[The concept of case mentoring for a nursing expert: APN with a CNS focus and its impact on the nursing process]

The concept of case mentoring for a nursing expert: APN with a CNS focus and its impact on the nursing process Abstract: Background: An advanced and in-depth nursing approach aims to improve nursing practice through the use of nursing experts (APN) with a focus on Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS), directing care towards a patient-centered model. The case mentoring concept was developed at Hospital Neumarkt as a practical and patient-centered field of activity for nursing experts (APN). Objectives: Within the scope of "case mentoring", the Advanced Nursing Process is introduced to initiate evidence-based nursing for a defined patient group. Additionally, a positive influence on nurses' attitudes towards the nursing process is expected. Methods: A study was conducted using a mixed-method design with two data collection points. In addition to a document analysis, nurses were surveyed using the "Position on the Nursing Process" to assess their attitudes towards the nursing process. Results: The document analysis shows that the nursing process is more complete, structured, and evidence-based after the implementation of case mentoring. The cross-sectional survey indicates that nurses recognize the benefits and value of the nursing process more clearly after the implementation of case mentoring. Discussion: The case mentoring concept enables the implementation of an advanced nursing process and positively influences nurses' attitudes towards the nursing process, thereby enhancing overall nursing quality. Conclusions: These results underscore the relevance of CNS-led professional guidance.