When is a nurse considered experienced?

Published

Specializes in Labor and Delivery, Newborn, Antepartum.

Hey everyone!

I'm needing some help finding some resources and articles that describing a timeframe when nurses go from new to a specialty, to experienced in this specialty.

I'm needing some hard evidence to present to my manager.

Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in FNP.

Look up Patricia Benner's work. Short answer, 5 years. (Although I think most people would say 5 years to competency, expert somewhere closer to 10).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CVICU.

Exerienced? About a week

Competent? About a year

Expert? 10 years or more

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in wound care.

1 week, lol , i remember a chart in our med surge book that addressed this it basically said 0-6 months rookie 1-2years novice, 2-4 experienced , 5 - 8? veteran , 10 plus pro/ expert, im also guess that's staying in one field of nursing, being there are so many different

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Depends on the individual. Some never get it . Some are quite good much earlier than others.

Not sure there is a set number of years.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Ortho/Uro/Peds/Research/PH/Insur/Travel.

I DO feel that, if you remain "just" or "only" a bedside nurse (I HATE it when people use those terms!), it's a case of diminishing returns. In other words, how much more does a bedside nurse gain, say, in knowledge after five years in the same specialty? After a while, you start to see the same things and can easily anticipate what the doctor will order. Zzzz...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

By definition "experienced" does not have a set period of time....in practice, it all depends on the person "claiming" or who is seen as being experienced.

http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/experienced

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Nursing experience does not depends solely on the number of years you have worked, but it depends on how efficiently you are able to care, manage and satisfy the patients. If you are not able to do these things, then however experienced you are, there would be no value..

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac.

When said nurse can snap a gown around the pts arm that has 3 different lines running to it without a second thought...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

From an HR perspective, my organization uses a 12 month cut-off. Anyone with >12 months of work is considered "experienced" & less is still considered 'new grad'. This is used for all licensed clinical positions, not just nursing

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

Maybe we should ask Jimi Hendrix.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

How did you know that was playing in my head?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion