Purpose of this assignment is to critically evaluate and analyse the role of a mentor which took place as a part of virtual student placement within a hospital setting. Mentor is someone who is a registered nurse and who can assess and help the students with their learning process in a practical area, Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, 2006). According to Bulman and Schutz (2013), reflection is an important part of the development of nursing skills and knowledge. In this essay I am using Chris as a virtual student as per the NMC code(2015), confidentiality maintained and all identifying information removed.
The nursing and midwifery council describe a mentor as a person who helps the students to learn and assess them throughout their
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It also says that a mentor has to be approachable, patient, flexible, and accessible, have thorough knowledge and good sense of humour for being effective mentor. Mentors are expected to be calm and adaptable which makes them a good leader too. According to Hodges (2009), the relationship of the mentor and student has to be based on the trust. A mentor should also discuss all the problems and issues with the student and expected to give a feedback.
Winterman et al., (2014) also says that mentoring experience must be based on planned learning activities and it has be in a clinical set up as it has to have an equal weighing on theory and practical. It is also necessary that they present the information to student in an easy and simple way, so that they can understand it. Every student is different and the mentor has to understand and adapt the learning style of them to facilitate the individual learning. As per Walsh (2010), different learning styles must be included. It is said that students will learn more if the teaching is addressed on individual needs and based on their ability with a humanistic approach (Hinchliff 2009).
According to the Stuart (2013), a student must spend atleast 40% of their practice under their mentor directly or indirectly. Mentoring of a student need lot of planning and time, so that the mentor can observe and get a clear understanding of student needs. NMC (2008) also emphasise that the student
46). The registered nurse mentor will acts as teachers by sharing knowledge and expertise, counselors by providing psychological support. May act as interveners by providing access to resources and protection, and sponsors by promoting the prestige as he or she facilitates self- reliance. This will provide the mentor with self-assurance, job approval, promotions, managerial skills, and problem-solving skills (Gordon, 2000)
The aim of this assignment is to critically reflect on the experience of mentoring and assessing a student in clinical practice. As the student was on a four week placement the assessment process will be discussed incorporating the qualities of the mentor and the effect it can have on the mentor/student relationship. In turn evaluating the learning environment and teaching strategies used including learning styles, reflecting on how they were applied to help the student. Finally, the evaluation of overall performance as a mentor. For the purpose of this work a pseudonym will be used to maintain confidentiality hence the student will be known as ’A’. ( NMC Code of Conduct 2007)
Throughout this clinical semester, I have worked with several different registered nurses (RNs) and have been able to develop mentoring relationships with many of the staff on the unit. During our time together, I interviewed several of my nurse mentors and elicited information regarding their nursing experiences and the culture of the environment in which they work. The following conversations provide a summarization of my nurse mentors’ responses to the selected interview questions.
I will use a reflective model to discuss how I have achieved the necessary level of competence in my nurse training programme. The reflective model I have chosen to use is Gibbs model (Gibbs 1988). Gibbs model of reflection incorporates the following: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and an action plan (Gibbs 1988). The model will be applied to the essay to facilitate critical thought, relating theory to practice where the model allows. Discussion will include the knowledge underpinning practice and the evidence base for the clinical skill. A conclusion to the essay will
Clutterbuck & Megginson (1999, p.17) describe mentoring as being like ‘standing in front of a mirror with a trusted other, who can help you see things that you do not know how to see, or that have become too familiar for you to notice’. It is a helping relationship between an individual with potential and an individual with expertise. This multi-dimensional relationship is a partnership between those in similar roles, who can support each other. A number of roles of the mentor have been listed by Bolton (2010, p.193): role model, enabler, teacher, encourager, counsellor, befriender, facilitator, coach, confidante, supporter and ‘un-learner’. To be successful roles and responsibilities of those involved need to be clear and they need to be matched to each other and understand expectations of them.
"This example shaped me as a leader," she says, and her work with a professional career coach convinced her of the strength of her newfound career.
A mentor is someone we all have whether it's your parents, friends, or even a total stranger! What makes them all the same? They all have great qualities. It could be that one of them happens to be an extraordinary listener or ]they might have great wisdom and patience. When you are looking for a great mentor, you are going to want someone with patience, determination, and listens
The following assignment will be written in first person as it is reflective in nature. Bulman and Schutz (2004) agree that to learn from an experience practitioners should go beyond description and reflect on that experience. The aim of this piece is to reflect on my role as a mentor and demonstrate my awareness of the responsibilities involved, whilst paying particular attention to the required learning outcomes 2-5 of the module. In keeping with the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2008) Code of Conduct anonymity will be adhered to and therefore no names of people or places will be mention.
It takes a lot of commitment to be a mentor, an appropriate meeting time needs to be discussed between mentor and mentee so that it doesn't conflict with family, school, and/or social life. Mentors are usually provided for: troubled teens, young children with busy parents that work, children or teens with special needs such as Autism or ADHD, or anyone under or over the age of 18 who needs to have one on one time with someone they trust and can talk to confidentially.
The Nursing and Midwifery council (NMC) standards of proficiency for pre-registration nursing education (2010) sets out exactly what student nurses must achieve to enable registration onto the first part of the register. Another NMC publication; Standards to support learning and assessment in practice (2006) lays out what a post registration nurse requires to fulfil in order to formally assess student nurses. These two sets of standards make it clear what is expected of both students and mentors when learning in the clinical environment. This makes the process of mentoring sound simple, however, the reality of working on a busy ward coupled with staffing shortages and low morale makes this a complex and challenging task (Ref). As a
I believe a good mentor should have the ultimate goal of successfully teaching the student, meanwhile, guiding them properly in a manner in which he/she learns by themselves. In the National Honors Society, I have participated in a program called “Mustang Buddies”.
Mentors have an important role in ensuring the acquisition of knowledge obtained at university translates into competency in practice and does not lead to the 'theory practice gap' described by Cope et al (2000). Mentors have to consolidate the knowledge taught in university into practice in the learning environment and allow the student to reflect on their performance and experiences.
Mentoring for the mentor is about challenging himself to perform to greater capabilities while nurturing a mentee and stretching them to realise their full potential. Mentors counsel, tutor and guide their mentees in developing themselves.
Learning mentors tend to work on a one to one level or in small numbered groups, a learning mentor must be a good listener, be able to encourage and motivate and act as a role model and encourage the build up of a mutually respectful relationship (Hayward, 2001).
Accompanied with the current shift towards more organic organisation structures and more emphasis on the learning organisation, mentoring provides a more all round experience to the mentees by getting them confident with their role with the organisation. It also improves communication throughout the organisation by allowing mentees to give feedback and learn in a not so formal fashion which helps people feel more relaxed and develops the formal and informal culture of the organisation.