THEORIST APPLICATION IN NURSING RESEARCH

                                 THEORY TO NURSING RESEARCH


Nurse Competence Scale: development and psychometric testing

Benner’s Novice to Expert Theory has also been widely used as a significant basis in formulating tools in assessing a nurse’s level of competence. In a study entitled: Nurse Competence Scale: development and psychometric testing (2004), researchers aimed to design and test an evidence-based model that could assess a nurse’s level of competence in different hospital work environments. Through the utilization of Benner’s theory, the researchers were able to formulate and validate the Nurse Competency Scale (NCS) tool which consists of a 73-item scale distributed into seven categories as follows:

1.       helping role (seven items)
2.       teaching–coaching (16 items)
3.       diagnostic functions (seven items)
4.       managing situations (eight items)
5.       therapeutic interventions (10 items)
6.       ensuring quality (six items)
7.       work role (19 items)    
The result of the study clearly suggests the validity of the said tool. This study also emphasized the importance of integrating competence assessment models into quality assurance systems and human resources management as a way to develop workforce planning and career opportunities of practicing nurses





Explicating Benner’s concept of expert practice: intuition in emergency nursing
   
Benner’s practice development theory is widely accepted for all stages except for the existence or efficacy of the intuitive practice, a characteristic of the expert practitioner. The study explored, through an interview, the experience of emergency nurses in relation to intuition.
    The analysis resulted in the reconstruction of Benner’s expert stage into three distinct phases:
1. Cognitive intuition, where assessment is processed subconsciously and can be rationalized in hindsight
2. Transitional intuition, where a physical sensation and other behaviours enter the nurse’s awareness
3. Embodied intuition, when the nurse trust the intuitive thoughts.
    Te finding validates the use of intuitive decision making as a construct in explaining expert clinical  decision making practices. The validity of intuitive practice should be recognized. It is essential to recognize the conditions that support practice development, and in the prenovice stage(during their university course)factors such as reflection, research(in its broadest sense) and clinical curiosity should be fostered.


 REFERENCE:http://psbennersnsgtheory.blogspot.com/2015/09/benners-theory-as-applied-to-research_29.html
REFERENCE:
http://psbennersnsgtheory.blogspot.com/2015/09/benners-theory-as-applied-to-research_29.html