According to the Nursing and Midwifery council (NMC, 2008) a mentor is someone who must facilitate students and others to develop their competence.
This definition of mentor is ratified by Parsloe (2009): To support and encourage individuals to manage their own learning in order that they may maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be.
Another NMC publication from 2006: “Standards to support learning and assessment in practice” says that The role of the sign-off mentor and/or practice teacher is to make judgments about whether a student has achieved the required standards of proficiency for safe and effective practice for entry to the NMC register.
Reading these three standards it looks simple what to expect from mentor and student during the process of teaching / learning. But in my experience, after twelve years of being a nurse, although sometimes it’s stressful, most of the time mentoring is a very rewarding aspect of nursing.
As a registered nurse with twelve years of experience I already aware of the problems and stresses on the other side in which nursing staff must work under. However, mentoring is also a very rewarding aspect of nursing.
During the time I was a student I had good and bad experiences. I specially remember a bad experience when I was to work on a maternity ward. The day I arrived, my mentor told me “If you don’t want to come it’s ok, because they don’t pay me for being a mentor, so I won’t teach you anything at all¨. In that moment I promised myself that I would make a big effort as a future nurse and mentor to make the teaching/learning experience of my mentees as positive and advantageous as possible. With that purpose, this essay will...
... middle of paper ...
...g environment can have a direct effect on the mentor – student relationship and on the process of giving feedback. It is essential that the mentor prepares prior to a student arriving on the ward in order to use the learning environment to its full potential. There is also certainly scope for further research to be carried out in relation to mentor / mentee relationships and how this can impact on both learning of the student and the mentor. The same can be said about the process of giving feedback; once again the current literature finds it difficult to agree on a specific formula on how to achieve this. The most important thing that I will take away from my experience is how I can improve for the next time I mentor a student nurse. I will be looking to improve on the way in which I give feedback so that it is done in a way that supports learning and not animosity.
Twibell and Pierre explain why mentoring residency programs play a huge role in employee retention rates. Mentors rather than preceptors are investing in new grad nurses for longer than just a few months. NGNs are receiving constructive criticism from their mentors and serve as mediators between workplace issues. High levels of anxiety are reported in the first few weeks of employment, but with mentors there to have a caring attitude, the levels of anxiety can be greatly decreased and learning can be much easier facilitated (2012).
I presume the role transition from academic nursing student to Graduate Nurse will be challenging and rewarding. In their findings, the researchers Doody, Tuohy & Deasy (2012) stated that for a successful transition NGNs need to be competent in a range of domains: interpersonal skills, managing workloads, providing health information, communication, and prioritising care delivery. Although I believe I am competent in the above specified areas, I am still not confident that I would get sufficient support in the hospital environment in terms of knowledge sharing, moral support and being given constructive feedback. Constructive criticism increases confidence in the work role and reduces stress in an individual (Doody, Tuohy & Deasy, 2012). In my previous professional placements I have been able to demonstrate my competency to work in the healthcare environment. I have received positive feedback from placement educators, buddy nurses and patients. Despite being competent in a range of the above areas NGNs may still face transition shock.
It is a useful approach for new nurses as it provides them with effective and systematic support in the nursing practice, facilitates their professional development, and enhances the coordination of care within the unique context of general practice. I do believe that in any organization a new employee need to be familiar with company vision and identity. Through careful mentoring the new nurses or employee will understand the basic principle the organization.it has been proven that when you are careful and successful Mentoring new nurses it increase they skills, confidence, decision making , reduce stress and anxiety levels (Zhang 2016, Edwards
Our course, Transition to Professional Nursing, is barely two weeks old and already I am being enlightened and challenged to expand my experience of nursing. I will attempt to explain my personal journey and experience thus far including how and why I got here, my beliefs about nursing and related values, and my visions for the future.
