Mentoring and Relationship Building

 

The Difference Between Precepting and Mentoring

Precepting

When a nurse is hired or transfers to a new unit, they are intentionally paired with a trained preceptor for a set amount of time. This time is usually referred to as orientation and often is extended for new graduate nurses. The purpose of orientation is to introduce the new hire to policies, procedures and the social milieu of the hospital and to ensure competency with skill sets so that safe, competent care is delivered. The preceptor and the precepting process are the keys for success. The preceptor has many roles with the new hire that include being a role model, educator, socializer, friend and confidant. Preceptors model new skills, observe and help the new nurse with these skills and evaluate the new nurse accomplishing these skills. For example, the preceptor will explain the policy on what is documented, how to do it and then demonstrate documenting on a particular matter such as pain assessment. The preceptor will then observe the preceptee with this process and evaluate his or her competency to do this task independently. Precepting usually involves an intense time commitment and has well-defined outcomes. The formal precepting relationship ends with the completion of orientation, although the relationship may continue.

Mentoring

Ideally, after a nurse completes orientation, they will be mentored. Mentoring may be a formal or informal process that works best when it is intentional. The purpose of mentoring is to encourage, support and guide nurses in their positions so that they will continue to grow personally and professionally. Mentors are coaches, advisors, friends, cheerleaders and counselors. Mentors are not responsible for the nurse’s day-to-day activities or for solving problems. Mentors do not evaluate the mentee and should have no direct link to the mentee’s supervisor. Mentors generally do not teach specific position-related skills or tasks. Mentors offer a nonjudgmental listening ear for the mentee. Depending on what the mentee needs and desires, the mentor may help with continued socialization within the institution, communication issues, career goals and problem solving. Through their own experiences and expertise, mentors can help the mentee determine what steps to take and appropriate resources. The mentoring relationship is built on trust and is confidential. A formal mentoring relationship is usually time limited and ranges anywhere from six months to a year. However, some mentoring relationships become life-long.

(Taken from The Health Alliance of MidAmerica LLC and The Nurse Mentoring Toolkit)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSQbB6sJsUs Links to an external site.

 

Getting on the path of becoming an excellent mentor 

Mentor training is crucial. Training builds skins, provides new information, and introduces important issues that mentors will encounter. Mentor training should address adolescent development, communication skills, diversity/ cultural sensitivity, crisis management, conflict resolution, tutoring skins and more. Draw on the resources of campus faculty, local youth organizations to design mentor training programs. Programs should provide a minimum of 20 hours of orientation and training each academic year.

Mentoring can be hard work. Mentors need support and encouragement throughout the year. Discussion and support meetings reduce frustration and enhance service learning by allowing mentors to share and compare experiences and solve problems together. Be sure mentors know when and how to reach program staff in case of a problem and plan regular reflection sessions to review progress. Mentoring programs can rise and fall on the strength of training and support provided for mentors.

 

Resources You Can Use to Become an Excellent Mentor:

Using the Coaching ARC with Students who are experiencing “failure”

ANALYZE

  1. DECONSTRUCT the entire sequence of events, actions, assumptions, and reactions
    • What was your original intention?
    • When did you realize that things were going astray? First red flag?
    • What unanticipated obstacles did you meet?

 

  • What happened next?
  • How did you react?
  • What did you assume/think/feel or say to yourself when that happened?
  • How did you react?
  • What did you do?
    • What happened next?
    • How did you react?
    • What did you assume/think/feel or say to yourself when that happened?
    • How did you react?
    • What did you do?

ETC.

 

  1. IDENTIFY the EVENTS, ACTIONS, and REACTIONS that were in the STUDENT’S CONTROL?
  • Which pieces of this whole sequence were in your control?
  • Which elements in the sequence could you have changed?
  • For those that were in your control, what would be the most effective place to make a change?
  • Where could you best interrupt your sequence or pattern?

 

  1. ACKNOWLEDGE the student’s GENUINE STRENGTHS and POSITIVE EFFORTS
  • It looks like you made some great choices here . . . and here
  • It seems that you were on the right track at this point
  • This demonstrates that you have the strength (determination, grit, imagination, passion) to . . .

 

CREATIVELY IMAGINE

  1. Shift the student to CURIOSITY or another emotional state that is a more useful motivator than blame, shame, fear, or anger
    • If you weren’t feeling (assuming or thinking) . . . what would have been a feeling (assumption or thought) that might have been more useful or effective?
    • If you weren’t say “….” to yourself, what do you wish you might have been saying instead?

 

  1. Identify how the pattern or sequence could have been INTERRUPTED or ADAPTED
  • Looking back at the series of events, what would have been a reaction that you wish you’d had?
  • How could you have interrupted your pattern?
  • How do you wish you had adapted your response to those elements that were out of your control?
  • In your ideal world, how else might you have reacted at this point? Or at this point?

 

  1. Elicit the full experience of the ideal
  • Fully imagine that you were doing this over – how would it be for you if you were:
    • Thinking this . . .
    • Assuming this . . .
    • Saying this to yourself . . .
    • Feeling this . . .
    • Doing this . . .
    • Acting in this way . . .
  • On a scale of 1-10, how much do you want this way of responding?

 

MAKE A PRACTICAL PLAN:

  1. Identify the steps that could be taken the next time
  • What went well? Which parts of your original plan can you keep?
  • Which of your strengths can you utilize?
  • What can you – do you need to – change or adapt?
  • What exactly are the next steps? When?
  • What will you do when tempted to revert to an old behavior
  • How will you respond to a red flag if it surfaces?
  • When will you re-evaluate and re-vamp?
  • When, how, and with whom will you check in?

 

  1. Identify the attitudes or emotional states that could be used the next time
  • On a scale of 1-10, how confident are you that you can do . . . next time?
  • If . . . arises, how will you talk to yourself?
  • What will you assume or presume about the situation?
  • What attitude will you use?
  • How will you transform that feeling of . . . to curiosity? To determination?

 

  1. Identify how the student will celebrate!

  2. CELEBRATE THEIR SUCCESS!!!

 

POWERFUL QUESTIONS FOR STUDENTS EXPERIENCING “FAILURE”

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCF97xYxmcY Links to an external site.