1. Kimberly Holden Nursing 450 Ferris State University
Mentoring in Nursing
Kimberly Holden
Nursing 450
Ferris State University

2. Mentoring
“Through effective mentorship, we can positively impact healthcare organizations; improve job satisfaction; and promote professional development and empowerment in students, new graduates, staff nurses, educators, nurse leaders, and nurse faculty. Most importantly, mentoring can result in improved nursing care, high-quality healthcare, and improved patient outcomes.” (Race & Skees, 2010)
Welcome to the seminar on Effective mentoring. All of us can relate to the idea of mentoring, whether in our personal or professional life, there are people who we trust and who help us grow. This seminar is designed to show the importance of mentors in the healthcare field, particularly in the nursing profession. (Read Quote) link to pic

3. Objectives of this Presentation
By the end of this presentation the participants will be able to:
Verbalize the difference between a preceptor and a mentor
List 3 characteristics of an effective mentor
Give an example of “toxic mentoring”
Verbalize the understanding of how effective mentoring can aid in the nurse recruitment, retention and job satisfaction
Give an example of how the quality of nursing care can be affected by effective mentoring
The objectives of this presentation are: (read the slide)

4. Preceptors and Mentors
Teacher
Headmaster
Someone who shares their skills
(Merriam-Webster, 2013)
A Wise and Faithful counselor
A tutor
A coach
Let’s discuss the difference between Preceptors and Mentors. Both are vital in the training of new nurses. A preceptor is described as a teacher or headmaster of a school. Preceptors share their skills with new nurses or students and help guide the transition and integreation of nursing students into the nursing workforce. A mentor is defined as a wise and faithful counselor, a tutor or a coach. Mentors provide an avenue for younger nurses to develop strong relationships with more experienced nurses from which they can learn. (RNAO, 2006) The word “mentor” came from Homer’s The Odyssey. Mentor, was a friend of Ulysses in this work, and was entrusted with the care and nurturing of his son as Ulysses went off to war. In the 1700’s the word “mentor” became a noun in the English Language meaning “wise counselor”. Today the word mentor is used to describe someone who is more experienced and “acts as a trusted friend, counsellor or teacher” (SIAST, Mentoring: A brief history)

5. Let whoever is in charge keep this simple question in her head (not, how can I always do this right thing myself, but) how can I provide for this right thing to be always done? (Nightingale, 1879)
Florence Nightingale is credited with being the first “mentor” in the profession of nursing. Effective mentors are able to lead others by modeling professional behavior and personal balance. (Metcalfe, 2010) This quote from her book Nursing: What it is, and what it is not, eludes to her desire to pass along her knowledge and skill to bring up new nurses who provide quality care to those with which they are entrusted.

6. Why do We need Mentors?
Take a moment to make a list of why we need mentors in allied health professions. Also give some thought as to why you need mentors in your personal life. The following 2 slides give a variety of reasons we need mentors is both areas see how your list compares!

7. Why we need mentors In nursing and other health professions
• to assess competence
• as a friend and counselor
• for guidance and support
• for encouragement
• to structure working environment for learning
• to provide the appropriate knowledge base for nursing interventions
• for constructive and honest feedback
• for questioning
• for debriefing related to good/bad experience during placement
• for protection from poor practice
• to build confidence
• as a link person with other areas
• for sharing learning, i.e. learning from each other
• as a role model
Mentors are needed in healthcare so that students or new nurses have someone they can turn to for guidance and support, constructive and honest feedback, debriefing after a bad experience, as a role model, encourager, and confidence builder. They also help the student or new nurse build social relationships on the unit to which they are assigned

8. Why we need mentors In personal life
• to keep own skills and knowledge up to date
In personal life
• for the development of one’s self
• for linking theory to practice
• to share experiences
• for developing one’s work skills in teaching and explaining
• for encouragement
• to build up confidence
• to provide structured learning programs during practice placements
• for honest opinions and views
• as a role model (may be a parent figure, etc.)
• for socialization
• for support and guidance
Mentors also protect the student or new nurse from poor practice,& help link theory into practice. Mentors also provide a link to other areas or disciplines. The mentor benefits because mentoring helps to keep his/her own skills up to date, and it helps develop one’s work skills in teaching and explaining. As you can see in the area of personal life, the mentor role provides development in many of the same areas.

