An evolutionary concept analysis of mentoring in nursing

Exploring the dark side of informal mentoring: Experiences of nurses and midwives working in hospital settings in Uganda

Mentoring literature explores the dark side of mentoring as factors such as gender and race and how they affect the overall mentoring experience. The sociocultural context of the nursing and midwifery professions presents unique characteristics warranting a qualitative exploration of negative mentoring experiences. We aimed to characterise the dark side of mentoring based on informal mentoring relationships occurring among nurses and midwives working in hospitals. Utilising semistructured interviews in a qualitative descriptive design and reflexive thematic analysis, we examined the perceptions of 35 nurses and midwives from three public hospitals located in the Western, Northern and North-western regions of Uganda. Findings emerged in four overarching themes mentoring process deficits, mentoring relational problems, organisational challenges in mentoring and implications of negative mentoring experiences. Our study findings underscore that, while mentoring is frequently beneficial, it can also be interspersed with negative experiences arising from relational dynamics, particular mentoring processes and the overarching hospital environment. Notably, nurses and midwives actively transformed these challenges into opportunities for growth and self-improvement, while introspectively examining their roles in contributing to these negative experiences. Such a proactive approach highlights their resilience and steadfast commitment to professional development, even in the face of adversity.

An Integrative Review of Mentoring Novice Faculty to Teach

BACKGROUND

Novice nursing faculty require support and guidance as they transition from clinical practice to teaching in an academic faculty. Mentoring is an important part of faculty development during the transitional experience. Currently, the learning needs of novice nursing faculty and the effects of formal mentorship programs are not well understood.

METHOD

An integrative literature review was conducted from five electronic databases. The articles included in the review described primary research studies focused on formal mentorship programs that supported novice faculty in developing their teaching expertise and identified their learning needs.

RESULTS

The review yielded eight studies that explored different aspects of the mentoring experience. Socialization to Academia and Navigating Mentorship were two key themes developed from the data.

CONCLUSION

Included studies described mentoring programs and a clear need for some type of formalized orientation and mentorship process or program to enhance novice nursing faculty transition to the academic setting and role. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(4):203-208.].

Blended Learning Using Peer Mentoring and WhatsApp for Building Capacity of Health Workers for Strengthening Immunization Services in Kenya

Innovative learning strategies are needed to improve frontline health workers' skills for achieving immunization coverage goals—now even more important with COVID-19. Peer mentoring and WhatsApp networking are low-cost and useful blended learning methods for need-based and individualized capacity building of health workers for improving immunization services that don't disrupt the health care workers' regular work.

Evidence from available studies suggests that peer mentoring is a useful tool to build health workers' knowledge, skills, and practices. However, there is a dearth of research on use of this method of learning in immunization programs. Although WhatsApp has been used as a networking platform among health care professionals, there is limited research on its potential contribution to improving the immunization competencies of health workers. This study showed that peer mentoring and WhatsApp networking are useful blended learning methods for need-based and individualized capacity building of health workers providing immunization services. Future research to assess the comparative cost-benefit between classroom-based training and peer mentoring (along with WhatsApp networking) will be useful.

Mentoring in Radiologic Science

Mentoring occurs every day in the workplace, as experienced employees (mentors) help guide inexperienced ones (protégés) toward a common goal. Both the mentor and protégé possess hallmark characteristics that contribute to a successful mentorship. The typology of mentoring includes formal versus informal, as well as group, one-on-one, peer, remote, and invisible mentors. The benefits of these mentorships can impact students, inexperienced employees, health care institutions, education institutions, patient care, and the mentors themselves. Finally, there are recommendations for fostering mentoring for educators and managers.

Career mentoring in aged care: Not all it seems

Understanding the nature of career mentoring is important for improving the career experience of aged care workers. This study explores the career mentoring behaviours of sponsorship, coaching, advocacy, challenging assignments, exposure and visibility in the residential aged care context. Interviews were conducted with 32 aged workers from several occupations within the care context. It was found that career mentoring in the aged care context was limited. The mentor behaviours of coaching, sponsorship and advocacy were limited and there was no opportunity in aged care to provide challenging assignments or promote exposure and visibility. Organisations and managers can facilitate learning and personal development by providing inclusive training for all workers regardless of the need to meet professional registration requirements. Learning needs to be continuous as careers and clinical techniques evolve. Extension of existing mentoring programmes to include all care workers would improve overall quality of care in residential aged care facilities.

