Part 1: Introduction
When it comes to mentoring, most people think of when they think of mentoring: a spontaneous, casual relationship where a senior person takes a junior person "under his or her wing" and then give them some long-term counsel and guidance. In my own life, I have a position of being senior staff nurse and midwife. I have over 12 years of experience with being a nurse and delivering babies. However, as far as education goes five of those years it took five years to become a nurse. Then I specialized specifically in midwifery which took a year. I have found that Midwifery has huge highs and huge lows. Nevertheless it is such a rewarding and honestly miraculous career that I feel honored to have been given the chance to pursue. It makes you cry and laugh in equal measure, but every second is worth it.
I chose to go into the profession of being a certified Nurse Midwife, because the most highly-trained midwife is every so often the best choice for a soon-to-be mother, as they debatably have the most massive and useful knowledge and ability in birthing, helping a mother’s newborn be born. I chose Mrs. C because she understood that practice based learning is also crucial in the profession of nursing because of the vocational nature of the work, and need of measuring clinical competency and protection the public . My demonstration of demonstrating my suitability to supervise and measure students in a practice setting and successful achievement of the accepted mentorship program will allow me to meet the definition of a mentor (D, 2008)and reach an important part that every nurse has to take on formally, in the end . My goal is to teach about the examination of a newborn baby.
Part II: Identifying Learning Needs
When it comes to identifying the needs, it is important, to understand the foundation for being a good mentor is in building a good working relationship with the student. However, being able to achieving this one initial, important goal with Mrs. C will be able to solidly underpin every other feature of mentorship and do much to decrease the normal anxieties of the student on a new placement.
It is important that both the student and the clinical placement staff will need to be aware of who is going where before the placement begins. It is crucial to recognize that a mentee to understand the process for doing the midwife mentorship. Similarly a good ward team and mentor will encourage the mentee to come on an initial visit just to be given the above information and to just say hello. I planned to make sure that Mrs. C time has as much help in order to reduce anxiety on a first day if the mentee already recognizes one or two faces. The clinical team should allocated the mentor well in beforehand of the mentee arriving and I would be allocated on the basis that they can stay with the student for the period of the assignment.
On a pre-placement visit Mrs. C will be introduced to me and then have a quick chat and any placement type reading can be done together with what is called the placement information pack, outlining learning midwifery chances and ward information, shift pattern, and dress code. Things like off duty rotas will then be planned together and a pre-placement visit should also be the forum for any type of cooperation over study days and child care needs in order that the anxiety over these can be managed previous to the placement. Mrs. C will be given a good welcoming pre-placement visitation which can start the process of socialization into the midwifery mentor program and its culture and can provide the mentee an early sense of fitting in.
One of the activities that will be used is the “examination of new baby". As Mrs. C is being mentored, they
My practice based teaching session
Practice based assessment is a core method of being able to assess the knowledge, abilities and attitude of a mentee t but is complex to make guarantee objective management . To contain a variety of patients and needs , different kinds of assessment are essential, all of which are part of the mentor student relationship .
Type of assessment Description
First there is the Mini clinical evaluation exercise which is basically a snapshot of mentee executing core clinical skill. However, this can basically be combined into ward environment or unchanging patient meeting (gaining experience with a patient that is pregnant) Direct observation of procedural skills. Observing a mentee perform a procedure and giving feedback when it is over.
Mini peer assessment— A group of qualified professionals providing feedback on a mentee performance, includes self-assessment of the mentee.
The method of assessment will normally be looked at in terms of validity, reliability, acceptability, educational effect, and cost effectiveness so as to assess the appropriateness of the assessment itself Assessment of formal knowledge as what permits review of conceptual knowledge, which involves looking into the potential risks or other manipulating issues. Measuring an individual in practice, or their craft information, permits reflection, and growth on experiential learning . Both craft and formal knowledge are obligatory to be constantly measured to understand the student so as to understand how the student reads risk circumstances and uses ideas to speak to practice requirements (Price, 2007).
Upon completion of the module the Mrs. C will be able to perform a complete neonatal examination from “examination of new baby” so as to:
- Rapidly identify quickly any danger signs and organize the right type of referral after pre-referral treatment
- Measure the normal alterations of a newborn after birth
- Identify conditions that require a special care or continuation observation.
- Recognize any birth trauma or birth defect;
- Screen growth
- Counsel
Activity 2 – Small discussion exercise for mentee (10 min)
- Ask Mrs. C two questions before displaying slides further on:
- When does the complete newborn clinical examination need to be performed?
- How and where should the complete newborn examination be performed?
- The mentee will then write down all the answers on the flip chart regarding a newborn baby.
