King’s Conceptual Systems Framework is based on the idea that human beings or patients are

central in the nursing process. King argues that the primary goals of nursing is health
promotion, maintenance and or restoration for the sick, injured or the dying (Gunther 2017).
According to Gunther (2017) King conceptual framework argued the nursing sphere
consisted of individuals, their families and the communities as purview within which the
nurses interact with the environment as t try to achieve the goal of health promotion. King’s
conceptual systems theory consists of three systems that are crucial in understanding the
interactions. The three interrelated system described in Kings Conceptual system’ framework
are individual systems, interpersonal systems, and social systems.
Individual systems
King’s conceptual system’s framework defines a patient as an open and unique system in
constant interaction with the environment. Personal or individuals’ systems are concepts that
help to avail substantive knowledge about human beings in terms of their body image,
perception, growth and development, learning, time and personal space (Smith,2015).
Gunther (2017) argues that the interaction between and among personal systems forms the
basis of King framework.
Interpersonal Systems
Interpersonal systems are the concepts that provide knowledge relating to the interaction of
two or more individuals. Interpersonal systems are of great significance in the nursing
process as they form the basis of nurse patient interactions. The key concepts encompassed in
King’s Interpersonal Systems include communication, interactions, role, transaction and
stress (Smith, 2015). In this system communication is used to imply to the exchange of
information between two or more parties, which is crucial in the nursing process. Interactions
refers to the linking of two or more individuals resulting in a series of verbal and non-verbal
communication that assist in realizing nursing goals. On the other hand, role is used to mean
the set of behaviors expected when occupying a position in a social system.
Social systems
Social systems are the concepts that are used to provide knowledge that relates to large
groups with shared interest and goals. Gunther defines social systems as organized societal
boundary systems of roles, behaviors and practices developed to maintain and uphold norms
of practice. Common example of social systems in the contemporary society includes,
healthcare settings, workplace and organizations where members share common goals and
interests. The critical concepts that are crucial in the comprehension of social systems
proposed in King’s conceptual framework include organization, authority, power, status and
decision making. In King’s framework the term organization is used to refer to a system that
carries continuous processes with the aim of achieving a certain goal. Authority is used to
imply transactional process used to define, validate and accept individuals within the
organization. On the other hand, power describes the capacity of a group to achieve its goals,
while status refers to hierarchical rank of an individual within a group.
Goal Attainment
King’s Theory of Goal Attainment argues that nursing is a process of human interaction. The
three systems described in King’s conceptual theory are crucial in ensuring the nurse patient
relationship is able to attain its goals and objectives. According to Smith (2015), the goal
attainment process encompasses the concepts of self, perception, communication, interaction,
transaction, role growth and development. To understand how individuals interact to set goals
that may result in goal attainment King developed a transaction model