Mentorship: increasing retention probabilities

Exemplar or facilitator: An exploration of the lived experience of nurse mentors supporting the adaptation of internationally educated nurses

INTRODUCTION

Deficits in nursing workforces have led to major increases in overseas recruitment in many countries. Internationally educated nurses recruited within Ireland must complete an adaptation programme before they can practice nursing, a process contingent on the support from nurse mentors. However, it is becoming progressively difficult to identify nurses willing to act as mentors, threatening viability of overseas nurse recruitment. This research set out to address this problem by exploring the lived experiences of nurse mentors during the adaptation programme.

METHODS

An interpretative phenomenological analysis research design was utilised to explore the experiences of nurse mentors. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a maximum variance sample of 11 nurse mentors. The data were subjected to an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) sequential analytical approach yielding integrative themes.

RESULTS

The lived experiences of participants coalesced into three conceptual themes, mentor identity, sustainability, and learner socialisation. Participants who self-identified as 'mentor exemplars' expressed more negative perceptions of the role when compared with nurses who positioned themselves as 'mentor facilitators'. Nurse mentors were challenged by the complexities of intercultural dissonance and insufficient time and training for their mentoring role because of the pressures of clinical service.

CONCLUSION

Although mentorship is essential for the integration of internationally educated nurses, the sustainability of the mentorship role is contingent on how it is supported through training and protected within busy clinical environments. Critically, nurse mentors need to learn how to conceptualise their role as one of facilitating the development of others rather than presenting themselves as exemplary role models.

A lack of nurse autonomy impacts population health when compared to physician care: an ecological study

This study highlights that the contribution of nursing is secondary to physicians in overall population health (indexed with life expectancy at birth, e₍₀₎). Scatter plots, bivariate correlation and partial correlation models were performed to analyse the correlations between e₍₀₎ and physician healthcare and nursing healthcare respectively. Affluence, urbanization and obesity were incorporated as the potential confounders. The Fisher's r-to-z transformation was conducted for comparing the correlations. Multiple linear regression analyses were implemented for modelling that physicians' contributions to e₍₀₎ explain nurses'. Nursing healthcare correlated to e₍₀₎ significantly less strongly than physician healthcare in simple regressions. Nursing healthcare was in weak or negligible correlation to e₍₀₎ when physician healthcare was controlled individually or together with the three confounders. Physician healthcare remains significantly correlational to e₍₀₎ when nursing healthcare alone was controlled or when the three confounders were controlled. Linear regression revealed that nursing healthcare was a significant predictor for e₍₀₎ when physician healthcare was "not added" for modelling, but this predicting role became negligible when physician healthcare was "added". Our study findings suggested that nurses still work under the direction of physicians due to lack of autonomy. Without correction, health services will continue to transmit the invisibility of nursing healthcare from one generation of nurses to another.

Sustainable Working Life in Intensive Care: A Qualitative Study of Older Nurses

To counteract the shortage of nurses in the workforce, healthcare organizations must encourage experienced nurses to extend their working lives. Intensive care (IC) has higher nurse-to-patient ratios than other settings, which includes a particular susceptibility to staff shortage. This qualitative study investigated how older IC nurses experienced their working life and their reflections on the late-career and retirement. Semi-structured interviews with 12 IC nurses in Sweden (aged 55-65 years) were analyzed using an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach. The results showed that nurses planned to continue working until the age of 65 and beyond. When reflecting on their late-career decisions, nurses considered nine areas covering individual, work, and organizational factors as being central to their ability and willingness to stay. Overall, the nurses had good health and were very satisfied and committed to their job and to the organization. They mentioned having both the job and personal resources required to cope with the physical and mental job demands, which were perceived as motivational challenges, rather than hinders. They also reflected on various human resource management practices that may promote aging-in-workplace. These findings may inform organizations aiming at providing adequate conditions for enabling healthy and sustainable working lives for IC nurses.

Developing mentorship in a resource-limited context: a qualitative research study of the experiences and perceptions of the makerere university student and faculty mentorship programme

BACKGROUND

The aim of mentorship is to build the mentees capacity, enhance their skills and improve their ability to produce desired outcomes. However, the mentoring relationship is vulnerable to a number of challenges that may undermine its effectiveness and sustainability. We aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of student and junior faculty mentees and senior faculty mentors at the Makerere University College of Health Sciences and identify the key factors defined by mentees and mentors as necessary for a successful mentorship program.

METHODS

A qualitative design involving focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KII) was used. A total of eight KII and four FGDs were conducted, audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Open coding of the transcripts was performed, and major themes were identified through multiple readings based on thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Six key themes were shared by the mentees and mentors including: 1) defining the role of the mentor; 2) desired characteristics of a mentor and a mentoring relationship, with an emphasis on mutual trust and respect; 3) overlapping roles of mentors and supervisors; 4) issues with the process for identifying mentors, including the benefits and drawbacks of the mentee selecting mentor vs. being assigned a mentor; 5) current barriers to mentoring, including lack of knowledge about current program, lack of formal structure, uncertainly about who should initiate relationship, and unclear roles and expectations and 6) recommendations for the future development of mentoring programme, including the need for a formalized programme, and training adapted to the local context.

CONCLUSIONS

The mentees and mentors described the role of the mentor and desired characteristics of mentors and a mentoring relationship similarly. Most concerns about mentoring occurred when current mentoring programmes and practices were not well aligned with these desired characteristics. Recommendations for future development of mentoring included greater formalization of mentoring with mentoring programmes based on shared expectations and adapted to the local context.

