Use of the Neuman Systems Model for Interdisciplinary Teams

The Neuman Systems Model is particularly adaptable to interdisciplinary use. Its broadness and systems approach are especially responsive to use in the changing health care delivery system. Application to interdisciplinary use is multidimensional. The model has been used as the structural framework for work at administrative, interdisciplinary health care team and nurse/client/community levels. Interdisciplinary work at the administrative (management) level can be found in publications by Patricia Hinton-Walker and John Walker. Nurse/client/community work is demonstrated in the writings of Patricia Davies, a psychiatric nurse practicing in Wales. Application to the interdisciplinary health care team will be discussed in this chapter. This article will focus on the interdisciplinary use of the Neuman Systems Model (NSM) in the practice setting. Application in education will also be addressed. Represented here is a portion of the work of an interdisciplinary team of university faculty who explored the feasibility of interdisciplinary use of the model in both practice and education. Members of the team are also clinical practitioners in their respective professions. http://dx.doi.org/10.14574/ojrnhc.v1i2.489