Which statement best describes a proficient nurse?

A) Has little experience with a specified population and uses rules to guide performance.
B) Has an intuitive grasp of a clinical situation and quickly identifies the accurate solution.
C) Sees actions in the context of daily plans for patients.
D) Understands a patient situation as a whole rather than a list of tasks and recognizes the long-term goals for the patient.

The proficient nurse, with more time and experience than the novice nurse, is able to understand a patient situation as a whole rather than as a list of tasks. The proficient nurse is able to see how today's nursing actions can apply to the point the nurse wants the patient to reach at a future time. A nurse that has little experience with a specified population and uses rules to guide performance is a novice nurse. A nurse that has an intuitive grasp of a clinical situation and quickly identifies the accurate solution is an expert nurse. Seeing actions in the context of daily plans for patients describes competency or a competent nurse.