The Role of Mentors in Creating an Environment for Learning



The Role of Mentors in Creating an Environment for Learning

Introduction

Now a day, the profession of mentoring is receiving a substantial consideration among academics, healthcare professionals and industries. The occupation of a mentor is measured as a means of personal and professional improvement. Therefore, a number of programs are arranged and practiced in various parts of the world. The role of a mentor is beneficial in creating an environment of learning for the inexperienced healthcare professionals in different premises of the hospital. The mentors guide the nurses, midwives working at their places to improve their quality practice. The practice; of mentors, nurses and midwives; is directly related to the patient safety. Therefore, the guidance and expertise of the mentors is always required by the novice.

Discussion

Mentors perform their responsibilities by providing the intense and long support guidance, and teaching to the students and other less experienced health care colleagues particularly. Mentor is a more experienced and trusted counsellor for new healthcare professionals (NMC, 2008). The responsibilities of a mentor in accordance of NMC standards are as follows

Coordinating and harmonizing the knowledge of students in practice

Giving a positive response to the achievements of students and supervising them at learning stage

Observing and scrutinizing the achievements of practical learning aims and objectives

Considering the overall performance (behaviour, expertise, and practice)

Providing a report of the student`s performance to the contributor of curriculum

Communicating and coordinating to the other professionals particularly the practice teacher to inform the concerns about performance of students, to give response and agree suitable action (NMC, 2008)

These standards demonstrate that the mentor individually cannot create the environment of learning; he has to build coordination with the other members of health care system. All the nurses and midwives want to be a mentor, have to fulfil some requirements stated in NMC standards. The criterion discussed for mentors related supporting learning and evaluating in practice is as follows

Registration in the department of interest such as paediatrics, mental health, etc.

Registration should be of one year

Enhance the expertise, knowledge, and competency

Completion of NMC verified mentor preparation program or an equivalent to it

Capability to evaluate, select and support a variety of learning chances in the practice area for students

Ability to support midwives and nurses in the meetings related ethical, behavioural and performance standards

Ability to judge the proficiency and competency of NMC students in the practice area and be liable on making such judgements

Capability to involve in the evaluation of other healthcare professional, in the administration of competent and qualified adviser of that particular profession (NMC, 2008)

Mentors function like a source to assist individual as well as professional improvements of their colleagues. As a guide of students, mentor supports them through the opportunities of learning, which improve their skills. In this regard, the participation of other healthcare professionals, caretakers, customers and patients is extremely appreciable. Furthermore, the mentor should set the priorities in order to assist students in their respective working stations. (Beskine D., 2009)

Though mentoring standards encourage the practice of ...