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

The practice of mentoring in nursing began with the development of the nursing profession.  Florence Nightingale was often referred to as the mentor of matrons, which is what nurses were called. Since that time, mentoring has been a key element in the development of nurses and the nursing profession. Nursing mentors assist less experienced nurses to understand their profession and advance their careers. Mentors provide a supportive relationship to encourage mentees’ growth and development. Mentoring programs have demonstrated significant benefits for both mentors and mentees. Specific benefits of mentoring that have been identified include the development of interactive listening skills by mentors, and the development of analytic problem-solving skills by mentees after participating in a mentoring relationship. 

NOVA has developed the Empower Mentoring Program to help you meet your professional goals. NOVA members can take advantage of this program to pursue their dreams related to professional advancement within the Department of Veterans Affairs. NOVA’s Empower Mentoring Program was launched in 2016 by the NOVA Education Committee working with two Jonas Scholars, and has been revised every year since that time. The NOVA Empower Mentoring Program is designed to guide a mutual relationship between an experienced VA nurse who is the mentor and the mentee.  The objectives of NOVA’s Mentoring Program are to:

· Develop supportive and encouraging relationships in the Department of Veterans
  Affairs

· Guide NOVA nurses in their professional, personal, and interpersonal growth within
  the Department of Veterans Affairs

· Provide and promote mutual support, collaboration, and sharing based on needs of
  NOVA nurses

· Communicate information concerning expectations, learning opportunities, and
  stressors in VA nursing 

A mentoring program can help VA nurses to develop supportive and encouraging relationships; guide VA nurses in their professional, personal, and interpersonal growth; promote mutuality and sharing based on the needs of the mentor and mentee; and communicate information concerning expectations, learning opportunities, and stressors. The NOVA Mentoring Program helps new NOVA members connect with seasoned NOVA members to benefit from their expertise and experience.  It provides mentees with specific assistance related to current needs, and helps seasoned NOVA members not only serve as mentors, but also as resources who can help mentees to meet requirements for advancement related to proficiency, education, evidence based practice, and research, as well as professional development. NOVA Chapters can also benefit from mentoring to enhance chapter development.

A good fit between a mentor and a mentee occurs when mentors are caring, compassionate, genuine, and willing to disclose information about themselves and about what they know.  Mentees need to be open to accept feedback and be willing to learn more about themselves and their expected role. A successful mentoring relationship requires willingness and skill in giving and receiving feedback. This is important for both the mentor and the mentee since one of the greatest learning opportunities occurs through the feedback that is given to and received from others. Both individuals must offer constructive feedback, positive and negative, to ensure that common needs and goals are being met. They need to know how the other is doing in the relationship to determine their future direction. It’s most helpful if the mentor and mentee agree early in the relationship on how to give each other feedback.

To access NOVA’s Empower Mentoring Program, go to NOVA website, www.vanurse.org and sign in. If you don’t have an account, as a member of NOVA, you may register for one. Once you access the Members Only section of the website, click on Education, then on Mentorship Program.

The mentoring process begins as the mentee is assigned to an expert nurse mentor. The NOVA Education Committee Chair is responsible for assigning mentor/mentee pairs and notifying the mentor and mentee. The following are the steps for initiating the mentoring relationship:

Step 1. Mentee receives name and email address of Mentor.
Step 2. Mentee contacts Mentor by email within 30 days of receiving
             Mentor’s email address to set up initial communication.
Step 3. Mentee and Mentor exchange contact information.
Step 4. Mentee and Mentor agree on method of communication (email, phone,
             meeting) and agree to communicate (by email, phone, or meeting)
             every month.
Step 5. Mentee identifies at least one goal and action item for the Mentoring
             experience.

What do you want to do or achieve?  If you have multiple goals, which one do you want to start working on first? How much time do you think it will take to achieve this goal? How will you know when you achieve the goal? How will you measure achievement of the goal? Goals should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound. Mentee should evaluate the goal with the Mentor’s help. Is it specific? Is it measurable? Is it achievable? Is it realistic?  Is the time frame to achieve the goal realistic? Mentee and Mentor together should review the following questions related to the goal. What information do you need to achieve your goal?  What individual strengths and weaknesses can you identify related to this goal? Do you need to develop any skills to achieve this goal? What resources do you need to achieve your goal? Mentee should develop an Action Plan including action items to meet the goal with assistance from the Mentor. What will you do first? What additional steps need to be taken?

Step 6. Mentee and Mentor review progress, future direction, and establish date
             and time for next contact in the next 30 days.
Step 7. Mentee completes quarterly update and sends to the Chair, Education
             Committee quarterly (January, April, July, October). 

                                                Mentee Quarterly Update (Sample)

Name of Mentee: _________________   Name of Mentor: _____________________________

Date Mentee and Mentor Began Mentoring Program: _______________________________

At least one goal and action item have been established                    ____Yes     ____No

Mentee and Mentor have communicated every month                       ____Yes     ____No

Mentee and Mentor are going to continue Mentoring Program          ____Yes     ____No

Comments:
           
Should you ask for a mentor to begin NOVA’s formal Mentoring Program? 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? Would you like specific assistance related to current needs? Are you willing to complete the program requirements and work with a mentor to achieve your goals?  Please consider requesting a mentor.

Would you like help in preparing your input for your proficiency?  Please request proficiency help.

Would you like to have someone you can contact with questions?  If you don’t want to begin NOVA’s formal mentoring program but just want a resource you can contact with questions, please request a resource.

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 had told you when you first started working in VA? Do you like helping people? Do you want to enrich your time 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 answer questions from VA nurses who would like help with a situation they’re encountering at work? Do you want to help VA nurses start a NOVA chapter or help make a NOVA chapter better? Do you want to make a difference? If you answered yes to any of these questions, please consider signing up to be a mentor.