Theory Critique: Benner's Novice to Expert
A nursing theory is a group of interrelated statements that present a systematic view about a nursing phenomenon and is useful for description, explanation, prediction or control (Walker & Avant, 2011). Nursing theory provides the foundation for nursing practice and helps to generate new knowledge which, then, validates and defines the boundaries of the discipline. Nursing theory critique is a rigorous exercise that assists in identification of the structural elements of a theory as well as its’ applicability and recommendations for usefulness in nursing. This process is important as it leads to a clearer understanding of the nature of a theory and is important if one is to use the theory in research …show more content…
Practical knowledge is the skills that are acquired in clinical practice; this type of knowledge or “knowing how” is differentiated from “knowing that” (p.2). Benner (1984) goes on to say that we cannot always theoretically account for practical knowledge of common activities and that it is possible to know-how without knowing-that. Six areas of clinical knowledge were identified by Benner (1984) in her theory: 1) graded qualitative distinctions, 2) common meanings, 3) assumptions, expectations, and sets, 4) paradigm cases and personal knowledge, 5) maxims, and 6) unplanned practices. These areas of practical knowing are defined by the author and are unique to the research done by Benner. Connoisseurship is a term that is defined as a “perceptual, recognitional ability of the expert clinician” (Benner, 1984, p. 5). Benner (1984) states that interpretive recording of connoisseurship reveals clinical knowledge. Knowledge is a concept that is used broadly across many disciplines and the context in which the author defines practical and theory knowledge and connoisseurship are fairly specific to clinical nursing practice. It would be difficult to apply these definitions to another discipline such as …show more content…
The Novice to Expert Model is considered a seminal work of Benner (1984). The understanding of what makes an expert nurse has been instrumental in developing clinical ladder systems in hospitals, developing preceptor roles, mentor roles, and transition programs for new graduates (Dracup & Bryan-Brown, 2004; Altmann, 2007). English (1993) states that some schools in the United Kingdom and abroad even adopted this model as a model for nursing education. I believe that Benner’s theory provides between nursing knowledge in theory and nursing knowledge gained from practice and there is information to help academics and practitioners work together to close the theory-practice gap. I believe that theory guides practice, but also think that Benner is also correct that “theory and research are generated from the practical world” (1984, p. 36) as well. How does this model lend to theory generation from
A nursing theory is a group of interrelated statements that present a systematic view about a nursing phenomenon and is useful for description, explanation, prediction or control (Walker & Avant, 2011). Nursing theory provides the foundation for nursing practice and helps to generate new knowledge which, then, validates and defines the boundaries of the discipline. Nursing theory critique is a rigorous exercise that assists in identification of the structural elements of a theory as well as its’ applicability and recommendations for usefulness in nursing. This process is important as it leads to a clearer understanding of the nature of a theory and is important if one is to use the theory in research …show more content…
Practical knowledge is the skills that are acquired in clinical practice; this type of knowledge or “knowing how” is differentiated from “knowing that” (p.2). Benner (1984) goes on to say that we cannot always theoretically account for practical knowledge of common activities and that it is possible to know-how without knowing-that. Six areas of clinical knowledge were identified by Benner (1984) in her theory: 1) graded qualitative distinctions, 2) common meanings, 3) assumptions, expectations, and sets, 4) paradigm cases and personal knowledge, 5) maxims, and 6) unplanned practices. These areas of practical knowing are defined by the author and are unique to the research done by Benner. Connoisseurship is a term that is defined as a “perceptual, recognitional ability of the expert clinician” (Benner, 1984, p. 5). Benner (1984) states that interpretive recording of connoisseurship reveals clinical knowledge. Knowledge is a concept that is used broadly across many disciplines and the context in which the author defines practical and theory knowledge and connoisseurship are fairly specific to clinical nursing practice. It would be difficult to apply these definitions to another discipline such as …show more content…
The Novice to Expert Model is considered a seminal work of Benner (1984). The understanding of what makes an expert nurse has been instrumental in developing clinical ladder systems in hospitals, developing preceptor roles, mentor roles, and transition programs for new graduates (Dracup & Bryan-Brown, 2004; Altmann, 2007). English (1993) states that some schools in the United Kingdom and abroad even adopted this model as a model for nursing education. I believe that Benner’s theory provides between nursing knowledge in theory and nursing knowledge gained from practice and there is information to help academics and practitioners work together to close the theory-practice gap. I believe that theory guides practice, but also think that Benner is also correct that “theory and research are generated from the practical world” (1984, p. 36) as well. How does this model lend to theory generation from