Mentorship in Clincal Practice
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- Date Submitted: 02/25/2015 02:34 PM
- Pages: 26
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This portfolio of evidence aims to discuss mentorship in relation to mentees and myself, the author. Enabling me to explore theories and provide proof of my professional development in the mentor’s role. Related features of mentorship including, teaching, assessing, communicating and liasing will be explored.
Professions such as solicitors and businessmen have adopted the theory of mentorship. In such areas the mentor has been defined as someone who aids the individual through important decisions in learning, adapting to new situations and establishing personal career growth (Clutterbrook, 1995).
In the world of nursing, mentorship is a more contentious issue with definitions often failing to specify the actual role of the mentor (Anforth, 1992). However the goals of the mentor appear to be clearer, that is providing clinical support, supervision and education to students (Andrews and Wallis 1998). The ENB (2001) state a mentor should facilitate learning, supervise, and assess students in the practice setting. The aspect of a mentor acting as an assessor may be argued as, the fundamental aspects of a mentor are to be friendly and supportive, where as those of an assessor incorporate passing judgements and often needing to fail students. Can a mentor therefore truly gain the confidence of a student if the student knows he/she is continually being assessed?
From clinical practice I have experienced a conflict of interest regarding assessing and mentoring. Whilst mentoring a nurse it was brought to light that she was having difficulties with a clinical skill (see appendix one). Her main concern was the safety of sole administration of controlled and non-controlled drugs via a syringe driver (a mechanical device designed to administer drugs via a subcutaneous infusion over a twenty four or twelve hour period). Upon discussion of the subject it quickly became apparent that the safety aspect was not the only issue and that her competencies regarding drugs...
Professions such as solicitors and businessmen have adopted the theory of mentorship. In such areas the mentor has been defined as someone who aids the individual through important decisions in learning, adapting to new situations and establishing personal career growth (Clutterbrook, 1995).
In the world of nursing, mentorship is a more contentious issue with definitions often failing to specify the actual role of the mentor (Anforth, 1992). However the goals of the mentor appear to be clearer, that is providing clinical support, supervision and education to students (Andrews and Wallis 1998). The ENB (2001) state a mentor should facilitate learning, supervise, and assess students in the practice setting. The aspect of a mentor acting as an assessor may be argued as, the fundamental aspects of a mentor are to be friendly and supportive, where as those of an assessor incorporate passing judgements and often needing to fail students. Can a mentor therefore truly gain the confidence of a student if the student knows he/she is continually being assessed?
From clinical practice I have experienced a conflict of interest regarding assessing and mentoring. Whilst mentoring a nurse it was brought to light that she was having difficulties with a clinical skill (see appendix one). Her main concern was the safety of sole administration of controlled and non-controlled drugs via a syringe driver (a mechanical device designed to administer drugs via a subcutaneous infusion over a twenty four or twelve hour period). Upon discussion of the subject it quickly became apparent that the safety aspect was not the only issue and that her competencies regarding drugs...