Introduction

Marquette University College of Nursing (MUCN) received a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Grant from the Nurse Education, Practice and Retention (NEPQR) funding mechanism. The title of the grant is Promoting Minority BSN Student Success. This grant was designed, in part, to help meet the needs of an increasingly diverse population by providing more minority nurses representative of this diversity to provide culturally competent care. Generally, the project objectives address admission strategies that increase minority BSN student enrollment at MUCN, retention strategies that support minority BSN students to be successful and graduate, and parent-focused programming that further enhances student support. The mentoring program evolved from this funded project. This presentation focuses on the mentoring process, which was viewed as a valuable component to ensure the success of our students.

Mentoring Definition

There are a number of ways to define mentoring. The meaning adopted by staff in this project focuses on mentoring as a relationship between an experienced individual and a younger, less experienced person for the purpose of helping and developing the mentee’s career (Ragins & Kram, 2007) or in this case, academic success. Mentoring is also viewed as holistic, providing guidance and assistance with personal and interpersonal challenges (Scott, 2005).

In determining the mentoring relationship match, it was important to consider the needs of each student participant regardless of cultural, ethnic, or gender background. Although the primary focus of the mentoring relationship was the student, the effect of the mentoring relationship on the mentor was considered as well. If the mentoring relationships were to succeed, the association had to be mutually beneficial. Research shows that the success of any mentoring relationship is contingent upon the behaviors of the mentors as well as the mentees (Ragins & Kram, 2007). Therefore, it is important to ensure that the mentor perceives the experience as both rewarding and as a privilege. The establishment of the mentor-mentee relationship in our project was not simply a matter of recruiting volunteers and randomly assigning partnerships.

The needs/interests of the mentees were assessed and matched with the skills, interests and expertise of the mentors. This assessment data was key in creating the mentor-mentee dyads. Scott (2005) describes five dimensions of the mentoring concept: (a) a helping relationship; (b) actions, which include emotional support, career assistance, and role-modeling; (c) mutual benefits from the relationship; (d) personal interaction and exchange; and (e) empowered position of the mentor. These dimensions served as guidelines to form the mentor-mentee dyads. Both Registered Nurses and peer mentors were selected to participate (refer to Table 1 below). The Registered Nurses were BSN graduates and included MUCN alumnae, faculty and staff. Peer mentors were upper classmen beginning at the sophomore level.

The Mentoring Program

Implementation of the mentoring program began in December, 2011. Project BEYOND team meetings were held in which details of the mentoring program were shared, discussed, and agreed upon. The goal of the mentoring program was to ensure that all students participating in the project would have a designated mentor. To this end, strategies were put into place for: (a) recruiting mentors and mentees, (b) developing a training program for mentors, (c) assigning mentoring dyads, and (d) holding events where mentors and mentees could interact.

Recruiting Mentors and Mentees

Recruitment of mentors began via formal communication with the health care agencies who were grant project partners. A letter was sent to each agency to describe the project, explain the opportunity for professional nurses to mentor our students, stress the value of mentoring for both mentors and mentees, and invite them to participate. Attached to the letter was a Mentor Information Form to be completed and submitted by interested parties. A request for the applicant’s resume was included on the Mentor Information Form. These two documents provided valuable information in order to pair the students with partners who could provide the kind of support they needed. A total of 23 RNs responded. Included in this number are the project staff and the Dean of the College of Nursing. In addition, a Mentoring Program Liaison was recruited from the affiliating agencies. This position afforded ease of communication between the Mentoring Program Coordinator and the agencies should questions or concerns arise.

While pairing students with mentors of the same culture or ethnicity was preferred, it was not always possible. However, students of color found that being matched with a professional mentor, regardless of ethnicity, was very beneficial. See Table 1 for a breakdown of RN race and ethnicity.

