Lindberg & Lindberg Explore Compexity Science Through Stories

By Joseph Hannan



Perhaps you're new to Complexity Science. This afternoon, "On The Edge" authors hosted informal breakout sessions on various topics including "Nursing Theory and Complexity" by Mary Gambino, "From Doing To to Entering Into Collaborative Partnership informed by Complexity" by Sue Nash, "The Art, Science and Complexity of Clinical Reasoning" by Dan Pesut and a "Primer on Complexity" hosted by Claire and Curt Lindberg.

I sat in on the Lindbergs' session to provide readers with a summary of their introduction to Complexity Science. Here is what I found.

As Claire Lindberg suggested in her opening remarks at the onset of the conference, all conference attendees have come to this year's gathering because they are leaders and innovators within their respective fields. The conference participants gathered here today are an indicator of what nursing is doing right.

Each of these participants brings a distinct set of experience to the conference including specific sets of successes and challenges each of their organizations face. Claire Lindberg introduced the concept of positive deviance (PD) in dealing with these challenges.

She used the following example: Claire Lindberg often asks students to think of people who are adept at consoling grieving patients and family members. She said many students say they don't have the time to deal with this particular issue, but all are able to name other nurses or hospital employees who are great at providing support for the grieving.

Curt Lindberg explained that this is PD in action. He and Claire Lindberg said that through this form of shared sensemaking, new intellectual discoveries can be realized. In this particular situation, nursing students and nurses can learn how to better console grieving patients and families by conversing with other healthcare employees and among themselves.

"This science can be very overwhelming," Curt Lindberg said. He added that the use of stories can help to explain concepts of the science of complexity. "By asking (students) to uncover stories of that principle it really makes it real to them.

"Stories can convey the complexity of a situation much better than a Powerpoint or an outline," Curt Lindberg said.

Claire Lindberg also said it is important for students to understand the concept of embeddedness. "Let the students go through the exercise of going through those layers that either facilitate or interfere" with the provision of care, she said. She asked students to consider a nurse and then branch outward, exploring the other layers of care at the family or even cultural level.

Participants in the breakout session seemed receptive, sharing their own stories and career experiences. The informal conversation generated numerous new ideas that will prove beneficial.