Conceptualizing the mentoring relationship: An appraisal of evidence

This paper appraises the conceptual development of mentoring in nursing and highlights the need for further research on mentoring that focuses on conceptual clarification and theoretical discovery. Despite an abundance of published articles on mentoring, a paucity of research studies on nurse-to-nurse mentoring exists. Nursing literature abounds with descriptive terminology about mentoring rather than explanatory research. Descriptive terminology does little to develop the concept of mentoring, leaving one to ponder how to implement mentoring relationships in nursing. Published research has primarily focused on two broad categories: mentor characteristics and mentoring relationship outcomes. Although numerous scholars have asserted the need to clearly conceptualize mentoring, limited research focus has contributed to an ambiguous understanding of mentoring. Research that clarifies mentoring as a concept and provides a theoretical explanation of the mentoring relationship will fill a long-standing gap in the literature.

Designing a knowledge translation mentorship program to support the implementation of evidence-based innovations

Background

Healthcare professionals require training in knowledge translation (KT) to implement evidence-based healthcare innovations. Mentorship is an effective training strategy that could be used to develop KT capacity but it has largely been used to train clinicians. The purpose of this study was to explore preferences for KT mentorship design.

Methods

Interviews were conducted with 54 Canadian researchers and research users who varied by profession, department, career stage and sex. Participants were asked about KT needs, views on mentorship as a strategy to develop KT capacity, and suggestions for program design. Grounded theory technique and thematic analysis were used to collect and analyse data.

Results

Participants uniformly expressed interest in mentorship over other forms of learning about KT because it would provide credible, tailored information when needed. A variety of options for program content, format and delivery were recommended, suggesting the need for flexibility according to KT needs. Leadership, infrastructure, culture change and incentives may also be needed to foster KT mentorship. Views were mixed on whether mentors should be KT experts or subject or clinical experts with KT experience, and embedded in, or external to organizations.

Conclusions

These findings can be used to develop or evaluate KT mentoring programs. Further research is needed to evaluate different models in which the mentor may be an internal or external KT expert or subject expert with experience in KT, and establish the core curriculum of a training program specific to KT and how it could best be reinforced with mentoring.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-015-0863-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

From Dissertation Defense to Dissemination: Jump Start Your Academic Career With a Scholar Mentor Group

PROBLEM

The dissertation provides an excellent source of scholarly productivity for new doctoral faculty, yet is often neglected because of the demands inherent in the faculty role.

METHODS

The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of a scholar mentor group composed of three graduates of a PhD nursing program and their shared dissertation chair, who acted as a senior scholar mentor to the group.

FINDINGS

By working together, we have been able to enhance our scholarly productivity by disseminating our dissertations through presentations and publications. The paper will present the evolving process of this working group, summarize outcomes, analyze the challenges, and provide suggestions for future doctoral students and faculty who are working with them.

CONCLUSIONS

Our experience and scholar mentor model captures the best of both worlds-the benefits of interaction with academic peers and the benefits of having a senior scholar mentor. This was accomplished while all members were at different schools in different cities and states. Although other literatures that document successful collaborations using a peer-mentorship model are available, we were unable to locate any that documents a post-doctoral group with a senior scholar mentor who continued working together after graduation.

Professional socialization of students enrolled in an online doctor of philosophy program in nursing

A descriptive online survey design was used to describe professional socialization of students enrolled in an online Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in nursing. Twenty-six (48%) of 54 students participated by completing the Doctoral Student Socialization Questionnaire. Activities associated with four of the six dimensions of professional socialization, including student-peer interactions, supportive faculty environment, collegiality, and student scholarly encouragement, were prevalent in the analysis. Activities associated with student-faculty interactions and preparation in scholarly activities were evident but were not prevalent. Students in an online PhD program in nursing can be socialized to the graduate school environment, as well as to their future role in an academic setting. Although challenging in the online environment, faculty need to promote activities related to student-faculty interactions and preparation in scholarly activities.

