Novice to Expert application – ear infections
Title: Novice to Expert application – ear infections
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At the start of my nursing practice, the focus was more on the procedures and rules that a nurse needs to abide by to adequately discharge on their mandate (Oshvandi et al, 2016). There was extensive theoretical information consumed. Regarding ear infections, the focus was more on the theoretical background of each type of infection, including what caused it, how it could be managed, and how it could be prevented. Visual information, such as images, audio-visual presentations, and other means of receiving information was applied, to a point where one felt they had the necessary skills to manage ear infections.
Despite the extensive knowledge acquired, however, practical, or clinical, the experience was still not yet acquired. As this was received, it formed a bridge between theoretical abstractness, and the reality of actually managing ear infections, and the choice of interventions. At this stage, one could be called a nurse, but still not an expert, nor competent enough. While it was possible to identify the ear infections with some ease, there were different manifestations of the same infection, which could at times confuse a practitioner who had not yet seen the different types of infections. A nursing practitioner could, therefore, be neither described as a novice nor competent enough.
As one goes through the motions of becoming a fully competent nurse, the running curve is steep, with one understanding that nursing is much more than clinical knowledge and expertise. The second semester has helped me achieve this. The capacity to make important decisions on interventions, being a source of inspiration and advice to other practitioners, and being a mentor is not achieved overnight. In many circumstances, a mentor is needed. The process is therefore continuing, but well on course.
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Reference
Oshvandi, K., Moghadam, A. S., Khatiban, M., Cheraghi, F., Borzu, R., & Moradi, Y. (2016). On the application of novice to expert theory in nursing; a systematic review. Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 9(4), 3014-3020.