Professional association group mentoring for allied health professionals

Purpose

– Mentoring is widely used in the health sector, particularly for early career professionals in the public health system. However, many allied health professionals are employed in private practice and rely on their professional association to provide mentoring support and training. This mentoring context is under-researched. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– A purposeful sample of 15 allied health professionals were interviewed using semi-structured interviews that were then analyzed using template analysis.

Findings

– The many-to-many group mentoring program delivered valuable knowledge, diagnostic skills and networking opportunities but did not provide inclusion, role modeling or psychosocial support to participants. Also identified were structural and operational issues including; the role of the coordinator in addressing contribution reluctance and participant confidence, confidentiality issues, lack of mentor training and overall organization of the program.

Practical implications

– Group mentoring is a valuable method of delivery for professional associations. The many-to-many group mentoring model is beneficial in a situation where the availability of mentors is limited. Further, the importance of having a dedicated program coordinator and a skilled facilitator is emphasized.

Originality/value

– This research contributes to the limited literature on many-to-many group mentoring by reviewing the effectiveness of an existing many-to-many group mentoring program for allied health professionals delivered by a professional association.

Concept analysis of professional socialization in nursing

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to clarify the process of professional socialization, and to identify its attributes, antecedents, and consequences in nursing. Rodgers' evolutionary method of concept analysis was used to clarify the concept of professional socialization in the field of nursing.

SOURCE

A literature review was conducted by performing a search on scientific databases using the key terms "socialization," "professional socialization," and "nursing." Four hundred forty-six papers for the period 1995-2009 were found, out of which 47 articles and 4 books were selected for the analysis. The process was audited by two independent experts in order to ensure neutrality and credibility.

CONCLUSION

Professional socialization is a complex process with four critical attributes: learning, interaction, development, and adaptation. Comprehensive educational programs, competent role models, and the provision of adequate field experiences were found to be the antecedents of these attributes. They have either positive or negative consequences for the professional development of nurses. These findings not only add to the body of knowledge, but also serve as an important impetus for further theory development and research in nursing.

Designing and implementing an ambulatory oncology nursing peer preceptorship program: using grounded theory research to guide program development

Having enough staff to provide high-quality care to cancer patients will become a growing issue across Canada over the next decades. Statistical predictions indicate that both the number of new diagnoses and the prevalence of cancer will increase dramatically in the next two decades. When combining these trends with the simultaneous trend toward health human resource shortage in Canada, the urgency of assuring we have adequate staff to deliver cancer care becomes clear. This research study focuses directly on oncology nurses. Guided by the grounded theory methodology, this research study aims to formulate a strategic, proactive peer preceptorship program through a four-phased research process. The goal of this research is to develop a program that will support experienced staff members to fully implement their role as a preceptor to new staff, to facilitate effective knowledge transfer between experienced staff to the new staff members, and to assure new staff members are carefully transitioned and integrated into the complex ambulatory cancer care workplaces. In this article, the data from the first phase of the research project will be explored specifically as it relates to establishing the foundation for the development of a provincial ambulatory oncology nursing peer preceptorship program.

What factors affect nursing retention in the acute care setting?

Moral distress and professional stress affect the lives of acute care nurses everyday. The impact of these stressors may be causing nurses to leave the acute care setting. This paper will outline the findings from a descriptive study of acute care nurses in Northeast Florida. The research was conducted in an effort to highlight some of the critical factors that impact nurses in the acute care setting and affect their intent to stay at an institution. The concepts of moral distress and professional stress in relation to nursing retention are highlighted and some strategies for lessening of these stressors are proposed. The study was correlational and conducted among 234 nurses in an institutional setting. The study included an online survey based on established Moral Distress and Professional Stress tools. In addition, a qualitative section was included to explore the nurses’ experiences of stressful inpatient situations. The results of this study demonstrated that when combined, both professional stress and moral distress items were predictive of the nurses’ intent to stay at the institution ( p <.001).

Relational dimensions of a positive integration experience for new mental health nurses

This study investigated the key aspects of a successful integration experience into mental health nursing from the perspectives of new nurses working in a psychiatric institution. Analysis of 10 semistructured interviews revealed that the relational atmosphere in which new nurses find themselves is determinant of their satisfaction with their integration experience. Quality relational connections with patients constitute the primary motivation of new nurses in choosing a career in mental health. At the same time, quality relational connections between and among team members sustain such motivation. Conversely, a negative relational atmosphere sets the stage for new nurses to experience disillusionment and despair.

Process and outcomes evaluation of retention strategies within a nursing workforce diversity project

A commitment to enhancing the diversity of the nursing workforce is reflected in the recruitment and retention strategies designed by Stony Brook University with support of a grant received from the Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration. Three specific student retention strategies are evaluated in terms of their influence on student inclusion and promotion of student success. A review of the cultural competence of teaching and learning strategies and the promotion of cultural self-awareness underpinned these strategies. A mentorship program designed to provide individual support for students, particularly for those engaged in distance learning, proved to be challenging to implement and underused by students. Students found other means of support in their workplace and through individual connections with the faculty. Instructional programs that enhanced individual skills in the use of computer hardware and software were particularly effective in promoting student success.

Mentoring early-career scientists for HIV research careers

Mentoring is important for early-career HIV researchers; it is key for work satisfaction, productivity, workforce diversity, and retention of investigators in a variety of research settings. Establishment of multidisciplinary research projects often is accomplished through mentoring. The work of early-career HIV investigators frequently requires networks of collaborators, and networking is regularly facilitated by mentors. A structured mentoring program that avoids unnecessary conflicts or time burdens and connects early-career investigators with senior mentors from different disciplines may stimulate new networking possibilities and lead to effective collaborations among investigators with different skills and perspectives. Effective mentoring by focused mentors will likely contribute to the skills and networks of investigators necessary for the next generation of HIV investigators.