Nursing School Mentor Programs - Help!

[punkyballstar]

Hello!

A fellow student and I are reseaching into starting a mentor program amongst upper & lower level classmen for our school. We were wondering if anyone here has had any experience with a mentor, how it was, etc.

Was it beneficial, a waste of time, was there something that could have been done a little better?

Any info. you would be willing to share would be wonderful! Thanks so much!

Punkyballstar :)

[pinkiepie_RN]

I don't have direct experience with it, but I think it's a great idea. It's something I really wanted to develop within my school but I wasn't sure who to go to or how it would work. I'm a second semester senior but I'm going to try to talk to instructors that I trust to see if there's any way we can plan something like it. Let me know how things work out!

[charleston990]

Hi,

My university offers a mentor program. I've signed up for it this semester (as a mentee, that is), and so its hard to give you my overall opinion. Thus far, though, it has been helpful. Mostly, we have just been meeting for lunch with our mentors or emailing them when we need advice. I think its benefit really depends on what you're looking to get out of it. If you're looking at it as a program that is an integral, irreplaceable part of the first year nursing experience - it probably won't be. It doesn't need to be extremely involving, but rather to work as a guide when needed. It is helpful as a new student to have another student who has been there before to ask advice about hospitals, classes, time management, etc when I really need help. And lets face it, I am fairly clueless as to the little details this first semester and I can't really go running to my advisor with all of my little queries or kidnap the first nursing senior I see in the hall.

I wouldn't expect my program to give me a buddy to hang out and study with every afternoon, but its nice to have some backup when I need it. Its nice to have them check in with me periodically to see if they can help me in the areas I'm struggling with.

[truern]

When I was in NS I had a mentor that I later found out had about 10 "little sisters" therefore she didn't really have time for any of us. When I was I senior student I was so busy with school and extracurricular activities that I didn't feel I could be a good mentor. Since graduation though I've mentored a student all the way thru NS...loaning her books, giving advice, etc. I'd like to think I've helped :)

[vashtee, RN]

We had a mentor program at my school, and I offered to mentor a student. I gave her my email and phone number, but she never contacted me. To be honest, that was fine - I was really too busy to even notice the lack of contact until the semester was over.

As for me - I pretty much designated one of my clinical instructors as my mentor. She was a great one to have - she got me a job. :)