NUR 3846 BCC Motivators to Undertake a Bachelor of Science Nursing Discussion

I choose this model of socialization Benner’s Stages of Nursing Proficiency (Basic Student Socialization) Patricia Benner, a nurse, was curious about how nurses made the transition from inexpert beginners to highly expert practitioners. She described a process consisting of five stages of nursing practice, on which she based her 1984 book, From Novice to Expert. The stages Benner described are “novice,” “advanced beginner,” “competent practitioner,” “proficient practitioner,” and “expert practitioner.” Advancing from stage to stage occurs gradually as nurses gain more experience in patient care. Clinical judgment is stimulated when the nurse’s “preconceived notions and expectations” (p. 3) collide with, or are confirmed by, the realities of everyday practice. In 2000, many years after she generated this model, researchers tested Benner’s models in demonstrating how learning theories apply to adult skill acquisition. These researchers tested and confirmed that Benner’s model is valid, and they suggested that her stages apply to any adult learning situation (Hom, 2003). This is a useful finding in that many nursing students today are mature adults with previous degrees or are changing careers. Benner’s novice stage, or stage I, begins when students first enroll in nursing school. Because they generally have little background on which to base their clinical behavior, they must depend rather rigidly on rules and expectations established for them. Their practical skills are limited. For example, a novice nurse is faced with the request of a woman wanting to share a late-night glass of wine with her terminally ill husband, as is their custom. The novice is very uncomfortable with the request because it is against the rules. The novice denies the request, citing the hospital rules. By the time learners enter the advanced beginner period, or stage II, they have discerned that a particular order exists in clinical settings (Benner, Tanner, and Chesla, 1996). Their performance is marginally competent. They can base their actions on both theory and principles but tend to experience difficulty in 96establishing priorities, viewing many nursing actions as equally important. When faced with the same situation as the novice nurse and the wife of the terminally ill man who wants to have a glass of wine, the advanced beginner nurse also has an understanding of the needs of the wife and husband to continue the comfortable routines they have at home. The advanced beginner suggests that the wife enjoy a glass of wine once she gets home later and think of the good times she and her husband have spent together. Actively Participating in One’s Own Professional Socialization Many schools of nursing have programs for RNs with associate degrees or diplomas to return for completion of their BSN degree. These students have special socialization needs as they return to the classroom, sometimes 98after many years of practice. Comfortable with their identities as nurses, becoming a student again can challenge adults returning to school. These are a few strategies for RN to BSN students to decrease stress associated with transition back to school; many of these strategies will be useful for students in their basic nursing education: TABLE 5-2 Benner’s Stages of Nursing Proficiency (Basic Student Socialization) Stage Nurse Behaviors I: Novice Has little background and limited practical skills; relies on rules and expectations of others for direction II: Advanced beginner Has marginally competent skills; uses theory and principles much of the time; experiences difficulty establishing priorities III: Competent practitioner Feels competent, organized; plans and sets goals; thinks abstractly and analytically; coordinates several tasks simultaneously IV: Proficient practitioner Views patients holistically; recognizes subtle changes; sets priorities with ease; focuses on long-term goals Stage V: Expert practitioner Nurse Behaviors Performs fluidly; grasps patient needs automatically; responses are integrated; expertise comes naturally …