MENTORSHIP

Mentorship in Practice

Table of Contents

Introduction to the scenario1

Factors that have influenced the learner1

Mentor's role in addressing the factor2

Conclusion3

Recommendations for best practice4

References6

Mentorship in Practice

Introduction to the scenario

In the given scenario, the student is a second year student and is enrolled for the 12 weeks of practice experience. The place where she is enrolled is one hour away from her home and she uses public transport for her commute. She has a seven year old child and she is a single parent. Though her family is very supportive and she thinks that can manager her practice experience well. Her first day practice experience is not so well. Her mentor is off and there is no one to attend to her. She remains very busy on the practice. She does not like the experience at all and is so overwhelmed that she ends up crying. Even her orientation gets delayed for a week and she has no idea what lays ahead of her. The orientation is delayed till the time her mentor comes back. Because of all this the relationship between Mary and her mentor is not as it should have been. Things go so bad that Mary ends up asking for a change of practice experience. She says that she is finding it very hard to commute.

Factors that have influenced the learner

Professional practice experience is an important requirement of nursing and midwifery professionals. This experience adds to the credentials of the professional and increases job prospects. It also helps in making the trainee a good professional and a good leader. They learn firsthand and are put under a mentor who guides them throughout the duration of their internship or professional practice experience.

There are a number of factors that have influenced Mary. To begin with, she feels ignored. She finds herself at loss. The events that happened during the course of the first week on her professional practice got her demotivated. I believe that the worst thing that hit her was the fact that she was not attended by anyone (NMC, 2004, p. 25). She found herself at loss. In the absence of her assigned mentor, there should have been someone who could guide her through.

In addition, the very purpose of orientation is to familiarize the incoming student with the whole professional experience program. Learning objectives are set and the session serves to break the ice between the mentor and mentored. The orientation gives them a clear idea on why the program is essential, how it will benefit her and what should they expect to learn from their professional experience. Mary, for the most part was not involved. I think she felt that her time was wasted and that her mentor was irresponsible. Hence, when the mentor actually came back, she already had a negative perception in her mind which affected her relationship with her mentor (Jacob & Lavender, 2008, p. 4).

Without a hands on experience, she realized that her qualification will go to waste, so she makes up her ...