- Make sure that all the answers are actually listed
- Do not comment on the answers. Inform the mentee that they will review the answers after they have seen the following slide.
Learning Styles
The Honey and Mumford style is the method that will be utilized. This will work well for the mentee because she will be volunteering, meeting new people and also engaging in different kinds of experiences with newborns and their mothers. Mrs. C. is more of an activist type of learner because she prefers doing, and will get on with the job before receiving all of the orders. The Honey and Mumford styles fit Mrs. C. Because she has a very adventurous and learning type of personality and through her experiences is prone to impulse and at times need to be cautious of not finishing what she has started. Mrs. C is considered to be a reflective learner and theses type of people prefers to watch and observe other people by finishing up a task before doing it for them. When making a decision, reflective learners consider all of the consequences and want to know all the information available. However, they can be indecisive and reluctant to try new experiences.
Also as part of the Honey and Mumford method, the following questionnaire will be utilized for midwifery:
- I really like being absolutely correct about things.
- I really do like to take risks.
- I prefer to solve difficulties utilizing a step by step approach instead of guessing.
- I prefer simple, straightforward things instead of something complicated.
- I frequently do things just for the reason that I feel like it rather than thinking about it first.
- I don't regularly take things for granted. I mostly like to check things out for myself
Part IV: Learning Assessment
Continuous assessment has restrictions with regards to reliability and validity for many reasons. There is an obligation for co-ordination among the mentor and staff to agree on appropriate assessment routes for summative and formative assessment, permitting an appropriate level of assessment and practice theory connection (Price, 2007). A mentor in a multifaceted clinical setting joined with the pressure of continuous assessment on mentee in front of patients, family, relatives and other professionals has an impact on performance and could raise the anxiety of the assessor or the student (Pashler H, 2009). Anxiety could also be caused by the mentors feeling of competence to evaluate, the mentee feeling ready to be measured (including funding personal factors), in addition to changes in curriculum producing mentors to feel less capable in measuring certain areas (Dogra, 2009).
My assessment was of the capability of a first year nursing student utilizing examining a newborn baby tools appropriately in order to get enough information to pats the midwife test. I looked at this as being area of importance due to the essential part of the mentee learning things such as asks the mother to put the baby to her breast and look at how the newborn is emotionally involved and the position of the baby. Mrs. C will recognize that if the newborn is not correctly attached, then it is her job as a midwife to help the mother to find a relaxed breastfeeding position and assist her to attach the newborn correctly. (Clibbens, 2007)Considering the expectations of Mrs. C participation in observing newborns health, competence is important for patient safety (Fishel, 2013). I would look at this assessment as a direct observation of a skill that is procedural . An observing qualified mentor would also be present and witnessing at all points of the feedback and assessment. The observing assessor would be the one that would provide written feedback concerning the assessment given.
The assessment was planned including the criteria and a number of questions developed, to test the learners understanding. The criteria for assessment were structured and at a suitable level for the mentee on both a practical and theoretical level . The developed questions were intended to make the student deliver rationale for their choices inside and around the assessment, targeting to make the assessed skill less of a series of tasks and offer a more multipurpose skill applicable in diverse ways
I waited until the ward was silent to make sure there would not be disruptions and the assessment would not be skewed . Originally, I introduced myself to Mrs. C as it was the first time we had met, this meant to acquaint myself with the student and purpose to decrease their nervousness (Clibbens, 2007). Then, I went on to tell the student what exactly I needed them to do, around how long it would possibly take and encouraged them not to be concerned as this was not a formal assessment, targeting to decrease anxiety (Given, 2012)and make prospects clear.
It was recognized by my observing assessor that I did not ask as to previous experiences of the mentee. Even though I knew that the student was a first year and the assessment was suitable as such, questioning further into their experiences may have delivered a link that would have changed the assessment in some way and maybe have helped in supporting additional growth (Fishel, 2013). My assessor likewise felt that results should have been more evidently recognized at the start of the assessment. Though the information was provided, and in an appropriate environment (Given, 2012) a smaller almost bullet point synopsis at the end talking about outcomes and how they could assist in preparing the student for what is expected of them and reduce any type of confusion or anxiety (Clibbens , 2007)
When the mentee had finished the first criteria, I then asked her my first question. This took into consideration the mentee method to communication and their information of plain child development (Dickson , 2008), knowledge appropriate to core skills in numerous ways. The student properly prioritized the order of breastfeeding evaluation, completing the second standard . I then asked the mentee the second question at this point, the mentee demonstrated theoretical ability to assimilate with the nursing team to provide effective and safe care to a newborn baby .