9. Characteristics of an Effective Mentor
Patient
Advisor
Tactful
Provides encouragement
Open-minded
Is honest and trustworthy
Diplomatic, fun and fair
Is self-motivated
Approachable
Trusting
Willing to be a mentor
Shows concern, compassion
Have a good knowledge base
Empathy
Versatile, adaptable, flexible
A role model
Knowledge and competence is up to date
Non-judgemental
Has teaching skills
Allows time and commits self to it
Provides psychological support
Confident
Able to build working relationship
Has good communication skills, including listening skills
Enthusiastic
Gopee, 2011
There are many characteristics that are desirable for a mentor to have. The most important I think is the willingness to be a mentor. I can recall many times as a student and even as a new nurse that I was placed with a mentor or preceptor who obviously was not willing. Many of you shared similar experiences in answer to my original questions. Please take a moment to reflect on which characteristics you think are most important.

10. Model of Mentoring
This video shows a nurse being an effective mentor for a nursing student. What desired characteristics can you pick out?

11. Toxic Mentoring What does a poor mentor look like?
Lack of interest in the students and their learning needs
Lack of knowledge about the student or new nurse’s course
Lack of evidence based practice or research utilization
Lack of team approach
No acknowledgement of new nurse’s previous experience
Negative attitudes
Reluctant to change practices
Gopee, 2011
we have looked at what an effective mentor looks like and have talked about their characteristics. Now it’s time to look at what poor mentoring looks like. As with the characteristics that are favorable for mentors to have, there are many unfavorable characteristics as well. Many of us have encountered nurses put into the mentor role that have these characteristics and the experience as a whole was less than enjoyable or productive. One thing you may have learned from these experiences is hopefully what you never want to do if you are asked to perform in the mentor role!

12. What are some behaviors that make a poor mentor?
Break promises
Delegate unwanted jobs to students
Lack knowledge and expertise
Dislike their job and/or students
Have poor teaching skills
May be disliked by other members of the team
Have no structure to their teaching
Are distant, less friendly, unapproachable
‘Chop and change their minds’
Allow students to observe only (i.e. not participate)
Intimidate the students
Have unrealistic expectations
Are unclear about their students’ capabilities
Throw students in at the deep end
Gopee, 2011
Some of the behaviors exhibited by poor mentors are: They break promises, have poor teaching techniques, are distant, unfriendly and unapproachable.
They intimidate students or new nurses and they may have unrealistic expectations. A couple of the least productive behaviors for a mentor to have is that of only allowing students or new nurses to observe or only delegating jobs they don’t want to do.

13. Why is Mentoring Important? (Nursing)
Nurse recruitment and retention
Nurse satisfaction
(Mariani, 2012)
(RNOA, 2006)
We have all heard about the nursing shortage and despite increasing enrollment in Baccalaureate nursing programs, the shortage is seemingly going to continue (Mariani, 2012).
The factors that influence this shortage are an aging workforce, (according to statistics, 40% of all RN’s will be older than 50 by 2010), a shortage of nursing faculty, increasing healthcare needs, nursing burnout, and dissatisfaction. In the RNOA article, the author states that the benefits of mentoring include nurses who are mentored remain in their current position, have increased self esteem job enrichment and willingness to take risks.
In a study about mentoring and retention by Mariani, a statistical correlation between mentoring and retention was not found. However, those participating in the study were in favor of mentoring programs and had all participated in some form of mentoring in their career. There was a correlation between mentoring and job satisfaction which in turn led to retention.

14. Why is Mentoring Important? (Organizational)
Benefits to the organization from Mentorships
--Nurses will feel more valued and empowered
--Staff will feel as though they have more stake in the organization
--Nurses will be more dedicated
--Nurses will take more personal pride in their work, professional development, and career advancement
( Race & Skees, 2010)
Mentoring is important to the organization in that the nursing staff will feel more valued and empowered, they will feel as though they have more stake in the organization which in turn leads to dedication, personal pride in their work, professional development and career advancement

15. Why is Mentoring Important (Patients)
Mentors provide students and new nurses opportunities to:
Develop critical thinking
Bridge the gap between theory and practice
Enhance productivity
Enhance the sense of professionalism
Mentors help student and new nurses develop critical thinking skills, help bridge the gap between theory and practice, enhance productivity, and enhance the sense of professionalism. All of these things lead to quality patient care and improved patient outcomes.

16. Benefits of Mentoring
This short video was produced by Methodist Hospital in Texas, who has a formal mentorship program. It briefly explains how the program works and the benefits to both mentor and mentee and ultimately the patient.

17. Conclusion
Mentoring plays an important role in developing the potential in new nurses

18. Mentorship is important beginning at the undergraduate level and continuing throughout a professional nurse career. Leaders have a responsibility to promote effective mentoring. Mentoring can benefit all who invest (both mentor and mentee) through recruitment retention improving morale and Promoting professional development. All of this will ultimately improve the quality of bedside nursing care and patient outcomes.
Race & Skees, 2010

19. References