Cultivating care: Nurturing nurses for a new tomorrow (original) (raw)
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Student nurse mentoring: an evaluative study of the mentor's perspective
British Journal of Nursing, 2017
An evaluative study aimed to capture the ‘mentor voice’ and provide an insight into the mentoring role from the perspective of the nurse mentor. Participants from each of the four fields of nursing practice were asked to comment on the satisfying and frustrating aspects of their mentoring role. The narrative data gleaned from the evaluation were qualitatively analysed and subsequently organised into key themes around the student–mentor relationship and the clinical environment. Given that the landscape of nurse education is set to change, in terms of new standards from the professional bodies and the political drivers, not to mention the changing profile of the student nurse, it is hoped that the findings may help to shape the relationship between the mentor, the student and the higher education institution.
Nurse education in practice, 2015
Mentorship is an essential part of the registered nurse's role, yet few opportunities exist for student nurses to mentor others during pre-registration programmes. This paper reports student nurses' experiences of mentoring school pupils during a pre-nursing scholarship. Focus groups were conducted with fifteen final year student nurses (14 female, 1 male) in two university campuses in Scotland. Discussions were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim, and data analysed thematically. Three interconnected themes emerged: 1) stepping up; 2) stepping back; 3) stepping forward. 'Stepping up' was a process through which student nurses rapidly assumed responsibility for mentoring pupils, facilitated through the attitudes and actions of students' mentors and students' control over pupils' practice experiences. 'Stepping back' encapsulated attitudes and behaviours that enabled student nurses to mentor pupils that involved considerable judgement around how...
Contemporary Nurse, 2015
This study explores the experiences and perceptions of academic nurse mentors supporting early career nurse academics (ECNAs). Methods: Interviews were undertaken with mentors following a mentoring partnership with ECNAs. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a process of thematic analysis. Findings: Four themes emerged from the data, namely; motivation for mentoring; constructing the relationship; establishing safe boundaries and managing expectations. Conclusions: This study provides a unique insight into the experiences of mentoring within the context of an academic leadership programme for nurses. Such insights highlight the issues facing academics from professional disciplines and can inform strategies to support their career development. Clinical relevance: A sustainable academic nursing workforce is crucial to ensure that effective preparation of future generations of expert clinical nurses. Therefore, it is important to consider strategies that could strengthen the academic nursing workforce.
An exploration of undergraduate nursing students' experiences of mentorship in an Irish hospital
British Journal of Nursing
Background: Mentorship is the support model of choice for nursing practice in Ireland and although it follows a similar approach to that provided thus far in the UK, there is little available evidence about the students' lived experience of mentorship and the extent to which it facilitates their development. Aim: To explore undergraduate nursing students' experiences of mentorship in hospital. Method: The study used a qualitative approach. Newell and Burnard's (2011) 6-stage pragmatic approach to qualitative data analysis guided the collection and analysis of data. A purposive sample of six was drawn from fourth-year students who participated in a semi-structured interview. Findings: Six main categories emerged from the data: reality versus expectation of mentorship; student's perception of self; personal feelings and expectations of mentorship; perception of workload; barriers and enablers of mentorship; student perceptions of mentor preparedness. Interpersonal rela...
Nurse Education Today, 2012
Internationally, the delivery of health services has shifted from secondary to primary care, necessitating an exponential growth of the nursing workforce and expansion of the nursing role in general practice. This growth, and the subsequent need to develop this workforce, has created a need to expose undergraduate nurses to general practice nursing as a viable career option. Concurrently, universities are struggling to find sufficient clinical places for their undergraduate students to gain clinical experience. It is logical, therefore, to increase the number of undergraduate nursing student placements in general practice. Through qualitative research methods, this paper seeks to explore the experiences of practice nurses mentoring undergraduate students on clinical placements within the general practice setting. Findings are presented in the following three themes: (1) Promoting Practice Nursing: We really need to get students in, (2) Mentoring future co-workers: Patience and reassurance, and (3) Reciprocity in learning: It's a bit of a two way street, which show the benefits of such placements. Clinical placements in general practice settings can be mutually beneficial in terms of providing quality teaching and learning experiences for students. Conversely, the experience provides an impetus for practice nurses to maintain currency of their clinical skills and knowledge through mentoring student nurses.
Mentorship in contemporary practice: the experiences of nursing students and practice mentors
Journal of Clinical Nursing, 2008
Mentorship in contemporary practice: the experiences of nursing students and practice mentors Aim. This paper explores the role of the mentor in contemporary nursing practice in the UK. It presents findings from a recent study which investigated the impact of a locality-based nursing education initiative on students, practice mentors and academic staff and draws on another study, conducted in the same setting and two Australian sites, to examine the perceptions of nursing students and mentors. Background. Within nursing, mentorship is integral to students' clinical placement experiences and has attracted increasing interest among researchers. Despite a plethora of studies focussing on mentoring and its nature and application within the practice setting, limited attention has been paid to the extent to which guidelines provided by regulatory bodies for nursing inform and influence the practice of mentoring in contemporary health-care settings. Design. The study used a two-phased design with data on mentorship being focussed on the second phase. Method. Data were collected using an online survey questionnaire of pre-qualifying students and a postal questionnaire for practice mentors. Findings. The findings highlight the importance of mentorship for prequalifying students and emphasise the need to provide mentors with adequate preparation and support. They confirm previous research, but also highlight improvements in bridging the gap between rhetoric and reality for mentorship. Results are further strengthened when compared with those of the second study. Conclusions. Findings provide new evidence of a narrowing of the gap between the theory and practice of mentoring and for the continuing implementation of national standards to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the mentor. They also suggest the benefits of developing such standards in countries with similar systems of support for nursing students.
