Page 325 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

292 n MENTORING

similarity of age, experience, and education. studies in nursing education that demon-
Both expert and peer-collegial mentors are strated mentorship as being a key process in
M important as they offer different perspec- facilitating academic success and retention,
tives and assistance. Having several different scholarly productivity, clinical excellence,
types of mentors at different career stages is and leadership development. Increasingly,
recommended for the complexity of the nurs- nursing education programs are establishing
ing career. formal mentor programs among students,
All levels of nurses may benefit from faculty, and alumni to foster learning, schol-
both individual and collective mentoring. arship, and development of academic careers.
Individual mentoring occurs when men- Ongoing studies continue to document the
tors and protégés choose each other through value of mentoring for nursing students and
mutual attraction, common interests and faculty.
goals, and mutual admiration and trust. This Formal mentoring programs within clin-
relationship can be expert to novice as well ical environments contribute to a supportive
as peer to peer. Collective mentoring occurs professional practice environment and are
in a formalized program in which mentors particularly valuable for the novice nurse. The
and protégés are “matched” or “assigned” to mentored novice nurse is socialized into the
each other to accommodate special goals and professional role and supported in the devel-
needs. Formal mentor programs are often opment of clinical competence, safe patient
part of orientation programs for novices or care, self-confidence, work satisfaction, and
newly hired nurses in clinical settings, in professional commitment (Barton, Gowdy, &
schools of nursing for students and/or fac- Hawthorne, 2005; Pelico, Brewer, & Kovner,
ulty, and as special programs for members 2009; Roberts, Jones, & Lynn, 2004). Nelson,
of professional or specialty nursing associa- Godfrey, and Purdy (2004) found that novice
tions. Establishing a culture of mentoring in nurses in mentor programs gained skills in
organizations and professions unleashes the nursing process, gained critical think-
human potential, talent, and achievement ing skills, and had a greater understanding
and provides multiple benefits to the indi- of the organizational culture. For experi-
vidual, the workplace, and the profession enced nurses, mentoring provides ongoing
(Vance, 2011). support, clinical development and expertise,
The positive outcomes of mentoring in expanded career opportunities, and lead-
educational settings, clinical workplace, pro- ership development (Johnson et al., 1994;
fessional associations, and scholarship and Reeves, 2004; Schoessler & Farish, 2007; Vance
research activities are being documented in & Larson, 2002). One study found that rela-
extensive anecdotal and research-based lit- tionships with peers, mentors, and patients
erature. The necessity and value of mentor were directly instrumental in nurses’ ability
connections for the leadership development to perform at higher levels of expertise and
of nurses throughout the entire career spec- leadership (Roche, Morsi, & Chandler, 2009).
trum is becoming well established in the Recruitment and retention in the clinical
profession. workplace are also enhanced through for-
The educational milieu is a prime site for mal mentor programs and the establishment
mentorship. Mentoring is a relational phe- of a mentoring culture (Butler & Felts, 2006;
nomenon and is therefore a natural compo- Funderburk, 2008; Greene & Puetzer, 2002;
nent of teaching and learning. Students at Olson et al., 2001; Vance, 2007). Mentorship
all levels, junior and senior faculty, and aca- is also closely linked to the establishment of
demic administrators benefit from mentor- respectful collegial and mentor relationships
ing relationships. Olson and Vance (1998) and that empower and support nurses’ clinical
Vance and Olson (1998) reviewed research excellence (Laschinger, Finegan, & Wilk, 2009;