Self-care and mentors to reduce stress and enhance administrative ability: Novice nurse administrators need help—and need to understand how to help themselves—to rise to the challenge of their positions

Abstract

This article has considered two options available for nurses seeking career advancement in LTC. Orem's self-care model offers an approach to assist the DON to cope with stressors in the LTC setting through self-care. Mentoring also offers a strategy to assist the novice leader with professional growth. Mentoring is an emerging concept in nursing. Mentoring is of special significance in LTC because there is a shortage of DONs. Experienced DONs in LTC who have learned to handle the stresses that overwhelm the novice need to mentor younger DONs and others interested in a DON position. The use of both these strategies will increase the number of competent nurse administrators in long-term care.