainment Theory

A theory developed in the early 1960s by Imogene King that describes a dynamic, interpersonal relationship in which a patient grows and develops to attain certain life goals.

Interacting Systems Framework

Conceptual framework emphasizing nurse-patient interaction as an open system constantly interacting with environmental factors across three systems: Personal, Interpersonal, and Social Systems.

Personal System

A system in King's framework representing individuals, where each individual is an open, total, and unique system in constant interaction with the environment.

Perception

A process of organizing, interpreting, and transforming information from sense data and memory.

Self

A composite of thoughts and feelings which constitute a person's awareness of his/her individual existence and conception of who and what he/she is; that to which we refer when we say 'I'.

Growth and Development

The processes that take place in an individual's life that help the individual move from potential capacity for achievement to self-actualization.

Body Image

An individual's perceptions of his/her own body and others' reaction to his/her appearance, which results from others' reactions to self.

Learning

A process of nursing perception, conceptualization, and critical thinking involving multiple experiences in which changes in concepts, skills, symbols, habits, and values can be evaluated in observable behaviors and inferred from behavioral manifestations.

Time

The duration between the occurrence of one event and the occurrence of another event.

Personal Space

Existing in all directions and is the same everywhere.

Coping

The constantly changing cognitive and behavioral efforts to manage specific external and internal demands that are appraised as taxing or exceeding the resources.

Interpersonal System

A system formed by two or more individuals in interaction; King's process of nursing occurs primarily within this system between the nurse and patient.

Communication

Information processing, defined as a change of information from one state to another.

Interaction

Acts of two or more persons in mutual presence, or a process of action, reaction, and interaction whereby nurse and client share information about their perceptions.

Role

A set of behaviors expected when occupying a position in a social system.

Stress

A dynamic state whereby a human being interacts with the environment to maintain balance for growth, development, and performance, involving an exchange of energy and information between the person and the environment.

Stressors

Events that produce stress.

Transaction

Observable behaviors of human beings interacting with their environment.

Social System

An organized boundary system of social roles, behaviors, and practices developed to maintain values and mechanisms to regulate rules, composed of large groups with common interests or goals.

Organization

A system whose continuous activities are conducted to achieve goals.

Authority

A transactional process characterized by active, reciprocal relations in defining, validating, and accepting the directions of individuals within an organization.

Power

The capacity or ability of a group to achieve goals.

Status

The position of an individual in a group or a group in relation to other groups in an organization.

Decision-Making

A dynamic and systematic process by which a goal-directed choice or perceived alternatives is made and acted upon by individuals or groups to answer a question and attain a goal.

Health

Dynamic life experiences of a human being, implying continuous adjustment to stressors in the internal and external environment through optimum use of one's resources to achieve maximum potential for daily living.

Nursing

An observable behavior found in healthcare systems whose goal is to help individuals maintain their health so they can function in their roles through a process of interaction, goal setting, and mutual agreement.

Action

A sequence of behaviors involving mental and physical actions.

Person

A social, rational, and sentient being who has the ability to perceive, think, feel, choose, set goals, select means to achieve goals, and make decisions.

Environment

The background for human interactions, consisting of an internal environment (transforms energy for internal adjustments) and an external environment (formal and informal organizations).