Remember your early clinical nursing experiences—what influenced your choices? Did you follow the rules of nursing? Consider your decision-making process right now. How have your clinical experiences aided in the development of a broader range of knowledge and critical thinking skills?

This week’s Learning Resources delve into clinical experience-based skill development and knowledge levels. According to Benner, as a nurse’s experience grows, so does her knowledge and skill level. Nurses progress from novices who make rule-based decisions to experts who use critical thinking to see connections between actions and outcomes. This Discussion focuses on the role of critical thinking in nursing practise, as well as the relationship between critical thinking, clinical competence, and scholarship.