Effect of mentoring on professional values in model C clinical nurse leader graduates.

Abstract

Nursing graduates acquire their nursing values by professional socialization. Mentoring is a crucial support mechanism for these novice nurses, yet little is known about the model C clinical nurse leader graduate and the effects of mentoring. This investigation examined how mentoring affected the development of professional nursing values in the model C clinical nurse leader graduate. A longitudinal design was used to survey model C clinical nurse leader graduates before and after graduation to determine how different types of mentoring relationships influenced professional values. Demographic surveys documented participant characteristics and the Nurses Professional Values Scale - Revised (NPVS-R) assessed professional nursing values. Mean NPVS-R scores increased after graduation for the formally mentored participants, while the NPVS-R scores decreased or remained unchanged for the other mentoring groups. However, no significant difference was found in NPVS-R scores over time (p=.092) or an interaction between the NPVS-R scores and type of mentoring relationships (p=.09). These results suggest that model C clinical nurse leader graduate participants experiencing formal mentoring may develop professional nursing values more than their colleagues. Formal mentoring relationships are powerful and should be used to promote professional values for model C clinical nurse leader graduates.