Mentorship: A New Strategy to Invest in the Capital of Novice Nurse Practitioners

Abstract

In 2010, over 8,000 students graduated from nurse practitioner (NP) programs in the United States and began the transition from NP student to professional practitioner.1 Prior to gaining admittance into graduate NP programs, the majority of applicants had a minimum of 1 year of clinical experience as a registered nurse, and most had additional years of experience. NPs have found the transition from expert nurse to novice practitioner challenging and overwhelming. The NP may be the sole NP within the facility, practicing aside physicians. The NP may also be the sole provider within a facility, particularly in rural clinic settings. Mentorship programs can help bridge the gap between education and professional practice.2 However, healthcare organizations have limited resources and therefore must be convinced mentorship programs are beneficial (and profitable). Furthermore, the terms mentorship, preceptorship, orientation, and collaboration are often used (inappropriately) interchangeably, resulting in various interpretations of the role and function of a mentor. Healthcare facilities may confuse mentorship with the orientation process or the collaborative relationship between a physician and an NP, and assume the organization already has such a program in place. The author conducted a literature review to explore the benefits of mentorship, the true meaning of mentorship, and the mentorship needs of NPs.