Which model is associated with novices and experts in nursing?

• A. Benner
• B. Kolb
• C. Maslow
• D. Erikson

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is how nurses develop competence with increasing experience. Patricia Benner's Novice to Expert model describes a progression through five levels—novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert—showing how practice grows from rule-based performance to intuitive, holistic understanding. As nurses gain clinical experience, they recognize patterns, prioritize care more effectively, and make quicker, more accurate judgments, moving toward expert performance. This is why the model is linked to novices and experts in nursing: it specifically maps the journey from beginner to highly skilled practitioner and is widely used to shape nursing education, mentorship, and assessment. Other well-known theories you might encounter describe learning processes or human development in different ways (Kolb focuses on experiential learning cycles, Maslow on a needs hierarchy, Erikson on psychosocial development), but they do not address the concrete progression from novice to expert in nursing practice.