A literature review of mentorship programs in academic nursing

A comparison of faculty led, mentorship program and peer mentoring on nursing students wound dressing clinical skills

BACKGROUND

The promotion of clinical nursing education requires using modern educational methods to develop students' knowledge and skills. There are however many different models by which education can be delivered with a wealth of literature supporting varying approaches. This is of particular relevance to clinical education where to date no singular approach has been identified as being the most appropriate.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to compare and investigate the effect of a peer education method, a mentor-led education method versus a traditional faculty-led method for instruction regarding surgical wound care skills among nursing students.

DESIGN

This study used an experimental three-group pre- and post-test design.

SETTINGS

The research was conducted within two surgical wards of a university-affiliated hospital in the west of Iran.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 102 nursing students (first and second year) were assigned to three groups; peer-led learning group (n = 34), mentorship-led group (n = 34) or a faculty-led control group (n = 34).

METHODS

To ascertain performance in surgical dressing skill, data was collected in each group before and after the respective educational intervention. Data was collected using a surgical dressing skills checklist made by the research team which was piloted prior to the study. All statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v.22.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL).

RESULTS

Based on findings, after the intervention, the mean (SD) scores of surgical dressing and wound care skills were 28.24 (4.63), 31.76 (4.89), and 29.12 (5.33) for the peer-led, mentor-led and faculty-led groups, respectively. There was no significant difference between mentor group and faculty group or between peer group and faculty group (P > 0.05). However, the findings did demonstrate statistical difference in performance in surgical dressings and wound care techniques in the mentorship group method compared to the peer method (P = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

Although participants in the mentor group performed best of all groups, our findings demonstrate that those in the peer method group performed as well as those in the faculty-led group in surgical dressing performance. Therefore, it is recommended that peer and mentor learning methods are given consideration by curriculum planners in for use in the development of student nurse clinical skill and competence in surgical wound care.

Strengthening Mentoring in Low- and Middle-Income Countries to Advance Global Health Research: An Overview

Mentoring is a proven path to scientific progress, but it is not a common practice in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Existing mentoring approaches and guidelines are geared toward high-income country settings, without considering in detail the differences in resources, culture, and structure of research systems of LMICs. To address this gap, we conducted five Mentoring-the-Mentor workshops in Africa, South America, and Asia, which aimed at strengthening the capacity for evidence-based, LMIC-specific institutional mentoring programs globally. The outcomes of the workshops and two follow-up working meetings are presented in this special edition of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Seven articles offer recommendations on how to tailor mentoring to the context and culture of LMICs, and provide guidance on how to implement mentoring programs. This introductory article provides both a prelude and executive summary to the seven articles, describing the motivation, cultural context and relevant background, and presenting key findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

The Academic Coach: A Program for Nursing Student Success

BACKGROUND

According to the U.S. Census, 63.7% of the population is Caucasian, whereas 36.3% are minorities. In the United States, 33.1% of RNs are considered ethnic minorities whereas in Nebraska only 6.3% of RNs are minorities. Specific measures are needed to prepare a more diverse nursing workforce. The use of specific supportive methods directed toward educationally disadvantaged and minority nursing students may improve retention.

METHOD

The University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing-implemented the Health Resources and Services Administration funded Generation Link to Learn (LTL) to help educationally disadvantaged students to be successful in a baccalaureate nursing degree (BSN) program of study.

RESULTS

Students in the LTL program were successful in the BSN program, with 88% (24 of 27) of students graduating.

CONCLUSION

Multiple supports, including robust academic coaching and scholarships, are effective strategies to help educationally disadvantaged nursing students. [J Nurs Educ. 2019;58(11):661-664.].

High enthusiasm about long lasting mentoring relationships and older mentors

BACKGROUND

Mentoring plays a pivotal role in workplace-based learning, especially in the medical realm. Organising a formal mentoring programme can be labor and time intensive and generally impractical in resource constrained medical schools with limited numbers of mentors. Hence, informal mentoring offers a valuable alternative, but will be more likely to be effective when mentors and protégés share similar views. It is therefore important to gain more insight into factors influencing perceptions of informal mentoring. This study aims to explore mentors and protégés' perceptions of informal mentoring and how these vary (or not) with gender, age and the duration of the relationship.

METHOD

We administered an Informal Mentor Role Instrument (IMRI) to medical practitioners and academics from Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was developed for the study from other validated instruments. It contained 39 items grouped into 7 domains: acceptance, counselling, friendship, parenting, psychological support, role modelling and sociability.

