You have an experienced registered nurse in your department who was licensed as a registered nurse 10 years ago and is now functioning as an ER nurse. This nurse has had no prior ER experience and is now completing their second year in your ER. At which of Benner's levels would you expect this nurse to be?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

You would expect this nurse to be at the competent level. Pat Benner's "Novice to Expert" theory describes this nurse as a competent nurse despite the fact that this nurse has 10 years of nursing experience. It is the newness to the specialty care area (ER) that determines the nurse's level of expertise. Because this nurse now has 2 years of experience in the ER specialty area, the nurse should be expected to be competent and not proficient or expert.

You Have an Experienced Registered Nurse in Your Department Who