Nursing
Dreyfus and Dreyfus (Benner, 2001) proposed a five-stage skill acquisition model to describe the general skill acquisition process that people undergo when they begin to learn and then master a new skill. Their five stages are:
Stage 1: Novice (I placed myself at this stage when I was a student nurse)
I had always felt that I had it in me to be a nurse. I had the heart, the courage and the brain. I thought I might have the stamina. A few months into the program, I realized that I was not going to make it through this alone. I read a lot of books. I stayed up lots of nights. I tried to make it. I struggled and cried, and wept.
Being a nursing student, I had learned to think critically. Throughout the program I was a witness to miracles and mayhems. I learned to be compassionate, but strong. Challenges invigorated me, and exhausted me. I had good days and bad. I saw patients at their best, and at their worst. Sometimes it seemed as if I wasn’t making a difference, but I knew that if I have touched one person’s life, I had done my job.
I was required to do many things. I learned to do a little teaching each time I was face to face with a patient and their families. I was a counselor, because at times I had to help patients utilize their coping skills. Some patients are angry and scared, especially when some doctors do not tell patients what they need to know about their condition. All I had to do was listen. School taught me everything I know. It taught me the delicate balance of life.
Stage 2: Advanced Beginner ( I placed myself at this stage when I was a graduate nurse)
My co-workers and I were sitting at the nurse's station one morning after a rough 12-hour shift. It was the first time we had sat for longer than 10 minutes all night long. We were sleepy, exhausted and a bit irritated.
As we sat resting our poor feet, the student nurses arrived in the ER. Taking in their crisp white uniforms, we glanced down at our...
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