Table 1. Race, Ethnicity, and Gender of Professional Nurse Mentors

Ethnicity	Number	Male	Female
African American	4	0	4
Asian (Filipino)	1	1	0
Caucasian	13	0	13
Jewish	2	1	1
Latina	3	0	3
Total Mentors	23	2	21

A total of six peer mentors participated and included four seniors and two juniors. The essential functions of the peer mentors were to (a) reinforce his or her own and others’ learning, (b) serve as a positive role model and confidant, and (c) promote a positive mentor-mentee relationship. Their responsibilities were to (a) meet regularly with mentee, (b) prepare for mentoring sessions ahead of time, (c) address mentee’s concerns and make appropriate recommendations or referrals, (d) encourage participation in social and academic campus activities, and (e) help mentee develop skills such as time management, goal setting, and self-discipline.

To augment peer mentoring, students were also supported to provide peer-to-peer tutoring. Unlike traditional tutoring that utilizes passive learning, peer-to-peer tutoring promotes active learning where students are asked to explain concepts to each other (Higgins, 2004). Over the last year, students met for chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, and pathopharmacology. Since the groups were student led, some groups met weekly, while others met primarily before exams, every 30-45 days. Groups ranged in size from one to eight students. A Project BEYOND team member was usually present to help facilitate the session; however, one senior student volunteered to lead sophomore students in studying pathopharmacology weekly.

The nursing students were notified of the mentoring program by email, Facebook postings, program staff and the Academic Advisor for the College of Nursing. A Mentee Information Form (application) was available to the students from these sources. All students enrolled in Project BEYOND were encouraged to participate. The students were invited to attend a major event – called the “World Café” - where they were given the opportunity to meet the volunteer nurse mentors and to listen as they shared their insights and expertise. The mentors moved between groups and answered questions from the students. At the end of the session, the students completed the Mentee Information Form as well as a Mentor Preference Form. On this form they were instructed to rank in order, from the nurse they would most like to have as a mentor and/or note the type of nurse mentor desired. These forms were collected and used to assist the coordinator in establishing the partnerships. See Table 2 for a breakdown of student race and ethnicity.

Table 2. Race, Ethnicity, and Gender of Student Nurse Mentees

Ethnicity	Number	Male	Female
African American	4	0	4
Asian (Filipino)	8	0	8
Asian (Middle Eastern)	2	0	2
Latino	9	1	8
Unknown	1	0	1
Total Mentees	24	1	23

Mentor Training

During the “World Café” mentors were given the opportunity to participate in a one hour training session. This session included an orientation to the mentorship program, a review of the role of the mentors, and various forms of mentoring i.e. group, individual, electronic communications). Literature on mentoring, a bibliography of Current articles related to Minority Mentoring in Nursing, and other relevant handouts were distributed and discussed. These materials were sent by electronic mail to those mentors unable to attend the orientation session. Questions and concerns of the mentors were addressed on an ongoing basis by telephone and/or electronic mail.

Formation of Mentor-Mentee Dyads

As mentioned earlier, careful assessments of the types of support needed by the students were made. The assessments showed that not all ethnically diverse students are academically or financially challenged. Just as is true of the dominant society, ethnically diverse students demonstrate a wide range of academic prowess (Barbee & Gibson, 2001). Students who have the same skin color and/or who speak the same language do not necessarily share the same or similar cultural backgrounds due to intercultural variation. Stereotypic responses to these students are often barriers to a successful mentor/mentee relationship and need to be avoided. All students, regardless of ethnicity, need various types of support during their educational journey. Data acquired from the mentees’ information forms and the mentors’ information forms were important in guiding the selection process for creating partnerships.

Matches were determined based on the students’ needs and interests, and the qualifications of the mentors. In some cases, where more than one mentee demonstrated the same or similar needs, and only one mentor met the requirements, this mentor was asked to take on additional mentees. There were also instances in which the professional nurse’s expertise and/or experience were more important to the student than race or ethnicity. In these cases, matches were based on those factors. There was one case in which the student requested to be mentored by MUCN alumnae only. We were able to fulfill this request as well. To qualify as a peer mentor, the student needed to have demonstrated good leadership and communication skills and maintained a 3.0 GPA.

In summary, there are a variety of factors to consider when creating mentor-mentee partnerships. To be effective, both the mentors and mentees must be carefully screened and mutually agreed upon.

