Huston_Leadership Roles and Management Functions in Nursing,

Chapter 16 Educating and Socializing Staff in a Learning Organization

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LEARNING EXERCISE 16.4

Although some individuals use the terms preceptor and mentor interchangeably, they are not the same. For example, preceptors are usually assigned, but mentorship involves choice. The mentor makes a conscious decision to assist the protégé in attaining expert status and in furthering their career, and the mentee chooses to work with the mentor. In addition, precep tors have a relatively short relationship with the person to whom they have been assigned, but the relationship between the mentor and mentee is longer and more encompassing. Although mentoring relationships can vary significantly, typically, there are seven phases. The first phase includes determining whether a mentoring relationship would be helpful and if so, then finding and connecting with the right person (the second phase). Having mutual respect and an understanding is critical for a successful relationship. A successful mentoring relationship can be established only when a “chemistry” is present that fosters reciprocal trust and openness. This process is not automatic; it is intentional. The third phase is negotiating a mentoring agreement, including boundaries, goals, and deadlines. Setting goals is important because the mentor must understand what the mentee wants to accomplish and what their expectations are of the mentor in helping this to occur. This leads to developing rapport and building trust (phase 4). Deadlines should also be estab lished. At some point, the mentee should outgrow the need for the type of intensive coaching and support that is a big part of the mentoring relationship. The fifth phase is implementing the agreement. The intensity of the relationship escalates to high levels during this learning, listening, and growing phase. In phase 6, goals and objec tives are reviewed continuously to assess progress. The final phase is summarizing and formally concluding the mentoring relationship. The intensity of the relationship wanes as the mentee begins to move toward independence. Mentees should be able to articulate the change and growth that has occurred as part of the mentoring relationship. The last stage finds both the mentee and the mentor achieving a different, inde pendent relationship, hopefully based on positive, collegial characteristics. Display 16.7 depicts these phases of the mentoring relationship. Criteria for Preceptorship Y ou have been selected to represent your unit on a committee to design a preceptor program for your department. One of the committee’s first goals is to develop criteria for selecting preceptors. ASSIGNMENT: In groups, select a minimum of five and a maximum of eight criteria that would be appropriate for selecting preceptors on your unit. Would you have minimum education or experience requirements? What personality or behavioral traits would you seek? Which of the criteria that you identified are measurable?

Not every nurse will be fortunate to have a mentor to facilitate each new career role. Most nurses will be lucky if they have one or two mentors throughout their lifetimes.

Unfortunately, the literature suggests that many women have experienced reduced access to mentoring and may be disadvantaged to men when it comes to compensation, unconscious biases, and resources. In addition, traditional mentor–mentee relationships may not be as effective for