Ready, Set, Start: Mentoring Graduating Nursing Students During a Pandemic

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Management
• Public Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic created significant challenges for healthcare systems and new nurses.
• Transitioning into practice is a critical period for newly graduated nurses.
• Limited resources during the pandemic may have impacted support for novice nurses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences of faculty mentors and new graduate mentees in a postgraduation mentorship program.
• To understand the impact of a mentorship program on the transition to practice for nurses during the pandemic.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory study design was employed.
• The study focused on describing the experiences of faculty mentors and new graduate mentees.
• NCLEX pass rates, perceived stress, and professional quality of life were collected to contextualize findings.

Main Results:

• The START mentorship program provided valuable support for new graduate nurses.
• Faculty mentors and new mentees reported positive experiences within the program.
• The program aimed to mitigate challenges faced by nurses entering the workforce during a pandemic.

Conclusions:

• Postgraduation mentorship programs can effectively support new nurses during challenging times.
• The START program demonstrated a positive impact on the transition to practice.
• Further research can explore the long-term effects of such mentorship initiatives on nurse retention and well-being.