Novice to Expert: Where I See Myself

Novice to Expert: Where I See Myself The five stages or levels of proficiency in nursing care delivery developed by Patricia Benner are described as novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert. ( Creasia & Parker, 2007). After careful consideration and self- reflection I have decided I move back and forth between competent and proficient with some occasional dips into expert. I base this thought on the fact that although I predominantly stay within the realm of proficient, I have been moved from several floors or hospitals within short periods of time as an agency nurse. One day I may be in ICU and the next Surgical Recovery or Telemetry, the next day I may be in the ER. On most days I feel confident. I have managed multiple tasks, felt and acted on intuition, and seen a big picture on several occasions with regard to my patients. I have been sought out for abilities that I am known for being ‘the best at’ (for example starting an IV access). This makes me feel like an expert. On other occasions I have walked into a situation where I have minimal experience, and felt like I need to overly ask questions. This makes me feel anxious, and unprepared. Though I provide the same care to my patients and families, and communicate well with other staff, even when I had never met them before that day, I feel only competent at these times. I believe it takes a very special nurse to be able to adapt quickly to new locations, and one must be extremely organized, proficient, and able to prioritize sometimes without the reputation that comes with proficient nurses who’ve been with the same patient population, and colleagues. Nevertheless I feel if I were to choose only one stage within the novice to expert model, I would say I believe myself to be at the proficient level of nursing. References
Creasia, J.L., & Parker, B.J. (2007). Socialization to professional nursing. Conceptual foundations: The bridge to professional nursing practice (pp. 62-70).

References: Creasia, J.L., & Parker, B.J. (2007). Socialization to professional nursing. Conceptual foundations: The bridge to professional nursing practice (pp. 62-70). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.