Background: Challenges of retaining registered nurses in the profession is a global issue[1]. Support is an important factor for retaining nurses[2], and even though mentorship have been found to reduce turnover rate for nurses[3], it is still not a fully integrated routine in all health care units. To fill the knowledge gap, the aim of this study is to describe registered nurses’ experiences of being a mentor for newly qualified nurses.
Methods: Members of the collaborative project Becoming a Professional Nurse performed individual interviews in health care units in Sweden and Norway. Participants were registered nurses (n=21) who had mentored at least one newly qualified nurse. Transcribed interview data were analysed using qualitative content analysis[4].
Preliminary results: To be a mentor were described as; being a role model for the mentees, creating an inclusive and open environment, and developing as a professional. To be successful mentors, they described a need of; scheduled time, support from colleagues, education about mentorship, arenas for exchange of experience, and attendant leaders. Conclusions: There is a need of a structured organization to promote mentorship. More research is needed to develop, test and evaluate evidence-based mentorship programs in the health care units.
[1] World Health Organisation. (2020). State of the world's nursing 2020: investing in education, jobs and leadership. ISBN: 978-92-4-000327-9 [2] Akerjordet, K., Furunes, T., & Haver, A. (2018). Health-promoting leadership: An integrative review and future research agenda. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 74(7), 1505-1516. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13567 [3] Zhang, Y., Qian, Y., Wu, J., Wen, F., & Zhang, Y. (2016). The effectiveness and implementation of mentoring program for newly graduated nurses: A systematic review. Nurse Education Today, 37, 136-144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2015.11.027[4] Lindgren, Lundman, B., & Graneheim, U. H. (2020). Abstraction and interpretation during the qualitative content analysis process. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 108, 103632–103632. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2020.103632
2022.
8th International Nurse Education Conference, Sitges, Spain, October 19-22, 2022