I have always wanted to make my career in the area of nursing and healthcare in general. My dream was realized when I received my RPN certification/license after undergoing a two-year program at Humber college in 2018. Currently, I am an RPN, and I want to transition to a BScN. Since graduating in 2018, I have been practicing as an RPN for approximately two years as a community nurse. I decided to pursue a BScN because being an RPN, my scope of practice is very limited. In addition, I feel that I have the ability and capacity to move my practice to a higher level and further advance in my career. My career goal is to increase my knowledge and skills in leadership, the scope of nursing practice, and knowledge for both professional and personal self-actualization. With the skills and knowledge gained from the BScN program, I will be able to serve my patients better as well as exercise my leadership skills.
The Benner novice to expert theory was chosen to explore my role transition from RPN to BScN. This approach was chosen because it indicates how a student advances in both practice and theory based on exposure in five main stages. These stages are novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert ( Dracup & Bryan-Brown , 2004). It explains how, as a student, I will transition from one stage to the other. The dynamics involved in each stage and milestones provided by the theory are essential in helping me know what I expect at each stage of my advancement and growth in nursing practice. In this paper, an explanation of how the chosen theory will be applied in my transition to BScN and the analysis of the theory are presented. Benner novice to expert theory best guides my transition from RPN to BScN.
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Transitioning to BScN RN
According to the existing research, transitioning from an RPN to RN is considered a change and transition into more complex roles and responsibilities (Royle et al., 2000). According to Benner (1984), the first stage that is experienced is the novice stage. Based on Benner’s explanation, this stage is characterized by a lack of experience in the type of situations or duties that one is expected to do (Benner, 1984). I felt that I was a novice when I first worked in a healthcare facility because I had no prior experience in nursing practice. As a novice, I acquired knowledge, rules, and protocols meant to guide how I act and perform as a nurse. I gained experience transitioned into an advanced beginner. Benner (1984) describes the advanced beginner stage as one in which a nurse has some experience in actual situations. The experience improves a nurse’s performance to a level that is acceptable. As an advanced beginner, my abilities as an RPN were tested through clinical situations under supervision. I no longer require supervision in my duties and responsibilities and that is why I believe I am no longer an advanced beginner.
Competence, as explained by Benner (1984), is a stage in which a nurse starts to evaluate the urgency of patients’ needs and make appropriate plans. I would consider myself a competent nurse. As a competent nurse, I am able to do most tasks based on my judgement. In addition, I am able to cope with complicated situations by conducting deliberate evaluation and planning. Moreover, I do not require supervision while executing my duties. Furthermore, throughout my second year as a practicing RPN, I have developed delegation skill because of the duties assigned. I am able to assign tasks to other people giving appropriate authorization while considering that they ought to be effective and focused on outcomes. I can comfortably assign the right task to the right individual, at the right time, with the correct information, and right supervision and monitoring. My confidence in task delegation is gradually growing and I hope that very soon, I will have full confidence in my delegation abilities. I have been on the job for two years now and I can work in an organized way as a result of being conscious and intentional in my planning. However, I feel that I lack the ability to multi-task and be flexible, but I am working towards this. Despite the fact that I need to work on this area, I can comfortably use abstract and analytical principles whose focus is on the long term.
Proficiency is the fourth stage of Benner (1984) novice to expert model. A proficient nurse is able to learn from past nursing experience and understand what to expect in specific situations ( Dracup & Bryan-Brown , 2004). Based on the existing literature, while at this stage, I will be able to see circumstances as a whole instead of parts and guide my performance based on reflecting on situations (Suva et al., 2015. Expert is the last stage of Benner novice to expert model. An expert nurse does things based on maturity and understanding of the practice. Being an expert is the ultimate goal of my profession. As an expert, I will take responsibility for my work beyond standards, develop my interpretations, and effectively lead nursing teams.
Courses on leadership and management in nursing may help me ascertain my career goals too. I anticipate that the nursing theory and research courses will be challenging. In order to overcome these challenges, I intend to invest more private time in the courses and connect with other learners in the program. Lastly, allocating more time for my studies in my schedule is crucial in helping me to manage my courses.
Conclusion
The transition from an RPN to a BScN prepared RN will involve a transition in roles and responsibilities. Benner novice to expert theory will be the best approach for my transition because it explains how knowledge levels will increase, roles and responsibilities will change, and new positions will be assumed. The transition will happen in stages, according to Benner novice to expert theory. These stages include novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert stages. Changes in thought processes will be involved in each stage of transition as complexity increases in each stage. Challenges may be encountered during my transition to the BScN journey as new roles and responsibilities are taken. Also, I expect that nursing theory and research courses will be challenging. However, strategies such as the allocation of more time in my studies through proper time management, as well as allocating more resources in the courses will help meet the challenges.
Theory Analysis
Benner's novice to expert theory explains how skills and knowledge are gained when a person goes through each of the five stages. The theory explains how nurses gain skills and understand patient care with time from both education and personal experiences in nursing practice (Dracup & Bryan-Brown , 2004 ). A complete description of the concepts used in the theory is provided. Each level of development is extensively explained and reflects moving from being reliant on previous abstract principles to the application of past solid experience. These are used as archetypes and change of how situations are perceived as an absolute whole in which some parts are still relevant (Krening, 2000). The steps proposed by Benner build on one another, and abstract principles become refined and increased according to experience, which makes the theory logical and congruent. This approach does not define an expert nurse as the one who earns the highest or with a prestigious position. In contrast, Benner proposes that an expert nurse is the one who offers the best exquisite care.
The stages proposed in theory are a reflection of the three main aspects of skilled practice. Skilled practice involves moving from depending on abstract principles to the use of experiences in the past, changes in perceptions, and becoming an involved participant in nursing and clinical situations. The theory, however, has a problem in its definition of an expert nurse. Based on Benner (1984) definition, an expert can fulfil the requirements of an expert while still doing things wrong and not competent. Besides, the intuitive understanding of situations founded on tacit knowledge is not adequate. However, there are no missing theory concepts in Benner novice to expert theory, and I find it useful in guiding my transition from RPN to a BScN prepared registered nurse in Ontario. In conclusion, I find the theory useful in guiding my transition from RPN to BScN.
References
Benner, P. (1984). From novice to expert: Excellence and power in clinical nursing
practice. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley.
Dracup, K., & Bryan-Brown, C. W. (2004). From novice to expert to mentor: Shaping the future. American Journal of Critical Care , 13 (6), 448-450. https://doi.org/10.4037/ajcc2004.13.6.448
Johnson, C. S., & Smith, C. M. (2018). Preparing nurse leaders in nursing professional development. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development , 34 (5), 283-285. https://doi.org/10.1097/nnd.0000000000000460
Krening, C. F. (2000). Clinical practice development using novice to expert theory. The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing , 14 (3), 99-101. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005237-200012000-00011
Royle, J., DiCenso, A., Baumann, A., Boblin-Cummings, B., Blythe, J., & Mallette, C. (2000). RN and RPN decision making across settings. Nursing Leadership , 13 (4), 11-18. https://doi.org/10.12927/cjnl.2000.16289
Suva, G., Sager, S., Mina, E. S., Sinclair, N., Lloyd, M., Bajnok, I., & Xiao, S. (2015). Systematic review: Bridging the gap in RPN-to-RN transitions. Journal of Nursing Scholarship , 47 (4), 363-370. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12147