Exploring mentorship as a strategy to build capacity for knowledge translation research and practice: a scoping systematic review

BACKGROUND

Knowledge translation (KT) supports use of evidence in healthcare decision making but is not widely practiced. Mentoring is a promising means of developing KT capacity. The purpose of this scoping systematic review was to identify essential components of mentoring that could be adapted for KT mentorship.

METHODS

Key social sciences and management databases were searched from January 2002 to December 2011 inclusive. Empirical research in non-healthcare settings that examined mentorship design and impact for improving job-specific knowledge and skill were eligible. Members of the study team independently selected eligible studies, and extracted and summarized data.

RESULTS

Of 2,101 search results, 293 were retrieved and 13 studies were eligible for review. All but one reported improvements in knowledge, skill, or behavior. Mentoring program components included combining preliminary workshop-based training with individual mentoring provided either in person or remotely; training of mentors; and periodic mentoring for at least an hour over a minimum period of six months. Barriers included the need for infrastructure for recruitment, matching, and training; lack of clarity in mentoring goals; and limited satisfaction with mentors and their availability. Findings were analyzed against a conceptual framework of factors that influence mentoring design and impact to identify issues warranting further research.

CONCLUSION

This study identified key mentoring components that could be adapted for KT mentorship. Overall, few studies were identified. Thus further research should explore whether and how mentoring should be tailored to baseline knowledge or skill and individual KT needs; evaluate newly developed or existing KT mentorship programs based on the factors identified here; and examine whether and how KT mentorship develops KT capacity. The conceptual framework could be used to develop or evaluate KT mentoring programs.

Mentoring: Some cautionary notes for the nursing profession

Abstract Mentoring has been embraced in nursing as a way of socialising new nurses into the profession, growing and developing nursing talent, and more recently as a way to retain experienced nurses with the current nursing shortage. Much of the extant literature focusses on the benefits of mentoring, differences between formal and informal mentoring, the elements of a successful mentoring relationship, and the characteristics of 'good' mentors and protégées. Until recently the research on mentoring has almost exclusively focused on the positive aspects of mentoring for the protégées, organisations and to a lesser extent, mentors. While viewed by many as a beneficial and enriching developmental experience, it is equally important to recognise that there can be a darker side to the mentoring experience for the mentor and protégée. This paper will explore the negative aspects associated with mentoring and mentoring relationships and provide some cautionary notes for nursing.

Interventions for supporting nurse retention in rural and remote areas: an umbrella review

CONTEXT

Retention of nursing staff is a growing concern in many countries, especially in rural, remote or isolated regions, where it has major consequences on the accessibility of health services.

PURPOSE

This umbrella review aims to synthesize the current evidence on the effectiveness of interventions to promote nurse retention in rural or remote areas, and to present a taxonomy of potential strategies to improve nurse retention in those regions.

METHODS

We conducted an overview of systematic reviews, including the following steps: exploring scientific literature through predetermined criteria and extracting relevant information by two independents reviewers. We used the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) criteria in order to assess the quality of the reports.

FINDINGS

Of 517 screened publications, we included five reviews. Two reviews showed that financial-incentive programs have substantial evidence to improve the distribution of human resources for health. The other three reviews highlighted supportive relationships in nursing, information and communication technologies support and rural health career pathways as factors influencing nurse retention in rural and remote areas. Overall, the quality of the reviews was acceptable.

CONCLUSIONS

This overview provides a guide to orient future rural and remote nurse retention interventions. We distinguish four broad types of interventions: education and continuous professional development interventions, regulatory interventions, financial incentives, and personal and professional support. More knowledge is needed regarding the effectiveness of specific strategies to address the factors known to contribute to nurse retention in rural and remote areas. In order to ensure knowledge translation, retention strategies should be rigorously evaluated using appropriate designs.

Creation of an American Holistic Nurses Association research consultation program

A goal of the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) Research Committee is to prepare holistic nurses to conduct holistic nursing research. This article describes the creation of a Research Consultation Program and how the knowledge gained from the program will contribute to the development of a formal research mentor program.

