Benner’s theory assignment PDF

Running head: BENNER’S THEORY
BENNER’S THEORY
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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BENNER’S THEORY Introduction and outline:
Dr. Benner had categorised nursing expertise development into five important levels
of capabilities. During the period of acquisition and development of a skill, every nursing
professional are seen to pass through five important stages of proficiency. Studies are of the
opinion that she believed experiences in the clinical setting is the main key for developing
nursing knowledge and skills (Alligood, 2017). This is mainly because the nursing
professionals can only develop knowledge base and can expand their knowledge and skills
through experiences only. This would help them to provide holistic as well as competent care
for the patients. The research that she conducted was mainly aimed at discovering if there had
been any characteristics as well as distinguishable differences in the description of the same
clinical incident between the novice and expert. This assignment would help in depicting the
featured of each of the stages and would show how this theory can be successfully applied in
nursing practise.
Stage:
The theory include stages namely novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient as
well as expert.
The first stage is mainly described as “novice”. In this stage the nursing professionals
usually do not have any experiences of situations where they need to perform. The
professionals are seen to lack confidence for effective demonstration of safe practices. They
are also seen to require continual physical as well as verbal cues (Elhami et al., 2018). The
professionals need to be in practice in this stage for prolonged period of time and they are
unable to utilise any discretionary treatment.

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BENNER’S THEORY The second stage is called the advanced beginner stage where the nursing
professionals are seen to demonstrate marginally acceptable performances. This is mainly
because the nurse had been successful in developing prior experiences in real life situations.
Such nursing professional is found to be skilful and efficient in certain parts of the practices
and requires occasional supportive cues. However, the knowledge development is yet in the
preliminary stages and continues to develop through further experiences (Flott & Lindel,
2016).
The third stage is called the competent stage. The skill of competence is demonstrated
by the nursing professionals who had been in the profession in the similar or same situations
for about two or three years. These professionals are able to demonstrate efficiency and are
coordinated and confident in the actions. For nurses in this stage, any plans developed by
them can seen to establish a perspective and these plans are entirely based on considerable
conscious, analytic contemplation as well as abstract of the problem (Sajadi et al., 2018). The
characteristics of these skill levels are conscious, deliberate planning. This helps in achieving
efficiency as well as organisation. However, the researchers are of the opinion that acre is
completed within a suitable time frame without any form of supporting cues from mentors.
The fourth stage is called the proficient stage. When the nursing professionals reach
the stage, they are seen to perceive situations as wholes rather than in terms of chopped up
aspects or parts. Proficient nurses are seen to develop the ability of understanding the
situation as a whole. This is said so because they are seen to perceive its meanings in the
form of long term goals. The proficient nurses are seen to learn from different experiences
about the typical events that can be expected in the situations and how different plans need to
be modifying for effectively responding to the stated events (Padilha et al., 2018). They also
develop the ability to understand when the expected picture of the events might not
materialise. Researchers are of the opinion that holistic understanding mainly helps in