Conceptualizing the mentoring relationship: An appraisal of evidence

Institutional factors that affect faculty mentoring in academic nursing programs

BACKGROUND

Mentoring in academic nursing facilitates the acclimation of nurse faculty into academia, supports career development, and improves faculty satisfaction and retention. While studies have examined the characteristics of effective mentors, few have examined institutional influences on academic mentoring for faculty.

PURPOSE

To identify institutional factors that support or hinder faculty-to-faculty academic mentoring from the perspectives of experienced nurse faculty mentors.

METHOD

A qualitative descriptive approach was used to identify institutional factors that impact academic mentoring. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with experienced nurse faculty (n = 24) about their mentoring experiences. Remarks related to institutional factors were analyzed using conventional content analysis.

RESULTS

Five institutional factors that supported mentoring were identified: (1) support of unit leaders, (2) established processes and policies, (3) mentoring development opportunities, (4) faculty-to-faculty support, and (5) faculty rewards. Six institutional factors that hindered mentoring were identified: (1) lack of support of unit leaders, (2) limited mentoring development opportunities, (3) heavy workloads that restrict mentoring, (4) limited pool of mentors, (5) inadequate faculty rewards for mentoring, and (6) limited oversight of faculty mentoring.

CONCLUSION

The identification of institutional factors that support or hinder mentoring can inform academic leaders and program administrators in their efforts to strengthen mentoring.

Mentoring in Academic Nursing From the Perspectives of Faculty Mentors

AIM

The aim of this study was to create a theoretical framework that describes how mentoring relationships in academic nursing unfold from the perspectives of nurse faculty mentors.

BACKGROUND

Mentoring is a strategy that can promote the satisfaction and retention of nurse faculty. Although research has focused on the experiences of protégés in mentoring relationships, little is known about mentoring from the perspectives of nurse faculty mentors.

METHOD

Constructivist grounded theory was used to interview 24 experienced nurse faculty about their mentoring experiences.

RESULTS

The theoretical framework Growing Together: Mentors' Perspectives on Mentoring included four phases (getting together, getting going, going together, going beyond) and three strands (relationship with protégé, work of mentoring, emotional impact of mentoring).

CONCLUSION

Participants experienced a variety of benefits from mentoring while also experiencing a variety of challenges. Findings suggest that more resources are needed for experienced faculty who mentor novice nurse faculty.

Exploring the dark side of informal mentoring: Experiences of nurses and midwives working in hospital settings in Uganda

Mentoring literature explores the dark side of mentoring as factors such as gender and race and how they affect the overall mentoring experience. The sociocultural context of the nursing and midwifery professions presents unique characteristics warranting a qualitative exploration of negative mentoring experiences. We aimed to characterise the dark side of mentoring based on informal mentoring relationships occurring among nurses and midwives working in hospitals. Utilising semistructured interviews in a qualitative descriptive design and reflexive thematic analysis, we examined the perceptions of 35 nurses and midwives from three public hospitals located in the Western, Northern and North-western regions of Uganda. Findings emerged in four overarching themes mentoring process deficits, mentoring relational problems, organisational challenges in mentoring and implications of negative mentoring experiences. Our study findings underscore that, while mentoring is frequently beneficial, it can also be interspersed with negative experiences arising from relational dynamics, particular mentoring processes and the overarching hospital environment. Notably, nurses and midwives actively transformed these challenges into opportunities for growth and self-improvement, while introspectively examining their roles in contributing to these negative experiences. Such a proactive approach highlights their resilience and steadfast commitment to professional development, even in the face of adversity.

Development and evaluation of a neonatal nurse practitioner mentoring workshop

ABSTRACT

New graduate neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs) need more than an orientation; they need mentoring to facilitate successful role transition and enhance job satisfaction. A gap exists in the literature about mentoring participant training and launching of successful programs for NNPs. This article provides an overview of the development and evaluation of a nurse practitioner (NP) mentoring workshop before the start of a formalized mentoring program. Workshop participants attended a half-day education event with an emphasis on mentoring program expectations, mentor and mentee roles, and effective communication. After the workshop, participants completed an electronic survey to evaluate satisfaction with the teaching and areas for improvement. From January 2022 through January 2023, newly hired NPs paired with experienced NP mentors participated in this structured workshop. Twenty-eight participants in two cohorts evaluated the workshop to identify meaningful aspects of the presentations and areas for improvement. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the interactive components of the 4-hr workshop. An interactive mentoring workshop helps participants establish realistic expectations and mutual goals. Further study is needed to identify time- and cost-efficient strategies in the preparation of effective mentoring participants to enhance the quality of mentoring programs.

