Development and testing of an evidence-based model of mentoring nursing students in clinical practice

Abstract Background: Mentoring in clinical settings is an important factor in the development of nursing students’ professional knowledge and competences, but more knowledge of mentors’ current and required competences is needed to improve nursing students’ clinical learning. Objectives: This study aimed to develop and test an evidence-based model of mentoring nursing students in clinical practice. Design: An international cross-sectional survey coordinated in five European countries: Finland, Italy, Lithuania, Slovenia and Spain. Methods: Mentors, 4980 registered nurses working in both primary and specialist healthcare organizations, were invited to participate in the study during 2016—2019. The final sample consisted of 1360 mentors (mean age 41.9 ± 11). Data were collected with background questions and the Mentor Competence Instrument. The instrument was psychometrically validated then the data were used to construct a Structural Equation Model (SEM) with Full Imputation Maximum Likelihood (FIML) estimation. Results: All of six hypotheses were verified. In summary: mentors’ characteristics related to their motivation and reflection are positively related to mentoring practices in the workplace, which (together with constructive feedback) are positively related to and foster goal-orientation in students’ clinical learning and student-centered evaluation. All parameters in the SEM model were significant and the model’s fit indexes were verified (RMSEA = 0.055; SRMR = 0.083; CFI = 0.914, TLI = 0.909). Conclusion: Our evidence-based modeling confirms the research hypotheses about mentorship, and identifies focal competences for designing mentors’ education to improve students’ clinical learning and establish a common European mentoring model. Mentorship is important for both healthcare organizations and educational systems to enhance students’ clinical competences, professional growth and commitment to the nursing profession and organizational environments

Mentors’ competence in mentoring nursing students in clinical practice:detecting profiles to enhance mentoring practices

Abstract Aims: To describe the mentoring competence of clinical practice nurse mentors and identify different mentor profiles. Design: Cross-sectional research design, secondary analysis. Methods: An international, cross-sectional study design was performed in five European countries. A total of 1 604 mentors from 33 healthcare organizations participated in the study between 2016–2019. The Mentors’ Competence Instrument (MCI), which includes seven sub-dimensions and 44 items, was used to collect data. K-means cluster and binary regression analyses were performed to detect mentor profiles and determine how various factors affect competence, respectively. Results: The K-means cluster analysis identified three distinct profiles: A (n = 926); B (n = 566); and C (n = 85). The profiles showed significantly different values (p < 0.001) across all seven areas of mentoring competence. In comparison with the other profiles, nurses in profile A were older, had more work experience and were more probably to have completed mentoring-specific training

Mentoring of nursing students:a comparative study of Japan and five European countries

Abstract Aims: This study aimed to explore mentoring competence in nursing student mentors during clinical practice by identifying different mentor profiles and connections between different competence areas among five European countries and Japan. Methods: The study implemented a cross-sectional design in Finland, Italy, Lithuania, Slovenia, Spain, and Japan during 2016 and 2019. In total, 6208 mentors were invited, and 1862 participated from 58 healthcare organizations. The data were collected with a survey questionnaire by including background question items with the Mentor Competence Instrument. K-clustering and structural equation modeling were used for data analysis. Results: Four mentor profiles, A (43%), B (30%), C (18%), and D (9%), were identified according to the seven mentoring competence areas with high statistical significance (p < 0.001). Higher mentoring competence (mean >3.50) was observed among Finnish, Lithuanian, and Slovenian mentors with university education in nursing, older ages, more work experience, and previous education in mentoring. Lower competence (mean <2.49) was observed among Japanese and Italian mentors with diplomas in nursing, younger ages, less work experience, and no previous education in mentoring. Conclusions: Mentoring requires motivated, highly competent mentors since mentoring is a critical aspect of nursing education. Mentoring roles should be given to nurses with higher education and mentoring training. Younger, less experienced nurses without formal mentoring training may need support from senior nurses when performing mentoring roles and could also facilitate a more balanced workload between patient care and mentoring for senior nurses

Mentors’ cultural competence at mentoring culturally and linguistically diverse nursing students in clinical practice:an international cross-sectional study

Abstract Aims: This study aimed to identify mentors’ cultural competence profiles at mentoring culturally and linguistically diverse nursing students in clinical practice and explore associating factors. Background: Globalization has had a significant impact on healthcare, increasing the diversity of healthcare workforces and the number of culturally and linguistically diverse nursing students in clinical practice. The cultural competence of mentors is important to secure students’ safe and successful learning. The mentor role in clinical practice contributes toward enabling and ensuring students’ high-quality and goal-oriented development of competence. Design: This study implemented a cross-sectional design with a final sample of 270 clinical practice mentors from Finland, Lithuania, Spain and Slovenia. Methods: The data were collected using an online survey including the Mentors’ Cultural Competence Instrument, Mentors’ Competence Instrument and background questions during 2020–2021. The data were analyzed using a K-mean cluster algorithm to identify mentors’ competency profiles. Results: Three significantly differing mentor competency profiles (Profile A 42%, Profile B 41%, Profile C 17%) were identified in this study. The cultural competence of the mentors in clinical practice varied between intermediate and high levels. Mentors rated their cultural competence as best in the area of cultural sensitivity and awareness, whereas the lowest scored area was cultural interaction and safety. Conclusions: This study showed that the cultural competence of mentors in clinical practice varied and was influenced by mentors’ work experience, age, job title and frequency of mentoring. This study provides new knowledge that could help to develop cultural competence operating models and education to enhance the cultural competence of healthcare professionals