on 4 d QU Q P ~ x ip

Jo Meigs, RN

Mentoring Building Nursing’s Future Now

remember my first high-risk delivery. I was terrified! My patient was a

victim of smoke inhalation with a tracheotomy. The CNS, Pat, stood

by my side as I bagged the patient. She spoke to me in calm, reassur-

ing tones and gradually I began to feel confidence about meeting this clinical

challenge. When I stopped for a moment to observe my work, she whispered

quickly and quietly, “You must bag for the patient to breathe.”

I t was there, in that moment, that Pat became my mentor. Pat never altered in her belief that individuals learn best through positive reinforce- ment-not reprisal. I followed her everywhere-including to my first NAACOG (now AWHONN) meet- ing more than 15 years ago.

Recall for a moment the nurses who have influenced you as a leader or clinician. Undoubtedly, their influence may be the guiding voice in your subconscious when making critical clinical decisions or the spirit you emulate as an admin- istrator. For those of us who have benefited from mentoring, it’s a tra- dition we feel compelled to contin- ue and share.

Finding Mentors Mentoring provides the chance to change the perspective of the com- placent and to give direction and guidance to the novice. It’s a com- mitment made by individuals within an organization that can create and foster an environment that attracts and maintains the best and the brightest.

Mentoring is found throughout our culture-from a recent Seinfeld television episode where one o f the characters goes person to person in “search o f the perfect mentor,” to

Jo Meigs, R N , is a clinical iiiirse man- ager at Preiitice Women’s Hospital i i i

Chicago, /I,.

Fortune 500 companies that spon- sor national mentoring programs. The common thread throughout is the commitment of an experienced individual to cultivate the learning, career development, and profession- al goals o f others.

So how can mentoring impact the health care setting? As nursing faces increasing staffing challenges in many practice areas, mentoring may well become an essential tool for recruitment, development, and staff retention. And regardless of budgetary o r staffing resources, what’s essential is that organiza- tions establish a culture where men- toring is encouraged, so that indi- viduals can learn, challenge, and question without risking disap- proval or reprisal in a nonthreaten- ing climate of trust (Tepper, 1995).

Mentoring today is less likely leaders taking individuals “under their wing” and more so skilled staff and experts seeking each other out for information-sharing and learning exchanges. As nurses become more familiar with mentor- ing, they’re beginning to set expec- tations, t o identify and seek out mentors t o help them reach their goals. Similar to the Seinfeld char- acter searching for the “perfect mentor,” nurses are expecting advice and guidance from experts in their fields to put them on success- ful career paths.

Mentoring can be as simple as sharing similar experiences with a

Developiizg Mentors The word ”mentor” also provides a helpful acronym for differentiating the skilis required for mentoring as compared with preceptors (Strzalka, 19961

Manage through guidance

Educate through experiences

Notify of progress

Time, commitment, trust

0 rga n ize prof essiona I develop men t

Respect, support

February/March 1999 A W H O N N L i f e l i n e s 55

younger nurse facing her first diffi- cult clinical outcome, or seeking out continuing education and clinical experiences for a nurse who wants to expand her high-risk obstetric knowledge and skills.

vide clinical opportunities for their mentes, and watch the individual soar. For example, one nurse, who we’ll call Myra, often cared for patients suffering perinatal loss. Because of her work, she expressed an interest in broadening the scope of her hospital’s program. Working with her mentor, she found the sup- port and resources to develop an educational program for the hospi- tal and office staff, directed the pur- chase of “Remembrance Boxes” for families suffering perinatal loss, became a certified grief counselor, developed an orientation for new staff concerning perinatal loss, and has been awarded a hospital schol- arship for best practice.

Often, mentors seek out and pro-

Supporting Mentoring Leaders will want to establish guidelines among their staff that extends mentoring beyond man- agers to a successful peer-based sup- port system. The first step is to edu- cate and develop staff-both pre- ceptors and mentors. During the time when a nurse is serving as a preceptor, there’s an artificial com- fort zone created by the fact that the nurse is only given so much time with this new employee, and then she or he will be moving on to the next orientee. The relationship is complicated, however, because the preceptor is expected to evalu- ate the orientee, which may dampen

the orientee’s willingness to ask questions that might cast an unfa- vorable light on an evaluation.

tinuing education, professional development and encouragement where the preceptor leaves off, thereby creating a nurturing envi-

Mentors can pick up with con-

cerns or progress. Action plans were then developed or evaluated as needed to meet the identified goals. Management can offer additional expertise when goals extend beyond the mentor’s scope such as tuition for continuing education, behav- ioral issues, and so on. The result

As nursing faces increasing staflng challenges in many practice areas, mentoring may well become

an essential tool for recruitment, development, and staff retention.

ronment that helps retain staff. A mentoring program also diminish- es the sometimes perceived need to ask “Is anyone watching the new person?”

Developing Mentors Just as effective preceptors need to be developed, so do good mentors. It’s suggested that mentors have at least three years of experience and attend an in-service. Depend on staff recommendations in selecting mentors-particularly those staff who may not want to serve as pre- ceptors yet would enjoy mentoring other nurses.

Once identified, it’s helpful to note the role of staff members as either preceptor or mentor on their name badges to acknowledge their willingness and commitment to these roles. One nursing unit found it helpful that, after orientation, the mentors were expected to meet monthly with the mente to infor- mally discuss any identified con-

The Leader’s Role in Mentoring It’s the responsibility of nursing leaders to continually develop the necessary characteristics for nursing staff to be successful mentors. Exceptional mentors: H serve as a guides H have strong listening skills

share successes and mistakes make a commitment of time and purpose

H have the ability to trust accept the limitations of others

H recognize potential

will be an increased sense of team- work and staff empowerment.

Leaders need to advocate for mentoring programs in their organi- zations. Mentoring is an opportuni- ty t o formalize sharing knowledge and expressing a commitment to future generations by ensuring they are developed as caring and com- mitted professionals. As each men- tor practices hidher skills and shares hidher abilities, nurses will continue to pass on the gift that once was shared with them. +

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56 A W H O N N L i f e l i n e s Volume 3, Issue 1