Developing and Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Nursing Leadership Mentoring Pilot Program

The nurse leader role is a vital role in ensuring quality, safety, and staff retention in the health care setting. A new nurse manager often receives little mentoring support when assuming a new role. Fifteen mentor/mentee pairs were provided with 6 training sessions specifically designed using the Hale Mentoring Up theoretical framework. Surveys and focus groups were conducted at mid- and endpoints. Data were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and loaded into NVivo 12. Two attributes that facilitated a positive mentoring relationship emerged from the qualitative analysis: interpersonal and organizational skills. Interpersonal skills included a mentor-mentee relationship that was built upon trust, flexibility, and learning and development; and organizational skills included building relationships both internally and externally. Furthermore, time was identified as a barrier to mentoring. A mentoring program is a vehicle to help support new nurse leaders through an educational intervention and mentoring support program. The development of a mentoring pilot program helps to strengthen future nursing leadership to support new leaders in their roles.

Mentoring-as-Partnership: The Meaning of Mentoring Among Novice Nurse Faculty

BACKGROUND

Mentoring is recommended as a strategy to improve satisfaction and retention of novice nurse faculty to help address the current faculty shortage. However, the meaning of academic mentoring varies among faculty, which can detract from the development of effective mentoring relationships in academia. This article details the meaning of mentoring as characterized by novice nurse faculty.

METHOD

Semistructured interviews were conducted with novice nurse faculty (n = 21) who participated in a mentoring relationship with experienced colleagues. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes detailing the meaning of mentoring as described by the participants.

RESULTS

The thematic analysis revealed an overarching theme of mentoring-as-partnership and three subthemes: (a) authentic communication, (b) enriching support, and (c) sharing knowledge.

CONCLUSION

To strengthen mentoring relationships in academic nursing, focus should be placed on supporting mentoring partnerships marked by mutuality and clearly defined goals, roles, and responsibilities. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(2):83-88.].

Australian general practice experiences of implementing a structured approach to initiating advance care planning and palliative care: a qualitative study

OBJECTIVES

Initiation of advance care planning (ACP) and palliative care (PC) assessments in general practice is key to quality end-of-life care. The Advance Project promotes a team-based approach to initiating ACP and PC needs assessment in general practices through training, resources and practical support for implementation from local primary health networks (PHNs). This paper aims to understand: (1) general practice participants' experiences of undertaking Advance Project training and implementing the Advance Project resources in their practices; (2) barriers and facilitators to implementation of Advance Project resources; and (3) PHN staff experiences of supporting general practices through training and practical support for implementation of the Advance Project resources.

DESIGN

Qualitative study using semistructured interviews and thematic analysis.

SETTING

Twenty-one general practices and four PHNs from three Australian states were recruited between June 2019 and May 2020.

PARTICIPANTS

General practitioners (GPs), general practice nurses, practice managers (PMs) and PHN staff.

RESULTS

45 participants comprising 13 GPs, 13 general practice nurses, 9 PMs, 3 allied health staff and 7 PHN staff were interviewed. The general practice participants generally agreed that the Advance Project training/resources led to changes in their own behaviour and increased their awareness of the importance of ACP/PC discussion with their patients. Participants reported the following benefits for patients: increased awareness of ACP; engagement with families/carers and peace of mind. Key facilitators for successful implementation were a team-based approach, the role of the PHN, the role of practice champions, training facilitators' ability to influence peers and facilitate change, and mentoring support. Barriers to implementation included issues related to workplace culture, cost, time/workload, patients and health system.

CONCLUSION

Findings suggest that the Advance Project approach facilitated successful implementation of ACP and PC needs assessment into usual care in general practices that encouraged teamwork among GPs and general practice nurses. The ability of the practice to make the best use of practical support and guidance available to them through their local PHN both before and during implementation was a key factor in integration of Advance Project resources into routine practice.

Blended Learning Using Peer Mentoring and WhatsApp for Building Capacity of Health Workers for Strengthening Immunization Services in Kenya

Innovative learning strategies are needed to improve frontline health workers' skills for achieving immunization coverage goals—now even more important with COVID-19. Peer mentoring and WhatsApp networking are low-cost and useful blended learning methods for need-based and individualized capacity building of health workers for improving immunization services that don't disrupt the health care workers' regular work.

Evidence from available studies suggests that peer mentoring is a useful tool to build health workers' knowledge, skills, and practices. However, there is a dearth of research on use of this method of learning in immunization programs. Although WhatsApp has been used as a networking platform among health care professionals, there is limited research on its potential contribution to improving the immunization competencies of health workers. This study showed that peer mentoring and WhatsApp networking are useful blended learning methods for need-based and individualized capacity building of health workers providing immunization services. Future research to assess the comparative cost-benefit between classroom-based training and peer mentoring (along with WhatsApp networking) will be useful.

Peer-mentees' challenges in an undergraduate peer-group clinical mentoring programme in a nursing education institution

Background

Clinical competency and professional growth amongst nursing students is the cornerstone of a nursing education programme. The demanding and complex training of nursing students requires various clinical teaching and learning strategies such as peer-group clinical mentoring.

Aim

The objective of this research was to explore and describe the challenges that peer-mentees experience in an undergraduate peer-group clinical mentoring programme in one-specific nursing education institution in the North West Province.

Setting

The study was conducted at a nursing education institution in North West Province.

Methods

A qualitative, retrospective case study research design was used. Two separate World Café sessions following a semi-structured schedule based on Gibbs Reflective Cycle were conducted with 51 peer-mentees who were mentored in clinical practice. Four levels of qualitative thematic data analyses were employed to analyse the data.

