Benner's Model Guiding Skill and Knowledge Acquisition of Advanced Practice Nurses

ABSTRACT In 2016, Bowen and Prentice published a dialogue on Benner's model ‘From Novice to Expert’. Their main concern was to explore the development of expertise in nursing and the evolution of this expertise when domains of practice change. In this contribution, this dialogue by Bowen and Prentice (2016) is the starting point to consider Advanced Practice Nurses (APN). The argument will propose that Benner's model can help perceive APN skill (and knowledge) acquisition. For this purpose, Benner's original works, the philosophical bases on knowing that and knowing how, as well as the concept of APN, which was developed by Ann Hamric (2014; Tracy et al. 2023), are consulted. Eventually, it will be demonstrated that Benner's model can be employed in conjunction with APN and can provide valuable insight into skill and knowledge acquisition and career development. Therefore, APN can reinvigorate Benner's model and render it again very valid for today. This contribution will conclude with suggestions for supporting APNs' skill and knowledge development and indications for the evolvement of Benner's model.