International Journal of Practice-based Learning in Health and Social Care, 2020
This study focuses on the experience of new UK student nurses of being mentored in the workplace (placement) setting. There is only limited nursing literature that focuses on the experience of being mentored, whilst there is significant material that examines the role of the mentor. With half of the course being spent in the placement setting, the role of the mentor is pivotal in supporting the student and their learning. Adopting a qualitative design, data was collected through small-group interviews with a cohort of first-year nursing students. Data analysis followed in the form of standard thematic analysis. The Communities of Practice model developed by Lave & Wenger was applied as a theoretical lens. Two main themes emerged from the analysis process: the process of belonging; and that of developing identity as a learner. Whilst there was consensus with the literature in that it was felt that the mentor had a key role to play in supporting and facilitating learning, the participants also felt that the mentor supported them to settle into the team. Further, it was found that until the learner felt part of the wider placement clinical team, the process of learning may be hindered. An argument is presented advocating better preparation of students for learning in the workplace setting as this will enable them to assimilate better the learning offered by mentors and the wider healthcare team.
BMC nursing, 2024
Background Worldwide, the healthcare system stresses a severe deficit of nurses because of elevated levels of workinduced stress, burnout and turnover rates, as well as the ageing of the nursing workforce. The diminishing number of nursing students opting for a career in nursing older people has exacerbated this shortage. A determining factor in the choice of a career within the field of residential care for nursing students is educational institutions offering students learning opportunities with positive learning experiences. Therefore, educational institutions must develop programmes that employ student active learning methods during clinical periods. Although much focus has been given to the development of new educational programs, insufficient consideration has been given to the value of peer mentoring and students' interactions during the clinical placement at nursing homes. The aim of the present study is to explore first-year nursing students' perceptions and experiences with peer mentoring as an educational model during their inspiration practice week at nursing home. Methods The study employed a qualitative exploratory and descriptive research design. Data collection took place in October 2022 using focus group interviews. A total of 53 students in their first year of the bachelor's programme at the Oslo Metropolitan University participated in eight focus group interviews. The data were analysed following the principles of inductive content analysis. Results The analysis resulted in one main category, 'Being inspired-keep learning and moving forward' , representing first-year nursing students' common perceptions of being mentored by third-year students. The main category is supported by two categories: 'Closeness to the mentor' and 'Confidence in mentors' professional knowledge and teaching and supervision methods' , which are interpreted as the drivers that enabled first-year students to learn more about nurses' roles and responsibilities in the nursing home. Conclusion Mentorship enhances the learning transfer from third-year nursing students over to first-year nursing students by providing them with real-world exposure and guidance from their more experienced peers. This
Nursing alumni as student mentors: nurturing professional growth
Nurse Education Today, 2002
Mentorship is a commonly used strategy for role and career development that has potential benefits for students in undergraduate nursing programs. In contrast to preceptorship, which generally involves clinical supervision and performance evaluation, mentorship is more focused on sharing and nurturing to promote personal and professional growth. This article describes a mentoring program at McMaster University School of Nursing in Canada in which baccalaureate nursing students are mentored by alumni from the same nursing program. Following a successful pilot project with level one students, the program was expanded to include nursing students in all levels who were interested in having a mentor. Both student mentees and alumni mentors have reported positive outcomes. Students felt supported in making personal, academic and career decisions whereas alumni found satisfaction in providing this supportive function, having re-connection with their alma matter, and sharing their professional experience and knowledge. Given the prospective gains not only for the individuals who take part in mentorship programs but also for the profession and beyond, consideration should be given to providing opportunities for nursing students to be mentored during their formative years.
Nursing students' expectations and experiences of mentorship
Nurse Education Today, 2015
Background: The literature related to nursing students' mentorship experiences is surprisingly limited and research findings related to students' experiences of mentorship is often integrated with other components of clinical placement experiences. Objectives: This study aimed to gain a greater understanding of students' expectations and experiences of mentorship and to identify the kind of support provided by the mentor that is most valued by the student, the role of the link lecturer in mentorship and how the university might further enhance the mentorship experience of their students. Design: Mixed-methods exploratory sequential design was used. Setting: This study was conducted in one university in south west London. Participants: All final year pre-registration nursing students enrolled on a Diploma/BSc in Health Studies course (n = 129) were invited to participate. Participation was voluntary resulting in a convenience sample. Fiftythree students completed the questionnaire (response rate = 45%). Methods: The research involved two stages: a semi-structured focus group in the first stage and an online questionnaire in the second. Quantitative analysis was undertaken of Likert-style questions using SPSS version 18 and qualitative analysis was undertaken using the Framework Method. Results: Students' experiences were largely positive. A picture emerged about the most valued mentor activities which included teaching and explaining, support and supervision and encouragement. Students differentiated encouragement from what they labelled as support. Contrary to the literature, the mentor role in practice assessment was not identified as highly important. Support from link lecturers was less well evaluated and students felt that the university needs to support mentors better. Conclusion: Students in this university valued the teaching, support and encouragement they received from mentors but the university needs to address ways of strengthening the link lecturer involvement in mentorship which includes the imperative for the university to explore ways of better supporting mentors in their role.