Development and implementation of a peer mentoring program for early career gerontological faculty

Area of Science:

• Gerontological Nursing
• Academic Nursing Development
• Faculty Mentorship Programs

Background:

• The Hartford Gerontological Nursing Leaders (HGNL), formerly Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity Initiative (BAGNC), partnered with the National Hartford Centers of Gerontological Nursing Excellence (NHCGNE).
• A peer mentoring program was initiated in 2011 to support NHCGNE scholars/fellows and HGNL members' professional growth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the strategies employed in developing and implementing a peer mentoring program.
• To present a formative evaluation of the peer mentoring initiative.
• To identify key lessons learned for structuring, implementing, and evaluating such programs.

Main Methods:

• The program commenced in January 2011 with seven mentor-mentee pairs.
• Feedback was collected in June 2012, leading to program adjustments for subsequent cohorts.
• The program expanded over three cohorts, facilitating 31 matches in total.

Main Results:

• The peer mentoring program successfully facilitated 31 mentor-mentee matches across three cohorts.
• Key lessons were identified regarding the effective structuring, implementation, and evaluation of peer mentoring initiatives.
• Informal evaluation revealed challenges faced by both peer mentors and mentees.

Conclusions:

• Addressing identified challenges in peer mentoring can enhance program quality and effectiveness.
• Strengthening peer mentoring programs contributes to a more robust academic nursing faculty workforce.
• The findings offer a model for developing adaptable peer mentoring programs in diverse clinical and educational settings.