Benner's From novice to expert in the American Journal of Nursing.
In her classic book "From novice to expert: excellence and power in clinical nursing practice" Dr. Benner developed a model for the stages of clinical competence.One of the most useful frameworks for assessing nurses needs at different stages of professional growth is her model.She is the Chief Faculty Development Officer for Educating Nurses and the Director of the Carnegie Foundation for the advancement of Teaching National Nursing Education.
She received her bachelor's degree in nursing from Pasadena College in 1964, and later a master of science in Medical-Surgical Nursing from the University of California, Berkeley.She became an Associate Professor at the University of California, San Francisco after completing her doctorate in 1982.Dr. Benner is an internationally known lecturer and researcher on health, and her work has influenced areas of clinical practice as well as clinical ethics.
The nursing theory proposes that expert nurses develop skills and understanding of patient care over time through a variety of experiences.One could gain knowledge and skills without ever learning the theory of how to be a nurse, according to Dr. Benner's theory.The Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition was the basis for her work.The Dreyfus model is based on observations of chess players, Air Force pilots, army commanders and tank drivers.A student had to pass through five distinct stages of learning, from novice to expert, according to the Dreyfus brothers.
In nursing, improved practice depended on experience and science, and it took a long time to develop those skills.She found that nurses developed skills of involvement with patients and family when they were involved in various situations.Her model is relevant for ethical development of nurses because perception of ethical issues is dependent on the nurses level of expertise.Understanding the five stages of clinical competence helps nurses support one another and appreciate that expertise in any field is a process learned over time, and this model has been applied to several disciplines beyond clinical nursing.
Stage 1 novice is a nursing student in his or her first year of clinical education who has limited and inflexible behavior in the clinical setting.The ability to predict what might happen in a patient situation is very limited.The signs and symptoms of change in mental status can only be seen by a novice nurse.
New graduates in their first jobs are the Stage 2 Advanced Beginner, while nurses have more experience that allows them to recognize meaningful components of a situation.They have the know-how, but not the in-depth experience.