The effect of mentoring on career satisfaction of registered nurses and intent to stay in the nursing profession

Mentoring is important in the career development of novice and experienced nurses. With the anticipated shortage in nursing, it is important to explore factors such as mentoring that may contribute to career satisfaction and intent to stay in the profession. This study explored the effects of mentoring on career satisfaction and intent to stay in nursing, and the relationship between career satisfaction and intent to stay in nursing. It was conducted through a mailed survey of RNs 55 years or younger currently in practice, education, administration, or research. Career satisfaction was measured through the use of the newly developed Mariani Nursing Career Satisfaction Scale. Findings revealed no statistically significant effect of mentoring on career satisfaction and intent to stay in nursing. There was a statistically significant relationship between career satisfaction and intent to stay in nursing. The majority of nurses reported participating in a mentoring relationship. Although the findings related to mentoring, career satisfaction, and intent to stay were not statistically significant, there was a prevalence of mentoring in nursing, thus suggesting the need for future research to identify outcomes of mentoring. In addition, the study contributed a newly developed instrument to measure the concept of career satisfaction in nursing.

Professional excellence and career advancement in nursing: a conceptual framework for clinical leadership development

Increasingly, stakeholders in the health care community are recognizing nursing as key to solving the nation's health care issues. This acknowledgment provides a unique opportunity for nursing to demonstrate leadership by developing clinical nurse leaders to collaborate with the multidisciplinary care team in driving evidence-based, safe quality, cost-effective health care services. One approach for nursing success is standardizing the entry-level education for nurses and developing a uniform professional development and career advancement trajectory with appropriate incentives to encourage participation. A framework to guide and provide scientific evidence of how frontline nurses can be engaged will be paramount. The model for professional excellence and career advancement provides a framework that offers a clear path for researchers to examine variables influencing nurses' professional development and career advancement in a systematic manner. Professional Excellence and Career Advancement in Nursing underscores professional preparedness of a registered nurse as central to leadership development. It also describes the elements that influence nurses' participation in professional development and career advancement under 4 main categories emphasizing mentorship and self-efficacy as essential variables.

Preparing nurses for leadership roles in cardiovascular disease prevention

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a critical global health issue, and cardiovascular nurses play a vital role in decreasing the global burden and contributing to improving outcomes in individuals and communities. Cardiovascular nurses require the knowledge, skills, and resources that will enable them to function as leaders in CVD. This article addresses the education, training, and strategies that are needed to prepare nurses for leadership roles in preventing and managing CVD. Building on the World Health Organization core competencies for 21st-century health care workers, the specific competencies of cardiovascular nurses working in prevention are outlined. These can be further strengthened by investing in the development of cultural, system change and leadership competencies. Mentorship is proposed as a powerful strategy for promoting the cardiovascular nursing role and equipping individual nurses to contribute meaningfully to health system reform and community engagement in CVD risk reduction.

Becoming a Nurse Researcher

This column is concerned with the mechanics of transitioning from being a new doctoral graduate to being a researcher with a solid program of study. To clarify these mechanics, the authors discuss the roles of being a research mentor, the expectations of being a mentee, and practical tips for sustaining a successful relationship.

Acculturation process: a collaborative strategy of integration in attaining culturally congruent nursing care

The author describes a strategic partnership effort in pursuit of culturally congruent care: the professional model of nursing practice. The organizing framework is an integrated strategy of acculturation based in cultural care theory. The professional health system's department of staff development and a vendor partnered to develop and implement the framework in acculturating Philippine nurses. The author also presents recommendations for future consideration.

Exploring mentorship as a strategy to build capacity for knowledge translation research and practice: protocol for a qualitative study

Background

Research funders, educators, investigators and decision makers worldwide have identified the need to improve the quality of health care by building capacity for knowledge translation (KT) research and practice. Peer-based mentorship represents a vehicle to foster KT capacity. The purpose of this exploratory study is to identify mentoring models that could be used to build KT capacity, consult with putative mentee stakeholders to understand their KT mentorship needs and preferences, and generate recommendations for the content and format of KT mentorship strategies or programs, and how they could be tested through future research.

