Abstract
The purpose of the study was to explore the perceptions of professional nurses on student mentorship in clinical areas. A qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological research was conducted to determine the meaning of mentoring as perceived by professional nurses and to identify the successes and challenges encountered by professional nurses with regard to student mentorship during clinical practice.Data was collected using in-depth individual interviews to collect data from sixteen operational managers who were managing all unit activities, including student mentoring. Each interview lasted for ±45 min. A hermeneutic data analysis (hermeneutic circle) was used to analyse data. Four (4) themes and fourteen (14) sub-themes emerged from data collected from operational managers.The findings revealed that mentoring was perceived as a valuable tool to apply in the preparation of student nurses for future professional role. In the process of mentoring, the caring attitude is important. Factors that facilitated the mentoring process were good communication, time and available resources.
Highlights
Throughout history caring or patient care has been central to the nursing profession
A qualitative, explorative, hermeneutic phenomenological research was conducted to determine the meaning of mentoring as perceived by professional nurses and to identify the successes and challenges encountered by professional nurses with regard to student mentorship during clinical practice
Specialised health services are an increasingly expensive commodity. These health services have become almost unaffordable for the majority of South Africans and makes primary health care (PHC) services more relevant in that services are offered free of charge (Blackie, Appleby & Orr 2000:6)
Summary
Throughout history caring or patient care has been central to the nursing profession. Researchers begin by talking with or observing people who have firsthand experience of the phenomenon under study (Polit & Beck 2008:17) This approach enabled the researcher to explore the depth, richness and complexity of the phenomenon (Burns & Grove 2009:59). A long-standing legacy of informal mentoring has served as a primary method of professional socialisation in academic medicine, health care specialties that have traditionally focused on practice and service face a death of senior mentors to assist junior faculty as academicians (Pololi & Knight 2005:867) This is the situation in nursing today. Mentors’ clinical and administrative responsibility is increased by the changing nature of the current health care environment (Pololi & Knight 2005:867) This reduces time and collegial support for scholarly activity and teaching, and lack of access to mentors hinders faculty scholarly productivity and career satisfaction. A mentor and a protégé in a formal programme found it extremely difficult to find time for mentoring despite their voluntary enrolment in the programme (Pololi & Knight 2005:869)
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