Shaping professional nursing practice using Benner's novice to expert theory

This article critically explores the scope of nursing theory and knowledge, focusing on their influence on contemporary nursing practice. Through an epistemological lens, the article discusses routes of knowledge and ways of knowing, and the historical development of nursing theory. The article delves into Benner's novice to expert model, first developed in the 1980s, a theory still relevant in modern nursing education, analysing its application in guiding students' progression from novices to experts. Benner's theory is evaluated for clarity, simplicity, empirical precision, and generality. The article further examines the implications of Benner's theory in modern nursing practice and education, arguing that, without guiding frameworks, nursing risks losing its direction, purpose and professional relevance.