Methods

A conceptual framework was derived based on mentoring goals, processes and outcomes identified in the management and social sciences literature, and our research on barriers and facilitators of academic mentorship. These concepts will inform data collection and analysis. To identify useful models by which to design, implement and evaluate KT mentorship, we will review the social sciences, management, and nursing literature from 1990 to current, browse tables of contents of relevant journals, and scan the references of all eligible studies. Eligibility screening and data extraction will be performed independently by two investigators. Semi-structured interviews will be used to collect information about KT needs, views on mentorship as a knowledge sharing strategy, preferred KT mentoring program elements, and perceived barriers from clinician health services researchers representing different disciplines. Qualitative analysis of transcripts will be performed independently by two investigators, who will meet to compare findings and resolve differences through discussion. Data will be shared and discussed with the research team, and their feedback incorporated into final reports.

Discussion

These findings could be used by universities, research institutes, funding agencies, and professional organizations in Canada and elsewhere to develop, implement, and evaluate mentorship for KT research and practice. This research will establish a theoretical basis upon which we and others can compare the cost-effectiveness of interventions that enhance KT mentorship. If successful, this program of research may increase knowledge about, confidence in, and greater utilization of KT processes, and the quality and quantity of KT research, perhaps ultimately leading to better implementation and adoption of recommended health care services.

Mentoring beyond the first year: predictors of mentoring benefits for pediatric staff nurse protégés

This research study explored mentoring benefits among pediatric staff nurse protégés through application of a business mentoring model, the Mutual Benefits Model (Zey, 1991), to nursing. The main finding of this study was that mentoring quality was the single best predictor of mentoring benefits among pediatric staff nurse protégés. The major implication of this study is that nursing leaders and organizations can make lasting impacts through high-quality mentoring relationships even when they are time and resource limited. This study and its pilot study provided a valid and reliable nursing research instrument, the Jakubik Mentoring Benefits Questionnaire, for use in future research to further explore the benefits of mentoring among pediatric nurses. The findings of this study support the conceptualization of effective mentoring relationships in nursing as a triad among the individual mentor, the protégé, and the organization where they work rather than a dyad relationship between the mentor and protégé only.

Contributing to a culture of learning: a mentor development and support project for Australian rural nurses

Mentoring in rural and remote nursing receives little attention in the literature, even though it is emerging in Australia as a popular strategy to improve the retention of staff. The Association for Australian Rural Nurses established a 2-year Mentor Development and Support Project in 2003 with the aim of promoting mentoring among rural and remote nurses. During the life of the project, 101 such nurses attended Mentor Development Workshops. This project demonstrated that training is an important prerequisite for rural and remote nurses who are planning to enter a mentoring relationship. Participant evaluation showed an increase in mentoring knowledge and skills and a subsequent rise in confidence about undertaking the role. Participants also believed that their increased capacity to mentor was reflected in their workplaces, contributing to a positive culture of learning.

Walking With another: rural nurses' experiences of mentoring

The aim of this constructivist grounded theory study was to explore rural nurses' experiences of mentoring. Mentoring is often proposed as a solution to the problem of nursing workforce shortages. The global problem of workforce for nurses can be defined using the parameters of recruitment and retention rates, `problems' with which result in staff shortages, particularly of experienced nurses. Constructivist grounded theory has its foundations in relativism and an appreciation of the multiple truths and realities of subjectivism. Seven Australian rural nurses were interviewed. To ensure data saturation of particular categories and the fit of tentative theoretical conceptualisations, two participants were interviewed twice with no new codes identified from the subsequent interviews. Cultivating and growing new or novice rural nurses was the core category which conceptualised a two-part process consisting of getting to know a stranger and walking with another. Supportive relationships such as mentoring were found to be an existing, integral part of experienced rural nurses' practice — initiated by living and working in the same community. In this grounded theory, cultivating and growing is conceptualised as the core category. A two-part process was identified — getting to know a stranger and walking with another. This paper examines one of these subcategories, walking with another, relating the ways in which experienced rural nurses walk with another by firstly keeping things in perspective for new or novice rural nurses, and secondly using a particular form of language called nurse chat. For experienced rural nurses, mentoring in this way delivers a number of different outcomes with various nurses. Because it is a part of the experienced rural nurse's practice on an ongoing basis, individual mentoring relationships do not provide an end in relation to this nurse's experiences of mentoring, rather they are part of an ongoing experience. Creating supportive environments that include developing relationships such as mentoring is a potential solution to local staffing needs that does not require intensive resources. Experienced nurses engaged in clinical practice have the potential to cultivate and grow new or novice nurses — many already do so. Recognising their role and providing support as well as development opportunities will bring about a cycle of mentoring within the workplace.

