On a hospital floor, one nurse may have twenty years of experience whereas another may just be out of school. Is there a difference between a newly graduated nurse’s care and a nursing veteran? The theorist, Patricia Benner, presents the thought that with the complexity of different patient presentations/needs, technology, and the demand of nursing, there are different proficiency levels, a nurse must progress through. It’s interesting to understand how each nurse goes through a different stage of competency and how important it is to progress and expand one’s foundation.
Patricia Benner
In 1982, Patricia Benner wrote for the American Journal of Nursing on her theory of “From Novice to Expert.” She is not only a nurse but is recognized as a nursing theorist, an academic, and an author, making her a quadruple threat in health care. To completely understand Benner’s intentions related to her theory, her 1982 article will be used to reference her exact thoughts at the time. Benner (1982) states that “the complexity and responsibility of nursing practice today requires long-term and ongoing career development” (p. 402). The increased …show more content…
403). Davis and Maisano (2016) voice “this stage is where new nurses are taught simple, objective attributes that are easily identified” (p. 13). The first year of nursing school is an example of a novice nurse. This period sets the students up with a foundation of the skills and knowledge to do the basic nursing care/skills that are performed on any client such as blood pressure and vital signs, simple assessments, and basic patient/nurse communication skills. During the novice stage, student nurses heavily rely on leadership to understand different ailments and diseases as well how to care for the patient with different