BACKGROUND:Cross-sectional survey research elicited self-perceptions of role competence from practicing psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) and new PMHNP graduates.OBJECTIVES:Examine relationships between PMHNP perceptions of competence, prior basic-level nursing experience, and years of PMHNP practice.STUDY DESIGN:Self-ratings of competence were elicited by a questionnaire designed from Benner's model. The relationship between prior nursing experience and perceptions of competence was examined by chi-square analysis. Changes in PMHNP competence rankings over years of practice were examined with Kruskal—Wallis and Mann—Whitney procedures.RESULTS:Self-perceptions of competence increased in seven role dimensions as PMHNPs progressed through years of practice (p< .000). Gains in perceptions of competence occurred between career entry and 3 to 5 years of practice in all but one role dimension. Prior nursing experience did not significantly increase perceptions of competence among PMHNP graduates. CONCLUSIONS:Self-perceptions of competence progressively and significantly increased over years of PMHNP practice among participants in this study.
Benner, P. (1984). From novice to expert: Excellence and power in clinical nursing practice. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley.
2.
Benner, P. (1995). A response by P. Benner to K. Cash, "Benner and expertise in nursing: A critique."International Journal of Nursing Studies, 33(6), 669-674.
3.
Benner, P. (2000). The wisdom of our practice. American Journal of Nursing, 100(10), 99-105.
4.
Benner, P., Tanner, C., & Chesla, C. (1992). From beginner to expert: Gaining a differentiated clinical world in critical care nursing. Advances in Nursing Science, 14(3), 13-28.
5.
Benner, P., Tanner, C., & Chesla, C. (1997a). Becoming an expert nurse. American Journal of Nursing, 97(6), 16BBB-16DDD.
6.
Benner, P., Tanner, C., & Chesla, C. (1997b). The social fabric of nursing knowledge. American Journal of Nursing, 97(7), 16BBB-16DDD.
7.
Benner, P., & Wrubel, J. (1989). The primacy of caring: Stress and coping in health and illness. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley .
8.
Bjorklund, P. (2003). The certified psychiatric nurse practitioner: Advanced practice psychiatric nursing reclaimed. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing,XVII—(2), 77-87.
9.
Burns, N., & Grove, S. (2005). The practice of nursing research: Conduct, critique and utilization. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier/ Saunders.
10.
Campbell, C., Musil, C., & Zauszniewski, J. (1998). Practice patterns of advanced practice psychiatric nurses. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 4(4), 111-120.
11.
Dreyfus, S., & Dreyfus, H. (1980). A five-stage model of the mental activities involved in directed skill acquisition. Unpublished manuscript, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, University of California, Berkeley.
12.
Folkman, S., & Lazarus, R. (1988). Coping as a mediator of emotion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(3), 466-475.
13.
Forbes, V., & Jessup, A. (2004). From expert to novice: The unnerving transition from experienced RN to neophyte APN. Journal of Holistic Nursing , 22(2), 180-185.
14.
Garland, G. (1996). Self report of competence: A tool for the staff development specialist. Journal of Nursing Staff Development , 12(4), 191-197.
15.
Hargreaves, J., & Lane, D. (2001). Delya's story: From expert to novice, a critique of Benner's concept of context in the development of expert nursing practice . International Journal of Nursing Studies, 38, 389-394.
16.
Heidegger, M. (1962). Being and time. New York: Harper & Row.
17.
Margolius, F., & Sneed, N. (1999). From expert to novice: Doctorally prepared nursing faculty retooling for the future. Nurse Educator, 24(1), 9-11.
18.
Meyer, T., & Xu, Y. (2005). Academic and clinical dissonance in nursing education: Are we guilty of failure to rescue? Nurse Educator, 30(2), 76-79.
19.
Mick, D., & Ackerman, M. (2000). Advanced practice nursing role delineation in acute and critical care: Application of the Strong Model of Advanced Practice . Heart and Lung, 29(3), 210-220.
20.
Mishel, M. (1988). Uncertainty in illness. Image: Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 20(4), 225-232.
21.
National Panel for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Competencies. (2003). Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner competencies. Washington, DC: National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties.
22.
Pett, M. (1997). Nonparametric statistics for health care research . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
23.
Scharer, K., Boyd, M., Williams, C., & Head, K. (2003). Blending specialist and practitioner roles in psychiatric nursing: Experiences of graduates. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 9(4), 136-144.
24.
Strzelecki, S., & Brobst, R. (1997). The development of an acute care case manager orientation. Journal of Nursing Staff Development, 13(5), 266-271.
25.
Thomes, J. (2003). Changing career paths, from expert to novice. Orthopaedic Nursing, 22(5), 332-334.
26.
Waite, R. (2004). Psychiatric nurses: Transitioning from student to advance beginner RN. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 10(4), 173-180.
27.
Wheeler, K., & Haber, J. (2004). Development of psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner competencies: Opportunities for the 21st century. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 10(3), 129-138.
