Mentoring student nurses and the educational use of self: a hermeneutic phenomenological study

In the United Kingdom, pre-registration nurse education relies on workplace mentors to support and assess practice learning. Despite research to clarify expectations and develop support structures, mentors nevertheless report being overwhelmed by the responsibility of mentoring alongside their clinical work. Understanding of their lived experience appears limited.

The aim of the study was to achieve a deeper understanding of the lived experience of mentoring, searching for insights into how mentors can be better prepared and supported.

The mentor lifeworld was explored utilizing a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology drawing on Heidegger.

Twelve mentors, who worked in a range of clinical settings in England were recruited via purposive and snowball sampling.

Participants described their experiences of mentoring through in-depth interviews and event diaries which included 'rich pictures'. Analysis involved the application of four lifeworld existentials proposed by van Manen - temporality, spatiality, corporeality and relationality.

The essence of being a mentor was 'the educational use of self'. Temporality featured in the past self and moving with daily/work rhythms. Spatiality evoked issues of proximity and accountability and the inner and outer spaces of patients' bodies. Mentor corporeality revealed using the body for teaching, and mentors revealed their relationality in providing a 'good educational experience' and sustaining their 'educational selves'.

'The educational use of self' offers insight into the lived experience of mentors, and exposes the potentially hidden elements of mentoring experience, which can inform mentor preparation and support.