Live my work: rural nurses and their multiple perspectives of self

AIM

This paper is a report of a study to explore rural nurses' experiences of mentoring.

BACKGROUND

Mentoring has recently been proposed by governments, advocates and academics as a solution to the problem for retaining rural nurses in the Australian workforce. Action in the form of mentor development workshops has changed the way that some rural nurses now construct supportive relationships as mentoring.

METHOD

A grounded theory design was used with nine rural nurses. Eleven semi-structured interviews were conducted in various states of Australia during 2004-2005. Situational analysis mapping techniques and frame analysis were used in combination with concurrent data generation and analysis and theoretical sampling.

FINDINGS

Experienced rural nurses cultivate novices through supportive mentoring relationships. The impetus for such relationships comes from their own histories of living and working in the same community, and this was termed 'live my work'. Rural nurses use multiple perspectives of self in order to manage their interactions with others in their roles as community members, consumers of healthcare services and nurses. Personal strategies adapted to local context constitute the skills that experienced rural nurses pass-on to neophyte rural nurses through mentoring, while at the same time protecting them through troubleshooting and translating local cultural norms.

CONCLUSION

Living and working in the same community creates a set of complex challenges for novice rural nurses that are better faced with a mentor in place. Thus, mentoring has become an integral part of experienced rural nurses' practice to promote staff retention.

The problem of workforce for the social world of Australian rural nurses: a collective action frame analysis

AIM AND BACKGROUND

Globally, nursing workforce shortages are a hot topic for discussion among politicians, academics and clinicians. This paper uses collective action framing to analyse the literature about the problem of workforce for Australian rural nurses.

EVALUATION

As part of a larger constructivist grounded theory study, we utilize collective action framing to bridge social world mapping and the literature. Data sources included journal databases, newspapers, newsletters and websites. We limited the years searched from 2000 to 2005. This analytical heuristic categorizes text into three main categories: diagnoses of a problem, postulations of solutions and actions to motivate change.

KEY ISSUES

Having mapped the social world of Australian rural nurses as comprising four groups of collective actors - community, advocates, academics and government - we trace the texts that they have produced with a focus on mentoring as a potential solution to the problem of workforce.

CONCLUSIONS

Mentoring entered the literature about the problem of workforce for Australian rural nurses because of a combination of political and academic will. These collective groups are now changing how they are framing the problem of workforce to focus instead on the globalization of nursing workforce shortages, which is resulting in diminished support for mentoring activities in clinical practice.

Mentoring and its impact on intellectual capital: through the eyes of the mentee

Recently, the concept of mentoring, and the use of mentorship programs, is being touted as a strategic means within healthcare organizations to address the nursing shortage that promises to continue well into the future. Mentoring, on the surface, could also be considered as an excellent means of supporting the development and retention of intellectual capital and succession planning within nursing. However, without a better understanding of the concept of mentoring, nurse leaders can never really know the full impact of mentoring in order to achieve such goals within the organization. Several key results from a study of mentorship in nursing support the concept of ongoing knowledge sharing within the discipline, as seen through the eyes of the mentee. The implications for nurse leaders shift the focus from formal mentoring programs to the creation of practice settings that foster the development of mentoring relationships.

Getting to know a stranger--rural nurses' experiences of mentoring: a grounded theory

BACKGROUND

Mentoring is often proposed as a solution to the problem of successfully recruiting and retaining nursing staff. The aim of this constructivist grounded theory study was to explore Australian rural nurses' experiences of mentoring.

DESIGN

The research design used was reflexive in nature resulting in a substantive, constructivist grounded theory study.

PARTICIPANTS

A national advertising campaign and snowball sampling were used to recruit nine participants from across Australia. Participants were rural nurses who had experience in mentoring others.

METHODS

Standard grounded theory methods of theoretical sampling, concurrent data collection and analysis using open, axial and theoretical coding and a story line technique to develop the core category and category saturation were used. To cultivate the reflexivity required of a constructivist study, we also incorporated reflective memoing, situational analysis mapping techniques and frame analysis. Data was generated through eleven interviews, email dialogue and shared situational mapping.

