Features of an excellent mentor

What does it mean to be a mentor? Does he show anyone the ins and outs – where to search out a 2-inch silk tape, the right way to contact a pharmacy for an urgent medication, when to alter a centrally inserted dressing? Does being a mentor mean acting as a teacher and taking up tasks with a brand new nurse or a nurse who’s just starting on the unit? Does mentoring end when this nurse completes orientation?

I even have worked with many various teachers through the years – colleagues who really showed me the ropes, took on assignments with me, after which took on assignments of their very own after I was able to function more independently. But when I believe of a mentor, only a couple of nurses come to mind. These were nurses who at all times taught, whether that was their intention or not. It wasn’t at all times in regards to the “what” of their teaching, it was most frequently in regards to the “how”. Their actions and examples impressed me greater than any task they’d to show.

The nurses I consider my mentors are skilled, caring and assertive. They work well with other nurses and members of the health care team. While they respect rules and procedures, also they are critical thinkers and open to alter. Moreover, these nurses are desperate to improve their level of education and seek latest educational experiences for themselves and others.

What qualities of a mentor are most vital to you?