This next course that I took for CE credit focused on mentoring. Mentorship is directly related to leadership skills in nursing. In order to be an effective mentor, the nurse must have leadership skills. The definition of a mentor is, "Mentoring involves two parties and occurs when the senior person in terms of maturity and experience — the mentor — provides information, advice, and emotional support for the junior person — the mentee or protégé." The authors of this course discussed how any senior leader can be a mentor to another. They best mentors are those with experience and leadership skills. According to the course, the average mentorship relationship is 5-10 years. This is a very long term relationship, so mentors need to be chosen wisely. Some tips for mentors and mentee are:
Good communication skills
Insight, authenticity, and honesty
A strong sense of trust and mutual respect
The ability to be flexible and caring
Humility, an insatiable curiosity, and the courage to take risk
Each of these qualities will enhance the mentorship relationship. This course was very educational to me on the importance of mentors in nursing. Mentors are another example of the importance of developing leadership skills in the health care setting.
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