Nursing is a varied career that offers opportunities to many. It offers a range of facilities and options for all. Nursing is an ethical centered profession that requires its members to give of themselves. Each individual must maintain a professional atmosphere while upholding his or her personal integrity. Each nurse brings his or her own unique values and beliefs to their work and care. A strong conviction toward those ideals is essential in the profession. Nurses are faced with differing views, ideas, and expectations every day and must maintain neutrality for the betterment of their patients. They care for those experiencing illness, loss, and health and have to nurture accordingly. Nursing is not about the skill set or knowledge we have but about those we help in the process. Nursing goes beyond a career; it is a
According to Race & Skees (2010) a mentor should be friendly, have a sense of humor, patience, interpersonal skills, be approachable and have professional development attributes’. Exceptional communication skills, experience, supportive, open and friendly are important mentor traits, but being a role model in patient care, having a positive image about the nursing profession (Jakelainen et al., 2011) and a sense of humanity are the most vital traits according to Chen & Lou (2013). Being able to provide positive feedback (Huybrecht et al., 2011; Jokelainen et al., 2013), provide a safe learning environment, and advise on career planning are skills a mentor requires to guide successful mentees (Chen & Lou, 2013). Metcalfe (2010, p. 168) share that “empathy, maturity, self-confidence, resourcefulness and willingness to commit time and energy” are qualities a mentor should possess. Overall feelings of wellbeing and job satisfaction were enhanced by mentors taking on mentorship (Jokelainen et al.,
Vance (2011) states, “Nursing cannot be learned or carried out in isolation. Learning about nursing and being a nurse is clearly a ‘team sport” (p.15). In nursing communication and mentorship are vital. Effective communication allows us, as nurses, to successfully talk with other members of the health care team and look for solutions to problems. Mentorship is another aspect, in which we must experienced nurses must teach and train new nurses so they can adequate the skills. Nursing is a profession where we gain skills through experience and collaborating with others. Nursing is not “one man/women job,” nurses must work and depend on one another in order to utilize their full potential. Nurses are teams in the hospital setting that work together to
Mentors are ideal for nursing students and new nurses in providing support and guidance. They are able to provide effective communication, and help ease the transition into the workplace (Shellenbarger & Robb 2016). Furthermore, nursing mentors can help student nurses understand the social aspects and the flow of the hospital which can be pressuring. Nurses must be knowledgeable about the demands of this profession and how to deal with the pressure. Being aware of high demands of healthcare can help new nurses adjust in their positions, and improve quality care for patients. Therefore, knowing what’s expected results in nurses less likely to leave their position and decrease turnover rates. Job satisfaction is essentially important. It lessens turnover, which helps decrease the rate of the nursing shortage that we are currently
Preceptors, who are looked to as mentors and role models, need to be extremely supportive because student nurses can be intimidated and quickly realize that what was taught in the classroom is completely different in real time. Preceptors should be evaluated of the teaching given and be willing to change in accordance of how different student nurses learn. A preceptor’s commitment to the program and to the student nurses is critical in having a success program and preceptor/student nurse experience (Robitaille,
Pellatt, G. (2006). Nursing mentors. The role of mentors in supporting pre-registration nursing students. British Journal Of Nursing, 15(6), 336-340.
review in T. D. Alen & L. T. Eby (eds.). Blackwell handbook of mentoring: A multiple
Initially I thought that nursing was a career that can be taught. I felt nursing was only science and once you had mastered the science of nursing you could become a competent nurse. Since fall my view of the profession has changed drastically, I am starting to realize and appreciate the uniqueness of each quality that develops the art of nursing. For instance, I thought nursing knowledge was limited, once you have graduated nursing school you would have gained all the knowledge necessary. I now realize that knowledge does not only come from books but also from experience. With accountability, it is important for me to be able to admit to my mistakes. When I admit to my mistakes I grow as a nurse and as a person as I am able to learn from my mistakes. When being an advocate for my patients, I must not allow my own biases to interfere. I have to acknowledge my own biases so that I do not neglect care for my patients or make biased assumptions about patients rather than advocating for their needs. I always thought that sympathy is a universal value in nursing but rather empathy is. As a nurse I must understand the patient’s situation in order to be efficient rather than being sensitive to their situation. I also realize that it is very important for nurses to be adaptable as they face different and unique situations every day. I have concluded that a nurse is never done
In my medical career, I have been privileged to work alongside some of the most professional, dedicated, knowledgeable and compassionate nurses. I have seen first-hand the difference that they can make in a patient’s life and their family, during those unfortunate times when sickness and injury can be so overwhelming. The appreciation and respect that I have for nurses, as well as their indispensable contribution to the health care system, is what encourage me to pursue nursing as a profession.
“Lifelong learning is attitudinal; that one can and should be open to new ideas, decisions, skills or behaviors” (Geinare, p. 7, 2012). Staying up with current practices and the evolving changes in health care there will always be opportunities to learn and to grown both professionally and personally. It is essential for nurses to maintain their competences within the basics of nurses as well as their specialty. Maintaining flexibility in the approach to teach others such as students, peers, and other clinical staff educators must meet the diverse needs to accommodate everyone. Within the past four years I have be able to accomplish goals that felt impossible to reach. Keeping positive people, a good attitude, and believe in myself have all contributes to my success which I will continue over the course of my career as a Nurse Educator. I foresee a bright future for myself and have shared wit you on how I plan to achieve my short terms goals as well as long term
Though there are barriers in creating a learning environment in a working atmosphere, yet it assembles a safe practice in nursing care by reflecting past experiences (Skaalvik, 2011). In my point of view, I find that besides creating a learning environment to enhance nursing practice, peer learning would also be suitable in developing nursing skills and practices. Fostering a person as an inspiration will tend to transform beginners to advance in their career. In order to improve a learning environment, clinical placement of new comers should be according to their interest. A positive learning begins when a person has adapted well with the surroundings. The earlier the adaption begins, the faster learning takes place (Roberts, 2008). In addition, the quality of learning environment can be improved by highlighting to the fresh graduates on the learning opportunities that can be accomplished in a working environment. As a mentor, one should guide new staffs on the different pathways in nursing career. Good communication skills in mentorship will challenge the mentees to take some effort in reflecting back those learnt experience in order to place them in to application. Evaluating, assessing and providing feedback is one of the important criteria in mentorship (Elgin, 2004. Mentees will be able to recognize the areas of improvement thus it creates a sense of direction whether or not they are in the