The language of mentoring in a health care environment

New Graduates' Experiences of Learning to Practise Occupational Therapy

This article presents findings from a qualitative study of six occupational therapists in the first year of their career, with a focus on the experience of transition and how beginning practitioners learn about doing practice. An initial interview was conducted with each participant in the third to fifth months of practice. The participants then maintained a journal for one month. A second interview was held with each participant in the eighth to tenth months of practice, which explored the learning experiences documented in the journals and changes in knowledge and skills since beginning practice.

The transitional experiences of the participants revealed that they were challenged by their limited practical experience, the responsibilities of client care, system issues and role uncertainty. The support of colleagues and peers was critical to their learning and eased their adjustment from student to occupational therapist. The relationship with clients was particularly valuable to the participants' learning and professional identity. Recommendations to bridge academic and clinical settings and ease the transition from student to therapist are proposed.

Meeting the complex needs of the health care team: identification of nurse-team communication practices perceived to enhance patient outcomes

Nurses occupy a central position in today's increasingly collaborative health care teams that place a premium on quality patient care. In this study we examined critical team processes and identified specific nurse-team communication practices that were perceived by team members to enhance patient outcomes. Fifty patient-care team members were interviewed to uncover forms of nurse communication perceived to improve team performance. Using a grounded theory approach and constant comparative analysis, study findings reveal two critical processes nurses contribute to as the most central and consistent members of the health care team: ensuring quality decisions and promoting a synergistic team. Moreover, the findings reveal 15 specific nurse-team communication practices that comprise these processes, and thereby are theorized to improve patient outcomes.