Individualized nursing care is considered a significant factor directly affecting patients’ treatment. Moreover, the experience and quantity of nursing practice are equally meaningful. Therefore, the article aims to guide novice students, nursing educators, and nurses at diverse levels to develop perceptions and enhance the implementation of medical care. It mandates the enactment of nursing models that provide a systematic approach to teaching theoretical and clinical knowledge (Ozdemir, 2019). The article analyzes one such conceptual framework, the Benner model, which objects to guide the professional development of nurses. It involves five stages of acquiring the skills and competence of the clinical professional through comprehensive theoretical training, education, and patient and situation orientation.
At the novice stage, nurses are not rehearsing individualized care because of a lack of information on applying theoretical knowledge into practice. Therefore, accompanying educators is critical at this stage, promoting the advancement of novice nurses. The second phase involves preparing individualized care based on the recommendations and advice of more experienced colleagues (Ozdemir, 2019). It enhances cognitive, psychomotor, and emotional skills; as a result, the nurses advance to the competency stage. They develop new procedures and clinical knowledge and learn care management procedures while apprehending ethical behavior.
The fourth professional stage is characterized by developing responsive and analytical skills and the ability to handle patient crises independently. The final step involves nurses having the critical thinking skills to plan patient care according to real-world conditions, concerns, and needs. The understanding and achievement of expert nurses are one of the most significant determinants of national and international health policy related to the practice of individualized care (Ozdemir, 2019). Therefore, the article concludes that there is a need for constant training and becoming an expert who can provide quality and timely treatment.
Benner’s theory has a wide range of practical applications, one of which is to document observations to analyze them and enhance intervention approaches. Comprehension of how to treat, advocate for vulnerable people, and care for those who need help are other methods of putting theory into practice (Moore et al., 2019). These model implementation features are appealing because it is significant for nurses to expand their knowledge and skills through theoretical foundations and clinical backgrounds.
In my experience, one can also trace the application of theory, especially at the beginning of the practice. It is suggested that novices cannot predict what might happen in a particular patient case (Murray & Cope, 2019). It is noticeable in the situation of diagnosing patients whose symptoms are different from the ones I have already seen in practice. It was challenging to make sound decisions on my own, and therefore I relied on the instructions and guidance of the senior nurses. I followed their work and patient care process and documented it, which allowed me to gain the necessary skills, become more confident, and proceed to the next level.
More experience and analysis of clinical situations contribute to developing an intuitive understanding of the case and making an immediate diagnosis. Constant learning is integral to nursing practice, and Benner’s theory can be applied to measure experience and competence. Through this theory, one can establish the level of nursing practice and choose strategies to improve mastery. It will contribute to the improvement of patients and the health care system.
References
Moore, A., Meucci, J., & McGrath, J. (2019). Attributes of a successful clinical ladder program for nurses: An integrative review. Worldviews on Evidence‐Based Nursing, 16(4), 263-270.
Murray, M., Sundin, D., & Cope, V. (2019). Benner’s model and Duchscher’s theory: Providing the framework for understanding new graduate nurses’ transition to practice. Nurse education in practice, 34, 199-203.
Ozdemir, N. G. (2019). The development of nurses’ individualized care perceptions and practices: Benner’s novice to expert model perspective. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 12(2), 1279-1285.