Introduction:
The implementation of a mentoring program that utilizes the essential elements of effective mentoring impacts the level of job satisfaction and the retention of faculty in a school of nursing in many different ways. A mentoring program that utilizes the essential elements of effective mentoring impacts the level of job satisfaction because it encourages the mentor to teach the rewards of being a nurse this increases job satisfaction for both the mentor and the new staff member. When a mentoring program that utilizes the essential elements of effective mentoring is introduced it impacts the level of job satisfaction because the faculty and staff focus attention on the benefits of working at that particular facility increasing job satisfaction for both the mentor and the new staff member. The increased job satisfaction enjoyed by participants in the mentoring program helps retain faculty in a school of nursing because, as part of the mentoring process the mentors and the new staff members experience increased job satisfaction.
In general implementing a mentoring program that utilizes the essential elements of effective mentoring faction helps retain faculty in a school of nursing because it develops stronger appreciation, personal interaction and ties between the faculty, the school and the community.
Literature Review:
In a research paper submitted to the graduate school of Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, Lorene Sue Wulf proposes that a mentoring program will increase job satisfaction and personnel retention. In that paper she postulates that mentoring affects more than the immediate parties of the faculty and staff and school. Mentoring also involves ripple effects concerning, “Patients, nurses, physicians, hospitals, clinics, health insurance companies, and tax payers.” .
In their report to the Association of American Colleges Dr. Shannon Fox and April Carrice look at some options to complement and enhance traditional mentoring programs. Their guidance includes observations and statistics regarding successful programs as well as investigations into why some of the traditional methods need augmentation in certain circumstances. Regarding traditional methods they found “In practice, providing faculty with well-designed, formal development opportunities may serve to more systematically improve performance and create a sense of institutional “fit” for a larger group of faculty members, as well as improve institution-wide faculty satisfaction and retention.” . However, these researchers make several interesting observations. Firstly they examine the reasons for increased satisfaction like a better sense of “fit “within the organization, higher productivity, and the importance of the matching process. They also propose areas for future study and include a theory that part of the success rate of mentoring programs is based upon the greater motivation of its participants. .
Race and Keys base their article about mentoring on their personal experiences as participants in the process. In that article they express their gratitude in the help that mentoring rendered towards achieving the goal of nursing success. However, they also chronicle some of the failures they observed as well. These include situation when the mentor is overburdened, there is a mentor-mentee mismatch and some cases there is “toxic mentoring.” These elements would result in situations in which an outcome is different from what would be expected according to standard academic literature. .
On the web page regarding the impact of education offered by the AACN Robert Rosseter provides an overview to the different paths into nursing and different opportunities available, one of these is the mentoring process. However, that is just one opportunity of many and this well referenced resource provides information for many other academic and peer reviewed scholarly researched papers and studies.
Conclusion:
Although implementing a mentoring program that utilizes the essential elements of effective mentoring faction helps retain faculty in a school of nursing because it develops stronger appreciation, personal interaction and ties between the faculty, the school and the community there are additional benefits and potential problems. Therefore, addition study and research is required to maximize the potential and reduce the risks involved in establishing a mentoring program at a school of nursing.
Bibliography
Fox, PhD, S., & Carice, A. (2013). Mentoring in Academic Medicine:. Retrieved from AAMC - Faculty Forward: Ideas in Practice: https://www.aamc.org/download/257862/data/mentoring_in_acadmed_current_state.pdf
Race, MSN, RN, CNS, CCRN, T. K., & Skees DNP, RN, CNE, J. (2010, 06). 2010. Critical Care Nursing Quarterly, 33, pp. 163 - 174. Retrieved from Lippincott's Nursing Center: http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/CEArticle?an=00002727-201004000-00008
Rosseter, R., & AACN. (2013). The Impact of Education on Nursing Practice. Retrieved from American Association of Colleges of Nursing AACN): http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/impact-of-education
Wulf, L. S., & Siela, D. (2011, 12). BENEFITS OF MENTORING FOR RETENTION OF NEW GRADUATE NURSES. Retrieved from BALL STATE UNIVERSITY: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/bitstream/123456789/195230/1/WulfL_2011-1_BODY.pdf
