What are the stages of skill acquisition identified by Benner?

Benner's model of skill acquisition identifies four distinct stages that a nurse goes through as they gain experience and develop their expertise. These stages are Novice, Competent, Proficient, and Expert.

At the Novice stage, individuals are just starting their journey and have little to no experience. They rely heavily on rules and guidelines, which defines their approach to practice. As they move into the Competent stage, they possess more time in practice and can organize their thoughts and actions sequentially. They start to recognize patterns and improve their decision-making abilities. The Proficient stage shows a shift to a more holistic view, where the individual can see the bigger picture and make decisions based on experiential knowledge. Finally, the Expert stage represents a level of mastery, where individuals demonstrate an intuitive grasp of situations and can respond quickly and efficiently based on deep understanding and experience.

Understanding these stages is fundamental in nursing education and practice because it helps in assessing the development of nursing skills and fosters tailored educational interventions. This model also emphasizes that skill acquisition is a developmental process rather than a simple checklist—recognizing the depth of knowledge and experience contributing to nursing practice.