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    Medical Surgical 11 Benchmark 1 Proctored Exam

    A nursing student struggling to prioritize tasks and relying heavily on rules is in which of Benner's stages ?

    Explanation & Rationale

    Choice A reason: The Expert nurse has an intuitive grasp of clinical situations and no longer relies on rules or guidelines to connect their understanding to appropriate action. They can identify the core of a problem without wasteful consideration of alternative diagnoses or solutions, performing with high fluid skill. Choice B reason: The Competent nurse has usually been in the same job for 2 to 3 years. They begin to see their actions in terms of long-range goals and are conscious of their deliberate planning. While they are efficient, they still lack the speed and flexibility of the proficient or expert levels. Choice C reason: According to Patricia Benner’s "From Novice to Expert" model, a Novice has no experience of the situations in which they are expected to perform. Consequently, they must rely on context-free, objective "rules" to guide their behavior. Their inability to prioritize effectively stems from a lack of experience-based clinical judgment. Choice D reason: The Proficient nurse perceives situations as wholes rather than in terms of chopped-up parts. They have a perspective that allows them to recognize when the "normal" picture is not present. They are much better at prioritizing than a novice because they can identify the most salient aspects of a clinical situation.

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