RESULTS

A total of 103 mentors and 91 protégés completed the IMRI. Mentors had a better appreciation for the interpersonal aspects of informal mentoring than protégés, especially regarding acceptance, counselling and friendship. Moreover, being older and engaged in a longer mentoring relationship contributed to more positive perceptions of interpersonal aspects of mentoring, regardless of one's role (mentor or protégé).

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that the expectations of mentors and protégés differed regarding the content and aim of the interpersonal characteristics of their mentoring relationship. We recommend mentors and protégés to more explicitly exchange their expectations of the informal mentoring relationship, as typically practiced in formal mentoring. Additionally, in our study, seniority and lasting relationships seem crucial for good informal mentoring. It appears beneficial to foster lasting informal mentoring relationships and to give more guidance to younger mentors.

Mitigating Barriers to Doctoral Education for Nurses

AIM

This article reports preliminary outcomes of the Guiding Initiative for Doctoral Education, which promotes success in doctoral study.

BACKGROUND

Nurses face challenges as they move intentionally, effectively, and expediently toward earning the doctorate. Selecting the doctoral education best suited to individual career goals is essential for success.

METHOD

An intensive, daylong program focused on setting goals, generating personal action plans, and mobilizing resources to promote success in application and return to the role of student.

RESULTS

Based on 70 nurses who participated in seven programs, 22 (31 percent) were admitted to their doctoral program of choice (6 PhD, 15 DNP, 1 EdD).

CONCLUSION

Nurses benefit from and value learning about the options for doctoral study, requirements for educational opportunities, the nature of the commitment required, challenges commonly encountered during the process, and the impact advanced education can be expected to have on immediate and long-term career opportunities.

A group think tank as a discourse coalition to promote minority nursing faculty retention

BACKGROUND

The nursing profession will need one million more nurses by 2024, yet nursing schools are turning away applicants due to insufficient numbers of nursing faculty. Likewise, minority nursing faculty are needed in order to attract diverse nursing students who can then address health care disparities.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of a group think tank (GTT) as a mentoring strategy for supporting the recruitment and retention of minority nursing faculty.

METHOD

Guided by Kotter's theory of change, this paper describes the application of the GTT approach with 5 African American (AA) faculty, one AA doctoral student and a cross-cultural mentor.

FINDINGS

Results are presented based upon the metrics typically used to support career advancement, promotion and/or tenure.

DISCUSSION

The GTT is a promising mentoring model that can be used to integrate cross-cultural and peer mentoring into academic communities to support diversity in academia.

Development and Implementation of the Inaugural Anatomy Education Research Institute (AERI 2017)

Education research is increasingly being recognized as a legitimate route for faculty development in universities. However, many anatomy faculty lack the appropriate training and access to experienced mentors who can help them develop their own education research projects. Inspired by the American Physiological Society's Institute for Teaching and Learning, the coauthors proposed and developed the inaugural Anatomy Education Research Institute (AERI 2017). Funded by an American Association of Anatomists Innovations grant, the five-day institute was held in Bloomington, Indiana in July 2017. The coauthors spent two years preparing the conference schedule, inviting speakers who could discuss education research topics and mentor applicants, reviewing applications, developing assessment instruments for the institute, and hosting the institute. A total of 62 registered participants (applicants and invited speakers) attended AERI 2017. Through a series of presentations and workshops, participants were introduced to many aspects of education research and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, including developing rigorous education research questions, determining appropriate methods to assess these questions, and searching the education research literature. Each day also included regular time devoted to work on their own education research project with help from more experienced mentors. Throughout the conference, participants were encouraged to post information on Twitter, using the hashtag #AERI2017. Participants had strong positive impressions of the conference and strongly requested future AERI conferences be held. Follow-up analyses will assess the institute in alignment with Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Evaluation Model, though preliminary evaluation indicates AERI 2017 met the original aims of the proposal.

Midcareer Faculty Needs Identified by the Midwest Nursing Research Society Midcareer Scholars Task Force

The midcareer academic period is largely unexplored despite its lengthy duration and challenging career expectations at academic institutions. The Midwest Nursing Research Society (MNRS) formed a Midcareer Scholars Task Force to address this gap. All active members of MNRS were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey, of which 286 members completed. The most frequently perceived institutional support for midcareer scholars was for conference attendance followed by librarian assistance. Most assistant and associate professors perceived mentoring as a critical MNRS organizational activity to advance their research and careers; however, full professors saw MNRS’s responsibility in mentoring midcareer scholars differently. Existing academic institutions were perceived as limited in their support and success in midcareer scholar mentorship efforts. There are considerable needs for midcareer scholar support and mentoring, and professional organizations can play an important role to fill this gap. Targeted mentoring and professional development initiatives are needed to better support midcareer faculty.

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.