Module Components

• Overview
• Assignments

Topics

• Concept Mapping
• Clinical Instruction
• Preceptor
• Mentoring
• Reflection

Nurs 791 - Instructional Strategies and Assessment

Module 7: Learner Intensive Strategies

Mentoring

Mentoring is an educational process where the mentor serves as a role model, trusted counselor, and/or teacher who provides opportunities for professional development, growth, and support to less experienced individuals in career planning or employment settings.

The mentoring role is also a one-to one relationship, but distinct from that of a preceptor in that it is usually not “assigned”, and is a more long-term, personal and professional relationship. A discussion of the similarities and differences between preceptorship and mentorship is found in a report by Yonge and colleagues listed in the references below.

Since mentorship is a longer term relationship than preceptorship, it often takes place as learners enter the practice realm or transition from one role to another. This is particularly true since mentorship is often viewed as an important retention strategy for organizations such as hospitals. Examples are found in research with new pediatric staff nurses (Jakubik, 2008) and a residency program for new operating room nurses (Morgenthatler, 2008). A project designed to mentor new nurse executives within the Veteran’s Administration healthcare system (Weiss et al., 2008) describes transitions from various roles into the nurse executive role.

Mentorship is important as learners transition to faculty roles as well. Most schools of nursing have informal or formal mentoring available to new faculty members. Once such program is found at the University of Saint Francis in Indiana (Blauvelt and Spath, 2008).

Some mentorship relationships are even more long-lasting and may extend for many years as one’s career progresses and transitions across numerous roles.

References

• Brannagan, K.B. and Oriol, M., (2014).  A model for orientation and mentoring of online adjunct faculty in nursing.  Nursing Education Persepctives,  35(2), 128-130.
• Kessler, T.A. and Alverson, E.M. (2014).  Mentoring undergraduate nursing students in research.  Nursing Education Perspectives, 35(4), 262-264.
• Yonge, O., Billay, D., Myrick, F. and Luhanga, F. (2007) Preceptorship and mentorship: Not merely a matter of semantics. International Journal of Nursing Scholarship (online journal), Article 19. Yonge, O., Billay, D., Myrick, F. and Luhanga, F. (2007) Preceptorship and mentorship: Not merely a matter of semantics.International Journal of Nursing Scholarship (online journal), Article 19.

Is mentoring only face-to-face?

Telementoring is using technology to develop and sustain mentor/mentee relationships. Russell and Perris studied the use of telementoring and concluded that it is an effective tool in mentoring when face-to-face interaction is not available.