Nursing: A Team Sport Emphasizing Communication and Mentorship

Introduction

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

This intense relationship is build upon effective communication between the expert (mentor) and the novice (mentee). Nurses who serve as mentors should possess the ability to have open communication with the mentee thus trying to build a connection; similar to the therapeutic relationship nurses tries to build with a patient. Communication techniques include questions, thinking aloud, and debriefing (Frederick, 2014, p.590). Asking questions, specifically open-ended questions, helps the mentee to either confirm or clarify information. Thinking aloud allows for mentors to “promote problem-solving skills and decision-making skills” (Frederick, 2014, p. 591). Debriefing allows for reflection and learning through open communication. Communication is important aspect of nursing practice because it allows for collaboration with other members of the health care team, whose main interest is the health of the