Contributor: Melanie Morton, MSN, RNC-OB, CBC Introduction If you are a nurse, you have inevitably experienced Benner’s From Novice to Expert Theory. You may experience this theory many times throughout your career. In 1984, Patricia Benner coined the Benner’s Novice to Expert Theory. This theory includes five progressive stages: novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and … Continue reading I’m a Novice Learner Again: How Benner’s From Novice to Expert Theory Guided My First Year of PhD Nursing School