mentoring

Originally posted by ddstanly

I am a nurse educator interested in mentoring, especially in regards to new faculty. It seems that many new faculty members are frustrated and experience somewhat of a reality shock the first year of their new career. Some even decide to leave (which is really unfortunate considering the shortage of faculty).Does anyone know of a mentoring model that has worked for your institution or have any ideas about how to help new faculty?

Can't answer that for you, but sure wish I had one where I work !

I was there as a hemodialysis tech for 5 years, now still there as an RN, and somehow, everyone thinks I ABSORBED everything I'm supposed to know about the dialysis RN duties by osmosis... simply because I've been in the facility for so long ! WRONG !!!

I focused on what I NEEDED to know and learn to peform to my best abilities at the position I was IN at the time.. paid little attention to the nursing issues... had my hands full with what MY responsibilities were. I feel like I have to beg for every little scrap of info on what my NEW challenges are...VERY frustrating !

Not intentional, I'm sure... we are just soooooooooo busy and have no time for anything. And everyone just assumes I "know" what I'm supposed to know ! But I DON'T... and I WANT to LEARN... want to feel confident and COMPETENT... but have had zero RN orientation and very little "mentoring"... everyone's too busy keeping up and doing what needs doing... sometimes I feel so USELESS.

I don't WANT to learn in bit and pieces by the seat of my pants... I want to be taught everything I need to know to function as I am intended to there, as if I had just walked through the door... not as someone who's been there 6 years.

OK... I'm done now. Thanx. Can you send me a mentor now?

I had a colleague who rated "From novice to expert" highly and I think it was related to advanced practice in our profession, not just student to RN. Sorry, can't recall the author, but was well known so should be easy to find.

Any of the models that clinical teachers use to teach student RNs should work for you as the skills here are practical as well as academic. And I know this does not address your 'mentoring' issue. I still feel (see previous posts) that the USA does a very poor job of producing an appropriately educated educator for its nurses and you may need to teach some basics.

My own Ed. college used teaching practice with feedback from a peer in the class (of new teachers) and an experienced teacher/mentor evaluating every session, in conjunction with pre and post briefings. Lots of emphasis on getting the objectives right and meeting them creatively by using the various teaching techniques appropriate to group size etc.

I also feel that any program that graduates educators who then leave because of variants of 'reality shock' needs to re-evaluate its appropriateness. Your mentor approach is a great start, but you might need to get buy in from whence your newbie educators arrive.

I have actually met resistance to a mentoring approach along the lines of "I've graduated with a subspecialty in education" - this after one part time semester!

Sorry this is more neg. than pos. I do think you are on the right lines.

Indie,

Are you referring to Benner?

Barbara

I am a nurse educator interested in mentoring, especially in regards to new faculty. It seems that many new faculty members are frustrated and experience somewhat of a reality shock the first year of their new career. Some even decide to leave (which is really unfortunate considering the shortage of faculty).Does anyone know of a mentoring model that has worked for your institution or have any ideas about how to help new faculty?

Unfortunately, the mentoring program at my school is sink or swim (after being thrown in 12 feet of water, surrounded by sharks). I feel like I have emerged from a war zone, but I have made it past my first year.

At the college level, the mentoring was on an informal basis, therefore it was incomplete. However, when I taught a vocational course in a K-12 setting, I had an assigned mentor for the entire year. She was always available to help me make decisions about handling situations. She also helped me set up my gradebook, etc. A good mentor can make all the difference.