Transitioning From Expert to Novice

I began my career as a newly graduated nurse in a pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU). After what felt like the fastest six months of my life, I completed orientation and began practicing as a Level I staff nurse. I worked my way up to advanced beginner, competent, and proficient in my practice (Figure 1) by taking every opportunity for additional education, exposure to new diagnoses and procedures, and an unwavering desire to learn as much as possible from the clinical expertise of my peers. The clinical ladder was something I wanted to climb, and it provided me with a path to follow.

Over time, I took on new roles, such as orienting staff and teaching classes for new hires and became active in hospital-wide committees. I was comfortable with the various patient diagnosis and operative repairs in the CICU based on the solid foundation of knowledge, skills, and clinical expertise I had built. Without realizing it, I had transitioned from proficient to expert in my practice and advanced to a Level II staff nurse. I could arrive to work without the worries of a novice nurse; my practice had become second nature.

Figure 1. Benner’s model of novice to expert. Information from https://nursing-theory.org/nursing-theorists/Patricia-Benner.php.

Starting Over: The First Time

After 10 years in the CICU, I was no longer professionally satisfied with how comfortable I was in my role. I missed the challenge and passion I had felt when I was building my nursing practice. I changed paths and accepted a position as a permanent charge nurse on a pediatric surgical inpatient unit located at a satellite location of an academic teaching hospital. This position provided a pathway for me to cultivate my leadership skills, with the potential for more managerial responsibilities in the future.

I was once again excited about my practice. I was sharing my critical care skills and knowledge with peers while at the same time developing my leadership abilities. This new position made it possible for me to pursue innovative educational offerings and motivated me to pursue a nursing master’s degree in leadership and management. After five years of growth, including advancing to become the unit’s clinical coordinator, I once again became complacent in my practice. I missed the pursuit of pushing myself to learn and challenging myself to be uncomfortable in my practice. I left my management role to have another new beginning as a staff nurse in the pediatric OR.

Starting Over: The Second Time

I found myself asking, “How do I transition from leading others to being completely reliant on others?” Starting over would be different this time. I was entering a role without any true OR skills, yet I was bringing 15 years of nursing experience with me. I wasn’t a novice nurse by any standards. I was considered an expert, yet I felt like both simultaneously.

A nurse mentor of mine said, “It’s easier to train a new graduate nurse and mold them into your ideal nurse versus training an experienced nurse with prior knowledge.” I can appreciate this sentiment as I was previously the new graduate nurse on a fast-paced and highly acute pediatric CICU, and I had learned from the best. I was molded into a nurse with critical thinking skills and the knowledge to care for the sickest patients. Without prior experience, I absorbed everything I was taught firsthand without questioning or second guessing the process.

Now, in the OR, I did not arrive as a blank slate. I came with years of clinical expertise and experience, just not in the same setting. I knew it would be imperative to find a way to balance absorbing new information, accepting feedback, and learning new skills while using my prior knowledge to enhance my practice and not diminish it.

Starting again as a novice nurse with an expert past was challenging. I needed to recalibrate my focus to view my past as a strength and not a potential barrier. The foundation I’ve built and the experiences I’ve gained along the way will help give me a greater perspective on my role. I can be more insightful by asking the hows and whys while using my prior knowledge to understand the fundamentals. I am confident enough in my skills to be vulnerable and open to change, admit what I do not know or understand, and seek out the knowledge I need. As nurses, we must welcome new environments, colleagues, and information in a way that enriches our minds and expands our practice.

The Benefits of Being a Novice Nurse

The opportunity to start fresh in a different department is a gift. Once you are there, take advantage of everything and everyone. Staff are designated to help teach you the art and science of their practice, so be physically, mentally, and emotionally present to absorb every bit of it. Understand that there are many ways to accomplish the same task and be open to a new way. Keep the best of what you learn and add it to your toolbox. Start to build your own practice with the help of others. Remember that every unit is full of various personalities and styles. They each contribute to the uniqueness of the department and should enhance, rather than inhibit, your growth. Sidebar 1 provides tips for transitioning from an expert to a novice nurse.

If I’ve learned anything throughout my journey as a nurse, it would be that we can fail upwards. Each decision or change of plans can help you climb your career ladder. Try new things and, even if they are not a lifetime commitment, use those experiences to propel you to another specialty that sparks joy. What may be right during one point of your life may not be where you should be in the future. We can always learn new things, and we always should. Becoming a novice nurse after being an expert in your field is simply a gift and a unique opportunity that the nursing profession gives you. I’m thankful for this opportunity to change the path on my journey while still pushing forward in my practice.

AORN Resources

Open access:

• AORN Position Statement on Orientation of the Registered Nurse and Surgical Technologist to the Perioperative Setting