Mentor-Mentee Partnership Sessions

One of the strategies for establishing and maintaining the mentor-mentee relationships was to arrange for informative, yet fun activities for the participants to enjoy. Two major events were held. The first was mentioned earlier in this paper, The “World Café”. Students appreciated the opportunity to meet the professional nurse mentors, hear their stories, and establish relationships with them. They were also encouraged by the number of their peers who were actively participating in the Mentoring Program. The second major event was a combined event with the End-of –Year celebration. This event not only included the MP participants, but all students participating in Project BEYOND, family members, and friends. This was a gala event in which students gave testimonials and certificates of participation were awarded to mentors and mentees, as well as other Project BEYOND student participants.

Evaluation of the Mentoring Program

In the first six months, 24 student nurses and 23 RNs participated in the mentoring program. Overall, the project is considered successful by both students and RN participants. All professional nurse mentors involved are planning to continue in the program. The senior nursing student participants (n=5) graduated; however, the remaining students plan to continue in the program. The students described the program as “fantastic” and stated that we should “keep it up.”

Methodology

Focus group methodology was used to evaluate the participants’ perception of the mentoring program. The focus groups provided an excellent format for obtaining individual’s perceptions about the mentoring program. For maximum effectiveness, the conversations were held in a neutral setting with the purpose of soliciting participants’ perceptions without program staff influence. For this program evaluation, separate focus group sessions were conducted for the mentors and mentees. Three experienced grant team members facilitated the focus group discussions.

Data Collection

Prior to the actual interviews, the mentors were informed that they would be asked to respond to several open-ended questions and that the sessions would be recorded. The questions served as a guide for facilitating discussion; the participants were allowed to expand on their responses as desired. The questions for RN mentors and student mentees were similar and can be found in Table 3.

Table 3. Open-ended Focus Group Questions for RN Mentors and Student Mentees

QUESTIONS FOR RN MENTORS Describe your perception of a good mentor. Describe your perception of a good mentee. Describe the challenges you faced being a mentor. What were the benefits of mentoring a nursing student? What thoughts have you had about continuing your mentoring relationship? What else would you like to tell us?

QUESTIONS FOR STUDENT MENTEES Describe your perception of a good mentee. Describe your perception of a good mentor. Did you find mentoring helpful? What were the benefits of working with a professional nurse? What were the advantages of working with a peer mentor? Describe the challenges you faced while participating in the mentoring project. Is there anything else you would like to tell us?

Results

The mentors and mentees shared similar perceptions and characteristics of a good mentor and of a good mentee. Both groups described a good mentor as a role model, a good listener, and an advisor. They also perceived good mentors to be encouraging and responsive to student’s needs. For both groups, commitment and communication were important elements in an effective mentor-mentee relationship.

The perceptions of mentees varied somewhat. The mentors preferred to think in terms of the “ideal” vs. a “good” mentee. They described the ideal mentee as one who follows-through, is actively engaged and demonstrates a willingness to learn. The mentees did not formulate an ideal, but described a good mentee as responsible, committed, and invested in personal growth.

Both groups identified mentoring as a positive experience. The RNs expressed satisfaction in “being able to give back” and “seeing student’s accomplishments”. Students generally liked their mentors and had positive relationships. Age difference was noted but was not perceived as a barrier. The students found the information provided by the mentors to be very helpful. Most students were able to communicate with their mentors in multiple ways that worked for them, i.e. email, telephone calls, and in person. In person communication was more difficult primarily due to scheduling conflicts. Both groups reported showing respect for each other and reported that sharing common interests enhanced the mentoring relationship.

Conclusion

The results of the pilot program evaluation indicate that establishing compatible, effective mentoring dyads is critical in supporting students as they strive for academic success. The educational background of potential mentors as well as the skills, interests, and expertise they possess must be considered. It is also important to consider the students’ backgrounds and their individual interests, skills, and needs. It is well documented that communication, commitment, and mutual respect are essential ingredients for maintaining successful mentor-mentee relationships (Grossman, 2007; Ragins & Kram, 2007, Scott, 2005).

 

 

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