Time criteria to be considered "experienced"

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Jul 24, 2006

Depends on the context, but I've noticed that employment-wise, once a nurse has worked in a given specialty > 1 yr, the opportunities tend to open up quite a bit.

weetziebat · Jul 24, 2006

Good question. I would imagine it would depend on the type of unit. In a doctor's office, probably a year - but on a transplant unit, for example, probably two years still wouldn't find you totally confident. What do you think, student4life?

frazkw · Jul 24, 2006

Typically job postings ask for one year of experience.

Trauma Columnist · Jul 24, 2006

Again, it depends on the practice situation as above poster stated. In our level one ER, it would be two years minimum. I just started as an advanced practice RN in a nephrology practice. It will take me two years here two to be "experienced."

GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · Jul 24, 2006

I have worked LTC, Psych and med/surg. I did not feel comfortable at all until the one year mark. And I was still a little uncomfortable. I did not consider myself experienced in the area, but I considered myself not new. At one year I knew enough to get by and not hurt anyone. But I would think it takes a good 5 years in any area to really be considered experienced.

gonzo1, ASN, RN · Jul 24, 2006

There is an excellent book called "novice to Expert" written by a nurse who identifies and discusses the different levels of experience a nurse comes by. Five years is considered Expert. The name of the author escapes me right now, just got off 12 but I bet a lot of you out there know what book I am referring to and can add the author name to this thread.

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 24, 2006

There is an excellent book called "novice to Expert" written by a nurse who identifies and discusses the different levels of experience a nurse comes by. Five years is considered Expert. The name of the author escapes me right now, just got off 12 but I bet a lot of you out there know what book I am referring to and can add the author name to this thread.

The research you are thinking of is that of Patricia Benner -- who based her research on the work of Herbert and Stuart Dreyfus. Their research explores how thought processes and decision-making develop with experience (combined with book-learning).

Their results indicate that it usually takes 3-5 years of experience (including experience gained in training/school) for a person to progress from the novice phase to the competent phase. For nursing, that would typically correspond to 1-2 years after graduation. It usually takes an additional few years for a person to achieve expertise (which has implications for people entering the field with advanced degrees).

Note that these numbers represent the "typical" progression. Of course, some people progress faster in the development of their expertise -- and some people never achieve it. I don't remember who said it, but someone once said "For some people, 10 years of experience is simply the 1st year repeated 10 times." Just as with book-learning, experience itself doesn't guarantee competence or expertise.

I hope that helps,

llg

gonzo1, ASN, RN · Jul 24, 2006

That's the book I was referring to. Thanks for the update. What a great website.

CyndieRN2007 · Jul 24, 2006

Thanks everyone for your responses. I thought one year was the magic number.

pickledpepperRN · Jul 24, 2006

Ms. Benner says to be competent takes two to three years. I would say the competent nurse would be described as experienced.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0130325228/sr=1-1/qid=1153773773/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-7851623-9107956?ie=UTF8&s=books

From Novice to Expert

Patricia Benner, R.N., Ph.D.

•Novice:

That stage in the Dreyfus Model of skill acquisition where no background understanding of the situation exists, so that context free rules and attributes are required for safe entry and performance in the situation. It is unusual for a graduate nurse to be a novice, but it is possible. In most cases a newly graduated nurse will perform at the advanced-beginner level.

•Advanced beginner

One who can demonstrate marginally acceptable performance; one who has coped with enough real situations to note or to have pointed out by a mentor, recurring meaningful situational components. The advanced beginner has enough background to recognize aspects of a situation. They still need support in the clinical setting.

•Competent

The competent nurse is typified by considerable conscious, deliberate planning. The plan dictates which attributes and aspects of the current and contemplated future situation are to be considered most important and which can be ignored. The competent stage is evidenced by an increased level of efficiency.

•Proficient

The proficient performer perceives situations as wholes rather than in terms of aspects, and performance is guided by maxims. There is a qualitative leap or discontinuity in problem approaches between proficient performer and the competent level of performance. The proficient performer recognizes a situation in terms of the overall picture. This person recognizes which aspects of the situation are most salient. The proficient performer has an intuitive grasp of the situation based upon a deep background understanding.

•Expert

The expert nurse, with an enormous background of experience now has an intuitive grasp of each situation and zeros in on the accurate region of the problem without wasteful consideration of a large range of unfruitful, alternative diagnoses and solutions. The expert performer is no longer aware of features and rules, his or her performance is fluid and flexible and highly proficient. The expert performer uses highly skilled analytic ability for those situations with which the nurse has had no previous experience. Expert clinicians make clinical judgments in a truly remarkable way. But while recognition from colleagues and patients is apparent, expert performance may not be captured by the usual criteria for performance evaluation. Expert nurses can provide consultation for other nurses.

(My summary with some of the language used in the book)