PRESENTS: Role of Mentor for the West Virginia Junior Nursing Academy

Define It Define It Mentoring comes from the Greek word meaning enduring. It is defined as a sustained relationship. A relationship in which one offers support, guidance, and assistance.

What is a Junior Nursing Academy Mentor? Caring, responsible Registered Nurse who serves as a trusted guide to a middle school student in West Virginia Caring, responsible Registered Nurse who serves as a trusted guide to a middle school student in West Virginia

Recollection Take a moment and recall your favorite instructor/teacher.  Who were they?  What did they do?  How did they teach?  What did you learn?  How old were you?

A Mentor…. Helps to ensure that the student develops important academic and life skills; Helps to expose the middle school student to new opportunities for learning about a nursing career; Helps the student make positive life choices Helps the student make positive life choices and plan for a successful post-secondary education.

Planting a Seed for Growth

Do You Have Mentor Qualities of Excellence?  A Good Listener?  Caring?  Confident?  Emotionally intelligent?  Love of the nursing profession?

A Successful Mentor to a Middle School Student will have:  Commitment to being available during the Academy  Dedication to continuing the mentoring relationship after the Academy  Emotional maturity  Patient understanding of year age group  Respect for the student  Ability to be a positive role model  Ability to lead the student to develop a milestone plan for completing high school and going on to nursing school

Guidance Ask the student: Where do you want to go in your life? go in your life? Help them find the answer during the Academy experience.

Challenge them to explore and ask questions. Ask the student: Ask the student: What do you think you are ready to take on? What do you think you are ready to take on?Remember: They are young, but they can make decisions. Help them set GOALS.

Bring on the Power! Empower them for the Future! Work with the student carefully to explore their goals. Examine barriers and ways to overcome them. Push them towards excellence.

Student Responsiveness  Remember the student must be responsive to the relationship.  Spend time getting to know them and letting them get to know you.

Seek Common Ground  What does the student like that you like?  Find things to talk about that remove barriers.

What NOT to do Don’t assume the student knows more than you. Don’t assume the student knows more than you. Don’t provide personal counseling services that may conflict with family values and other life influences. Don’t provide personal counseling services that may conflict with family values and other life influences. Don’t overstep personal and psychological boundaries. Don’t overstep personal and psychological boundaries. Don’t buy things for them. Don’t buy things for them. Don’t share addresses or offer a lot of personal information about yourself. Don’t share addresses or offer a lot of personal information about yourself. Don’t be the authority. Don’t be the authority.

Pay attention!  Don’t just listen  Listen to Understand!  Clarify

Goals  Ask about personal goals.  Show them options.  Don’t tell them what to do.  Guide them to decide what it is they want.

Take Inventory  How much do they already know about the nursing profession?  Are they misunderstanding important issues?  Do they have false beliefs about the nursing profession?  Are they influenced by others in their beliefs?  Fill in the gaps.

Seek improvement Select areas that need further development  Interpersonal Communication  Mature attitude  Caring  Education  Responsibility for future

Journaling Students will write about their Academy experiences at the end of the day. Students will write about their Academy experiences at the end of the day. Help them learn how to write meaningful passages. Inspire them!

After the Academy, Then what??  Have you built a Relationship?  Does the student want to continue to check in? ( , phone calls)

Give Your Time, but set limits  Be Accessible on your terms.  Let them know when you will be available.  , exchange phone numbers, etc.  Establish clear boundaries for contact.

Guiding Light  As they go along, help the student reflect on where they started, where they’ve been and where they are going on their nursing pathway.  Be their guiding light.

Get Ready Think of what a wonderful thing you have agreed to do for a young student interested in nursing! If someone had done this for you, would your life have been different?

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

THANK YOU