Which term describes a nurse with marginal skills in Benner's model?

• A. Advanced Beginner
• B. Novice
• C. Competent Practitioner
• D. Expert

Answer: (A)

In Benner's stages of clinical competence, a nurse with marginal skills fits the Advanced Beginner level. This stage happens after some initial exposure—enough to perform routine tasks and recognize basic components of patient care—but not enough experience to see the whole picture or rely on intuition. An Advanced Beginner can identify meaningful aspects of situations and may follow established rules or guidelines, yet their judgment is still limited. They require guidance and support as they begin to apply knowledge to real, sometimes nonroutine patient scenarios.

In contrast, a novice has little to no experience and relies almost entirely on rules with minimal situational awareness. A Competent Practitioner has more experience (usually a couple of years) and can plan, prioritize, and anticipate problems with confidence. An Expert uses deep, intuitive understanding to navigate complex and dynamic clinical situations smoothly. Therefore, the term that describes marginal skills in Benner's model is Advanced Beginner.