NOVA Mentoring Program

Nancy Claflin DNP MS RN NEA-BC CENP CNEcl CCRN CPHQ FNAHQ

Chair, NOVA Education Committee

NOVA’s Mentoring Program

Did you know that NOVA has a Mentoring Program?  NOVA developed the Empower Mentoring Program to help NOVA nurses meet professional goals and pursue dreams for professional advancement within the VA.  The practice of mentoring in nursing has existed as long as the profession itself. Florence Nightingale is often credited as the founder of modern nursing and has been referred to as the mentor of matrons.  With mentoring in nursing, there is an understanding that there are benefits for both mentor and mentee, and that the availability of mentoring is vital.  According to Palermo (2024), mentoring in nursing has the potential to impact nurse retention and decrease turnover.  Nurse turnover increases the impact of the current nationwide nursing shortage and directly impacts patient outcomes negatively.  NOVA’s Mentoring Program is designed to guide a mutual relationship between an experienced VA nurse who is the mentor and the mentee.  Mentorship programs can support all nurses, including new graduate nurses and nurses new to the VA.  Research based evidence demonstrates that mentoring can reduce turnover and support new graduates in their transition to practice.  Mentees reported benefits including expanding their networks, gaining confidence working with management level topics, and developing professional as well as interpersonal effectiveness.  Mentors reported benefits including improving their coaching skills and benefitting from learning new ideas from their mentees.  Organizations with mentoring programs demonstrated an increase in employee retention, improved recruitment of diverse employees, and more cost-effective training.

Should you ask for a mentor?  Would you like help navigating the VA system, developing supportive and encouraging relationships, guidance in professional, personal, and interpersonal growth? Would you like to connect with seasoned NOVA members to benefit from their expertise and experience? 

Should you become a mentor?  Have you worked in the VA for a year or more?  Do you know things now that you wished somebody told you when you first started in VA?  Do you want to help people navigate the sometimes confusing routes to promotion and career development in the VA?  Do you want to make a difference?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, go to the NOVA Website. NOVA's Mentoring Program matches NOVA nurses across the country to help you learn about the VA and achieve your career goals. Learn more: https://www.vanurse.org

Palermo, K. (2024). Mentoring New Graduate Nurses to Decrease Turnover : A Pilot Project 
Journal of Christian Nursing, Vol41(1),pE10–E15.
DOI:10.1097/CNJ.0000000000001134