RESULTS

Cultivating and growing new or novice rural nurses using supportive relationships such as mentoring was found to be an existing, integral part of experienced rural nurses' practice, motivated by living and working in the same communities. Getting to know a stranger is the first part of the process of cultivating and growing another. New or novice rural nurses gain the attention of experienced rural nurses through showing potential or experiencing a critical incidence.

CONCLUSIONS

The problem of retaining nurses is a global issue. Experienced nurses engaged in clinical practice have the potential to cultivate and grow new or novice nurses-many already do so. Recognising this role and providing opportunities for development will help grow a positive, supportive work environment that nurtures the experienced nurses of tomorrow.

The value of mentorship within nursing organizations

PROBLEM

Hospitals are facing nurse retention challenges in the new millennium. Nurses are abandoning the bedside because of job dissatisfaction. Mentorship programs should be developed to enhance nursing satisfaction and thus improve retention and ultimately patient outcomes.

FINDINGS

Mentorship training in hospitals and the support of formal mentorship programs for new nurses are ways in which hospitals can meet this challenge.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper offers an overview of recent research on the value mentoring has for participants and healthcare organizations. The components of successful mentorship programs are discussed, and guidelines for implementation are recommended.

Mentor Training in a Military Nurse Corps

Mentoring relationships benefit the mentor, protege, and the organization. Although the Air Force, Army, and Navy Nurse Corps recognize the importance and potential of such relationships, formal methods to develop and support new mentors have not been widely adopted. A brief literature review of mentoring relationships, followed by a description of the uniqueness of military nursing, and finally, the details of development, implementation, and suggestions for evaluation of a formal mentor training workshop are presented. The military experience can also provide parallels for civilian organizations facing recruitment and retention issues, particularly those with multiple sites.

Mentoring Undergraduate Nursing Students

Academic mentoring is frequently offered as one strategy to facilitate student success, but the research evidence may be wanting. The authors present an integrative review of the data-based scholarship published between 1992 and 2002. Analysis involved synthesizing the research evidence and presenting findings within a conceptual framework. Research priorities are offered.

A collegial mentoring model for nurse educators

TOPIC

A mentoring model for nurse educators.

PURPOSE

To describe the current literature on mentoring in nursing and education and present the Collegial Mentoring Model.

SOURCES

Published literature and personal and professional experiences of nurse educators in academia.

CONCLUSIONS

Commitment to the collegial mentoring relationship can be demonstrated by making time for togetherness so outcomes beneficial to both individuals can be achieved.

Navigating the course of scholarly productivity: the protégé's role in mentoring

BACKGROUND

The importance of mentoring for professional success, including mentoring in writing, has become increasingly emphasized in academic nursing during the past decade. Although much has been published on how to write for publication, as well as the roles of mentors themselves, surprisingly little has been written about how protégés (those who are the recipients of mentoring) can take an active role in assisting themselves to obtain mentorship. How newer faculty can obtain adequate mentoring is often less straightforward.

PURPOSE

The main goal of this article is to describe some ideas about how faculty can actively help themselves to obtain adequate mentoring, with a particular focus on mentoring in writing. METHOD/DISCUSSION: Five principles are illustrated as follows, with case examples of hypothetical new faculty members: know yourself, develop realistic expectations, reach out and get to know others, negotiate for what is needed, and learn from every experience.

CONCLUSION

We hope that this discussion will foster further exchange among mentors, protégés, and administrators about approaches to seeking mentoring and high-level success in writing for publication along career journeys.

Mentoring students and junior faculty in faculty research: a win-win scenario

The concept of mentoring in nursing has focused primarily on moving novice nurses to a more advanced level of expertise in the clinical setting. With the growing emphasis on expanding evidence-based practice in nursing, however, mentoring within the context of research is becoming increasingly important. This article describes the many reciprocal benefits of research mentoring for students, junior faculty, and senior faculty researchers as well as for colleges of nursing and nursing science. Suggestions for implementing processes that facilitate successful mentoring within a research setting also are offered.

Professional Socialization of Baccalaureate Nursing Students: Can Students in Distance Nursing Programs Become Socialized?

