Systems Thinking

Question 1

What is first order problem solving?

Answer 1

Two implicit strategies when you encounter a problem:

Do what it takes to continue patient care task, no more, no less:

• Meets immediate needs
• Minimises time away from patient care

Ask for help from people who are socially close rather than those who are best equipped to correct the problem:

• Preserves reputation
• Minimises difficult encounters.

Question 2

Why do people not learn from failures?

Answer 2

Organisations emphasis:

• Individual vigilance - e.g. personal responsibility to resolve problems to immediate tasks.
• Unit efficiency i.e. unit’s throughput efficiency
• Worker empowerment i.e. delegation to workers who have little influence on external factors.

Question 3

What are the four elements of civil negligence?

Answer 3

1. The defendant owed duty of care
2. The defendant was in breach of that duty
3. The breach of duty caused damage
4. The damage was foreseeable

Question 4

What is the difference between first and second order problem solving?

Answer 4

Workers exhibit first-order problem solving when they do not expend any more energy on a problem after obtaining the missing input needed to complete a task. Second-order problem solving, in contrast, investigates and seeks to change underlying causes of a problem

Question 5

Why is second order problem solving good?

Answer 5

Positive consequences for workers and organisations if action is successful to prevent problem from recurring:

• Higher productivity
• Greater customer satisfaction
• More content workers
• More committed worked

And reduce the likelihood of

• Errors occurring
• Errors causing harm