King’s conceptual system and theory of goal attainment provide a systematic approach to the thought and action of nursing that has stood the test of time with continuing utility for organizing the complex factors of healthcare. Following a brief overview of the conceptual system and theory of goal attainment, application to family healthcare is discussed and illustrated with the programs of research of three exemplar King scholars: family healthcare with a mentally-ill child, family healthcare with children with type 1 diabetes or asthma, and family healthcare when a family member has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The scientific benefit and developmental progression of a theory-driven program of research for practice is noted. Future studies are presented as well as additional sources for King’s conceptual system and theory of goal attainment.
AlligoodM. R. (1995). Theory of goal attainment: Application to adult orthopedic nursing. In FreyM. A.SieloffC. (Eds.), Advancing King’s systems framework and theory of nursing (pp. 209-222). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
2.
ClementsI. W.RobertsF. B. (Eds.). (1983). Family health: A theoretical approach to nursing care. New York: Wiley.
3.
DoornbosM. M. (1995). Using King’s systems framework to explore family health in the families of the young chronically mentally ill. In FreyM. A.SieloffC. L. (Eds.), Advancing King’s systems framework and theory of nursing (pp. 192-205). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
4.
DoornbosM. M. (2002). Predicting family health in families of young adults with severe mental illness. Journal of Family Nursing, 8, 241-263.
5.
DoornbosM. M. (2007). King’s conceptual system and family health theory in the families of adults with persistent mental illnesses—an evolving conceptualization. In SieloffC. L.FreyM. A. (Eds.), Middle-range theory development using King’s conceptual system (pp. 31-49). New York: Springer.
6.
FawcettJ. (2005). Analysis and evaluation of contemporary nursing knowledge (2nd ed.). Philadelphia: F. A. Davis.
7.
FawcettJ. (2007). Development of middle range theories based on King’s conceptual system, a commentary on progress and future directions. In SieloffC. L.FreyM. A. (Eds.), Middle-range theory development using King’s conceptual system (pp. 297-307). New York: Springer.
8.
FreyM. A. (1995). Toward a theory of families, children, and chronic illness. In FreyM. A.SieloffC. L. (Eds.), Advancing King’s systems framework and theory of nursing (pp. 109-125). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
9.
FreyM. A. (2010). King’s conceptual system and theory of goal attainment in nursing practice. In AlligoodM. R. (Ed.), Nursing theory: Utilization & application (4th ed., pp. 189-212). St. Louis, MO: Mosby-Elsevier.
10.
FreyM. A.EllisD. A.Naar-KingS. (2007). Testing theory with intervention research. In SieloffC. L.FreyM. A. (Eds.), Middle-range theory development using King’s conceptual system (pp. 273-286). New York: Springer.
11.
FreyM.SieloffC.NorrisD. (2002). King’s conceptual system and theory of goal attainment: Past, present, and future. Nursing Science Quarterly, 15, 107-112.
12.
KingI. M. (1971). Toward a theory for nursing. New York: Wiley.
13.
KingI. M. (1981). A theory for nursing, systems, concepts, process. New York: Wiley.
14.
KingI. M. (1983). King’s theory of nursing. In ClementsI. W.RobertsF. B. (Eds.), Family Health: A theoretical approach to nursing care (pp. 177-188). New York: Wiley.
15.
KingI. M. (1990). Health as the goal for nursing. Nursing Science Quarterly, 3, 123-128.
16.
KingI. M. (1995). The theory of goal attainment. In FreyM. A.SieloffC. L. (Eds.), Advancing King’s systems framework and theory of nursing (pp. 24-32). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
17.
KingI. (2007). King’s structure, process, and outcome in the 21st century. In SieloffC. L.FreyM. A. (Eds.), Middle-range theory development using King’s conceptual system (pp. 3-11). New York: Springer.
18.
SieloffC. L.FreyM. A. (Eds.). (2007). Middle-range theory development using King’s conceptual system. New York: Springer.
19.
SieloffC. L.MessmerP. R. (2010). Conceptual system and middle-range theory of goal attainment. In AlligoodM. R.TomeyA. M. (Eds.), Nursing theorists and their work (7th ed., pp. 286-308). St. Louis, MO: Mosby-Elsevier.
20.
WicksM. N. (1995). Family health as derived from King’s framework. In FreyM. A.SieloffC. L. (Eds.), Advancing King’s systems framework and theory of nursing (pp. 97-108). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
21.
WicksM. N.RiceM. C.TalleyC. H. (2007). Further explorations of family health within the context of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In SieloffC. L.FreyM. A. (Eds.), Middle-range theory development using King’s conceptual system (pp. 215-236). New York: Springer.