Distance education programs may have difficulty socializing nursing students due to limited face-to-face student-faculty interaction. Socialized attitudes toward the nursing profession were assessed using two measures with three groups--senior BSN students enrolled at campus-based programs, senior BSN students enrolled in distance programs, and non-nursing students. The purpose of this analysis was to determine whether nursing students enrolled in distance programs had professional socialization outcomes comparable to nursing students enrolled in campus-based programs, and to examine the psychometric properties of two popular measures of professional socialization. Results indicated that students in the distance programs had higher scores than the campus-based nursing students, who, in turn, had higher scores than non-nursing students. A statistical interaction of RN status by program type indicated that health care experience was a critical factor in the socialization process. Of the two socialization measures examined, one had acceptable psychometric properties. These data suggest that health care and preceptorship experiences are important determinants of professional socialization and that students who opt for distance nursing programs graduate with socialization outcomes that are at least comparable to those of students who attend traditional programs.

Mentoring benefits and issues for public health nurses

New public health nurses (PHNs) move from novice to expert status with enormous expectations from their organization, their peers, and themselves. These expectations lead to stress that may be beyond the level of endurance. Mentoring is an important answer to this problem. Mentoring is the greatest gift PHNs can give to each other, especially for PHNs who self-identified themselves as minority cultural group members. This article describes definitions, roles, benefits, and responsibilities of mentors and mentees and includes mentoring concerns, current and proposed mentoring programs, and mentoring issues for gender and race. Organizational mentoring programs can be created that will facilitate the development of mentoring relationships. These programs help experienced PHNs bridge the gap between the theory and reality of nursing for themselves and inexperienced colleagues.

Graduate Nurses' Experiences of Interactions With Professional Nursing Staff During Transition to the Professional Role

As new members of the nursing profession, graduate nurses (GNs), in their transition to the professional role, have a variety of experiences with registered nurses. These experiences give rise to diverse thoughts and emotional responses that may have a significant impact on nurses' own professional development and socialization to the professional role. Literature documenting GNs' perceptions and feelings regarding their orientation to the professional role is scarce. This study involved 16 nurses' descriptions of their own experiences, thoughts, and feelings that arose from interactions with nurse colleagues during their first year of professional nursing practice. There was a lack of consistency regarding the way in which GNs were assisted in this important transitional teaching and learning experience. Understanding GNs' perceptions of the process of transition to the professional role holds tremendous value for nursing education. This understanding could serve as a guide in the development of positive and appropriate orientation strategies as we strive to imbue nursing graduates with the professional values, attitudes, and behaviors that are essential in achieving outcomes reflective of quality patient care.

An external mentor program: stimulus for faculty research development

This article describes a faculty development model to stimulate rapid growth in research and scholarship in a school of nursing during an institution-wide initiative to strengthen the research stature of the university. The program was designed to establish targeted mentoring relationships with productive researchers from institutions outside the home institution to assist faculty with research program development. The external mentor program is described along with the methods of implementation and outcomes after 2.5 years. The success of this program has led to adoption of the model by other schools in the university.

Effective supervision in clinical practice settings: a literature review

CONTEXT

Clinical supervision has a vital role in postgraduate and, to some extent, undergraduate medical education. However it is probably the least investigated, discussed and developed aspect of clinical education. This large-scale, interdisciplinary review of literature addressing supervision is the first from a medical education perspective.

PURPOSE

To review the literature on effective supervision in practice settings in order to identify what is known about effective supervision.

CONTENT

The empirical basis of the literature is discussed and the literature reviewed to identify understandings and definitions of supervision and its purpose; theoretical models of supervision; availability, structure and content of supervision; effective supervision; skills and qualities of effective supervisors; and supervisor training and its effectiveness.

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence only partially answers our original questions and suggests others. The supervision relationship is probably the single most important factor for the effectiveness of supervision, more important than the supervisory methods used. Feedback is essential and must be clear. It is important that the trainee has some control over and input into the supervisory process. Finding sufficient time for supervision can be a problem. Trainee behaviours and attitudes towards supervision require more investigation; some behaviours are detrimental both to patient care and learning. Current supervisory practice in medicine has very little empirical or theoretical basis. This review demonstrates the need for more structured and methodologically sound programmes of research into supervision in practice settings so that detailed models of effective supervision can be developed and thereby inform practice.