Finally for the assessment the mentee communicated well with the new born and the mother showing effective family centered care and positively gained an appropriate newborn examination score (Fishel, 2013) utilizing the ‘Newborn examination rating’ . After the examination of new baby score had been gained I asked my concluding question which was how often should the babies weight be observed, which the mentee correctly responded to in agreement with midwife guidelines (2008).
My observing assessor also believed that at points my speech were way too fast and understood that I needed to repeat myself over and over. Having to slow down speech allowed the mentee to digest and understand information that had been given to a better level, and avoids them from becoming astounded with information quicker than they are able to process it . I gave a feedback session for the mentee, aiming to cultivate some kind of a sustainable proactive learning relationship with the Mrs. C which comprised an action plan made with the mentee. Bearing in mind that the student was fundamentally competent at the skill, the action plan was absorbed on attaining a greater range and experience so as to gain a more reflexive experienced quality concerning the skill and offer more holistic capability . The feedback was given positively and usefully and seemed to help with the student’s self-confidence with regards to the skill, generating a more supportive working relationship and favorable learning environment
The mentee student-mentor relationship is crucial to the students learning experience in midwifery . Effective communication skills are able to can assist in identifying a student that happens to causing concern some kind of a concern at an early stage so as to pre-empt failure . Even though sentiments of failure or sadness could be felt by the student and mentor from not passing assessment, and this gives a challenge, it is vital for mentors not to stay away from these kinds of situations if a mentee has not met wanted outcomes as this could have far reaching effects on mentee progression .The feedback was scheduled and was give out shortly after the session aiming to provide the mentee prompt support if needed and to correct any kind of unsatisfactory behavior if there is any present .
Bearing in mind the feedback, and also my very own reflections on the assessment, there is need for my future development. Also, I will attempt to speak more slowly and learning more about the mentee way before the assessment starts and delivers a more clear identification of results. I would consider getting feedback on the mentee performance from the baby and the mother in the future. This would permit us to take into account the opinion of the service user and family in order to promote clinical excellence and family centered care for women having babies and in need for a midwife . In general, my observing assessor also thought that my assessment of the mentee was suitable for their level of knowledge, skill and approach and effective in figuring out the level of capability in this area.
Part 5: Support and Guidance for Learners
The NMC does a good job with providing support for learners. The NMC sets standards, guidance and requirements for nursing and midwifery programs of education all over the world. This is very helpful for the mentor and the mentee provides information and guidance for student nurses and midwives in order to help them get a better understanding on how important your professional conduct is especially when it comes to examination of new baby. - Just as important as when you are a qualified, registered nurse or midwife. The NMC is a help to the learner because it gives them the tools that they will need in dealing with a newborn baby and the mother.
Part of The NMC role is to support the reputation of the nursing and midwifery professions, and assisting students to uphold high standards of conduct during the course of the mentee studies and beyond is part of that work. As part of The NMC current focus on their core regulatory purposes, they have reviewed their role in giving out advice to nurses and midwives given that individual advice can guide to confusion about The NMC role and purpose as a regulator. Other organizations and mechanism and happen which are better placed to assume this position and through which student nurses and midwives are able to obtain information and support in relation to professional and clinical concerns. This does include things such as local processes, for instance the learner’s personal tutor, programme leader, supervisor of midwives, link lecturer, mentors and sign off mentors, and practice education facilitators that have a lot of experience.
When going back to check on Mrs. It was important to evaluate her on making sure that she was up to date on things such as make sure that she really understood the main key points of newborn care after neonatal resuscitation all through the theoretical week. I have also monitored he progress by checking on her patients, women that had just previously given birth. The whole point was to check in and see rather or not Mrs. C was using all of the principles that she had learned during mentorship, especially things like checking the baby’s history and collecting information such as baby’s general condition, like the urine, and neurological status. Also making sure that they were following through on other things learned in examination of the newborn like advanced resuscitation if needed and how to create a “nest” for newborns by utilizing anything that is available.
Part V: Summary
In summary, mentoring turns out to be a complex and diverse position, and one I will take on with knowledge and focus and attempt to continue to improve as a practitioner, assessor and teacher in the midwifery setting. I would go on to say that this reflective process has been extremely appreciated in preparing me to be able to mentor, and my professional and personal development. I have been able to gain a much deeper understanding of the mentor mentee process by means of investigation of the many features of NMC standards, in addition to numerous assessment and teaching strategies that involve examination of new baby. Areas on which I should develop are really clear, and in finishing this course I feel sufficiently prepared, and look forward to further increasing my skills and knowledge within this role as mentor and also as midwife.
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