Final answer:
Patricia Benner's five stages of nursing ability are Novice, Advanced Beginner, Competent, Proficient, and Expert, reflecting the developmental progression of a nurse's skills and decision-making abilities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The five stages of nursing ability, coined by Patricia Benner, are Novice, Advanced Beginner, Competent, Proficient, and Expert. These stages represent the progression a nurse goes through as they gain experience and expertise in the field of nursing. The Novice stage is typified by nurses with no experience who rely strictly on rules and expectations for practice. Advanced Beginners start to incorporate experiential learning but are still reliant on guidelines. The Competent stage is reached after a few years of practice; nurses can manage care with more confidence and plan their actions more effectively. Proficient nurses, in the fourth stage, demonstrate enhanced perception in situations and can now fluidly respond to events based on their broadened understanding. Finally, the Expert nurse displays an intuitive grasp of clinical situations and can zero in on the root of problems without relying on rules or guidelines.