Results

Five themes emerged from the findings of the study, namely, poor implementation of the peer-group clinical mentoring programme, ineffective undergraduate peer-group clinical mentoring programme, undesirable attitudes of the mentors, mentors unprofessional conduct as well as communication challenges. Ten sub-themes emerged from the findings. Literature control was done to support the findings.

Conclusion

The findings showed that undergraduate nursing students faced a diversity of challenges in the effective learning and teaching of peer-mentees in a clinical context. Limitations and recommendations of the study were given. Recommendations were given for nursing practice, education and research.

Mentoring: A vital link in nurse practitioner development

Mentoring has been recognized in the discipline since the inception of nursing as a profession. The core elements of mentoring are a formal dyadic relationship, reciprocity, mutual respect, professional growth, personal development, trustworthiness, objectives, and a pathway to meet the objectives, clear expectations, shared values, personal connection, provision of a safe place for asking hard questions, navigation of roadblocks, and using lessons learned. Mentoring is important at all stages of professional development. Given that nursing is a profession dedicated to lifelong learning, mentoring can and should be employed at many stages of a career.

How do nurse managers describe clinical nurses' work arrangements? A qualitative study

Aim

The researcher sought to understand how nurse managers describe nurses in alternative work arrangements.

Design

The researcher conducted this study using grounded theory.

Method

Semi-structured interviews. A theoretical sample of 26 baccalaureate-prepared nurse managers located across the United States participated in the study.

Results

A typology of five work arrangements provides descriptors that contribute toward greater conceptual clarity on nurses' work arrangements. The data reveal that the typology is fluid because nurses can easily switch across work arrangements. Because the rise in alternative work arrangements means that nurses can leave permanent positions-or explore different work arrangements-when circumstances permit or necessitate, nurses who do not receive continued mentoring will likely bring their deficiencies in skill and/or knowledge to facilities where they find future employment. Hence, inadequate mentoring at the unit level has practical consequences for the quality of patient care at the institutional level.

How do nurses' work arrangements influence nurse managers' communication? A qualitative study

AIM

To understand how nurses' work arrangements influence nurse managers' communication with their nurses.

BACKGROUND

Transient work relations affect nurse coordination and the way nurse managers work, especially since giving feedback is an important managerial responsibility.

METHOD

Semi-structured interviews conducted between June 2016 and November 2017.

RESULTS

Although professional communication on direct patient care is mostly standardized, nurses' work arrangements influence how nurse managers mentor and provide feedback.

CONCLUSION

Facilities must explore avenues to provide nurse managers with adequate resources so that they can mentor both permanent and temporary nurses to their full professional potential. The implementation of formal mentoring programmes is important to ensure that temporary nurses receive the same information and support that permanent nurses receive and that permanent nurses feel comfortable to critically evaluate information from trusted sources.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Nurse managers with limited mentoring resources may have to make practical decisions on whom they mentor, but this practical approach becomes a problem when nurses who do not receive adequate mentoring bring their deficiencies to other facilities. The rise in alternative work arrangements requires a shift in thinking about mentoring as a managerial responsibility to improve nursing care delivery universally and not unit specific.

Scoping review of mentoring research in the occupational therapy literature, 2002-2018

INTRODUCTION

Mentoring affords personalised learning for professional growth. Research across disciplines has shown mentoring to positively affect behaviour, attitude, motivation, job performance, organisational commitment, and career productivity and success. This study was conducted to provide an overview of research focussed on mentoring practices and related outcomes specific to the occupational therapy profession.

METHODS

This study follows Arksey and O'Malley's five main scoping review stages. PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, ERIC, Social Services Abstract, ScienceDirect and ProQuest databases were searched for mentoring practices in the occupational therapy profession. Inclusion criteria were: empirical studies of mentoring provided to occupational therapy students, practitioners, faculty and researchers, published in English between January 2002 and December 2018. Studies of mentoring provided to occupational therapy clients were excluded. Data were extracted for quantitative information about study characteristics and qualitative information about mentoring processes and outcomes.

RESULTS

Of 1313 retrieved resources, 20 empirical studies were selected for analysis. In these studies, occupational therapy entry-level students, post-professional students, educators, researchers and clinicians were mentored in education, research and clinical areas of practice. Mentoring definitions, rationale, approaches and measurement methods were varied. Mentoring processes and relationships were facilitated by mechanisms of creating a plan, using mentoring strategies and providing support. Common defining terms, mechanisms and outcomes of mentoring were extracted and categorised into: support, learning, process and relationship. Mentoring outcomes were related to knowledge acquisition and translation, professional behaviours, increased productivity and professional networking.

CONCLUSION

This scoping review presented commonalities of mentoring definitions, mechanisms and outcomes in empirically studied mentoring experiences and programmes in the occupational therapy profession. Methodological gaps in this research emphasise the need for occupational therapy practitioners and researchers to continue researching mentoring experiences by integrating theoretical frameworks, uniform definitions, rigorous design and standardised measures to evaluate the effectiveness of mentoring.