Neophyte nursing practice instructors: how does mentorship play a role in their development?

Abstract

The current critical nursing shortage is placing stress on both nursing education programs and clinical agencies to increase the number of nursing practice instructors (NP Is) who are able to facilitate undergraduate students learning of nursing practice knowledge. Neophyte NPis have recognized the need for support from mentors for them to do justice to their role. The primary objective of this research is to describe how the concept of mentorship plays a role in developing the teaching skills and knowledge to adequately fulfill the PI role. Using descriptive phenomenology as a research method, six neophyte NP Is were interviewed to gain understanding of their lived experience of being a neophyte PI, and to describe the essences of the phenomenon of mentorship. This data was analyzed using Colaizzi's method to uncover themes and arrive at the essential structure of mentorship.