What level of nursing competence begins with the onset of education and is task-oriented?

The correct answer represents the initial stage of nursing competence, where an individual is just beginning their education in nursing. At the novice level, the focus is primarily on learning basic skills and following specific rules or procedures without performing them independently. This stage is characterized by a lack of experience, leading to reliance on established guidelines and a clear task-oriented approach. Novices often need supervision and are in the process of developing their clinical judgment and critical thinking skills.

In contrast, as nurses move beyond the novice stage, they start to build upon their experiences and can recognize patterns and more complex situations—demonstrating the characteristics of advanced beginners or proficient levels, where they begin to integrate theory with practice more fluidly.