Mentoring of Community Service Nurses: Nurse Managers’ Perceptions

Abstract

Community service nurses (CSNs) are newly qualified nurses (NQNs) with the least experience and who need constant support and mentoring. They experience numerous challenges, which include the lack of confidence, and feelings of incompetence and inadequacy. These challenges contribute to a difficult transition from the role of a student nurse to that of a professional nurse. This article reports on the qualitative data of a study conducted by Khunou and Rakhudu. The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the perceptions of nurse managers (NMs) regarding the mentoring of CSNs in public health facilities in the North West province (NWP) of South Africa. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was used to explore and describe the NMs’ perceptions regarding the mentoring of the CSNs. Three focus group discussions for 20 NMs and 7 individual semi-structured interviews were conducted. A tape recorder was used to capture the NMs’ perceptions regarding the mentoring of CSNs in public health facilities of the NWP. Tesch’s method of data analysis was used to analyse the collected qualitative data. The study revealed the following themes: CSNs lack skills; CSNs are mentored; and both CSNs and NMs have mentoring needs. These themes were supported by the following categories: CSNs lack practical skills; CSNs lack professional responsibility; CSNs lack confidence; CSNs are supported; CSNs need orientation; and CSNs need mentoring to bridge the practice-theory gap. NMs also need to be supported.