Within the Discussion Board area, write 500–700 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.
Choose any nursing theory, such as Benner\'s Novice to Expert Theory, and discuss the following:
Discuss the theory.
Apply the theory to your own practice of nursing as it evolved over time.
How do you expect it to grow in your future role?
Include at least 2 references to research sources.
Unit 2 DB Advanced Nursing Practice
Graduate nurses have received relevant training and possess the competencies that they need to provide proper care to patients. Nursing theory guide advanced nursing practice nurses to apply numerous concepts, based on patients’ needs, to deliver care that promotes safety and improve quality of life (DeNisco & Barker, 2015). Rapid changes in disease complexities and healthcare delivery processes have resulted in the transformation and growth of nursing theories. The purpose of this assignment is to describe how Benner’s Novice to Expert Theory applies to operating room nursing and how the theory is expected to grow in my future role as a Peri-Operative Director.
Benner’s Novice to Expert Theory
Patricia Benner, in her Novice to Expert Model, describes the stages of skill acquisition that individuals undergo as they develop nursing knowledge. Benner adopted her theory in 1982 from the Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition (Ozdemir, 2019). The theory assumes that knowledge acquisition is a process that takes place in stages from novice to expert. The five key stages include novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert. Novice nurses have limited levels of competencies and can only perform basic actions and tasks relevant to specific domains of practice. These nurses are guided by education and flexible rules to perform their assigned roles (Ozdemir, 2019). Novice nurses are ready to proceed to the ‘advanced beginner’ stage when they start to develop perceptions and practices related to individualized nursing care.
Nurses are categorized as ‘advanced beginners’ when they have served as professionals in the field for a maximum of 6 months. These professionals are able to identify healthcare features from a global perspective. Due to their limited practice experiences, advanced beginners lack the capacity to holistically view patient situations. They cannot make nursing diagnoses but can implement routine patient care practices (Ozdemir, 2019). The next stage after advanced beginner is the ‘competent’ phase. Nurses who have worked for about 1 to 2 years are regarded as competent. They can handle multiple patient care situations at a time. Again, these nurses can comfortably take a patient through the recovery process. Competent nurses are ready to advance to the ‘proficient’ stage when they learn to prioritize patients’ needs.
One is considered to be proficient in an area of practice when he or she can take responsibility and perform relevant tasks with minimum supervision. Benner’s proficient nurse has worked as a practicing nurse for 3 years or more. Nurses in the ‘proficient’ stage of skill acquisition can apply critical thinking and clinical leadership to respond to patients’ needs (Ozdemir, 2019). The ‘expert’ stage is the final phase of skill acquisition according to Benner. Expert nurses can utilize their own judgment and make clinical decisions to address complex patient issues. They have the capacity to assess patients’ needs and devise innovative solutions to address them. Expert nurses can lead junior nurses to perform clinical roles appropriate to their levels of competencies.
Application of Benner’s Novice to Expert Theory to Operating Room Nursing
Benner’s Novice to Expert Theory applies to operating room nursing. In operating room nursing, novice nurses have limited experience in nursing care before graduation. They have difficulties identifying clinical issues that are commonly experienced by surgical patients. However, after performing nursing practice in the operating room for 6 months, these nurses become advanced beginners who can perform routine practices in their work environment. The nurses are considered to be competent after 1 to 2 years of practice. Competent operating room nurses can develop individualized nursing care plans for surgical patients. They are able to predict the possible outcomes of clinical interventions implemented on patients (Yu et al., 2022). Competent operating room nurses become proficient in the field when they can holistically view patient situations, implement nursing care plans, and take responsibility for their actions. An expert operating room nurse possesses advanced education and experience and can make critical clinical decisions to address complex nursing care issues in the operating room (Yu et al., 2022). Generally, like other nurses, operating room nurses acquire skills in stages that match those described in Benner’s Novice to Expert Theory.
Anticipated Growth and Role of Benner’s Theory in Future Role as a Peri-Operative Director
Benner’s Novice to Expert Theory is expected to grow to match the requirements for the future role as a Peri-operative Director. According to Shin and Kim (2021), educational advancements are highly necessary to enhance peri-operative care competencies in a number of areas including “foundational knowledge and skills, leadership, collaboration, proficiency, empathy, and professional development (p. 3).” Benner’s Model needs to integrate these competencies in the future. Having been an operating room nurse for 22 years, I am planning to advance my education to fit best as an expert nurse described in Benner’s theory.
Conclusion
Engaging in theory-based advanced nursing practice requires advanced practice nurses (APRNs) to understand the various theories that direct nursing practice. Benner’s Novice to Expert Theory assumes that knowledge and skill acquisition in nursing occurs in five stages namely novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert. This theory applies to all fields of nursing practice including operating room nursing. It is anticipated that Benner’s theory will grow to meet the requirements of leaders such as Perioperative Directors.
References
DeNisco, S. M. & Barker A. M. (2015). Advanced practice nursing: Essential knowledge for the profession. 3rd Edition. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Shin, Y. Y., & Kim, S. S. (2021). Operating room nurses want differentiated education for perioperative competencies-based on the clinical ladder. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(19), 10290. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910290
Ozdemir, N. G. (2019). The development of nurse’s individualized care perceptions and practices: Benner’s novice to expert model perspective. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 12(2), 1279-1285. https://internationaljournalofcaringsciences.org/docs/81_ozdemir_special_12_2.pdf.
Yu, Q., Wei, R., Wei, Y., Wu, X., & Liang, T. (2022). Psychometric evaluation of the perceived perioperative competence scale-revised among the Chinese operating room nurses: A methodological research. BMC Nursing, 21(1), 79. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-022-00853-x