MODULE ONE: Progression From Novice to Expert

The Student Novice

• No experience in the situation in which they are expected to perform tasks.
• Need rules and theory to guide them.
• Requires careful observation because they can’t tell what the priorities are or when there are exceptions to the rules.

Teaching a Student Novice

• The preceptor gives specific directions and engages direct supervision with all first-time procedures with the student.
• The preceptor provides most of the information to the novice student by answering questions or providing directives.

Advanced Beginner

• Can demonstrate acceptable performance.
• Obtained enough experience to recognize patterns.
• Direct supervision and assistance in setting priorities are still necessary.

Teaching an Advanced Beginner

• The preceptor focuses on the student’s needs and interests.
• Facilitate student’s learning by asking more questions than providing answers, drawing information and responding to the input and energy of student.

The Competent Student

• Encompasses an overview of the priorities of the job, is organized, and is able to cope with many unpredictable occurrences.
• He/she will achieve competence with various procedures, on various patient acuities, at various times during their clinical experience.
• He/she will still rely on abstract principles as a guide instead of past experience.
• He/she requires practice planning and coordinating multiple complex patient care demands. This can be accomplished through various clinical rotations and decision-making case studies.

Teaching the Competent Student

• The role of the preceptor remains that of a facilitator.

Proficient (1+ year experience)

• A skilled practitioner who sees the work situation as a whole.
• Knows what typical events to expect and easily recognizes abnormal situations and subtle variations.
• Relies less on analysis, planning, rules and formulas and more on past experiences and intuition.

Expert

• A technologist who operates from a deep understanding of the situation has an enormous background of experience and intuitively grasps situations and zeros in on an accurate assessment of the problem.