Compassion in Practice: A Realist Review of Mentorship as a Catalyst for Healthy Workplaces
Marissa Bird1,2, Laura Desveaux1,2, Addy Lagunju1
1Institute for Better Health, Trillium Health Partners, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Aim:
To examine the contexts and mechanisms that enable compassionate mentorship in healthcare, in order to generate evidence-informed insights for fostering healthier, more sustainable work environments.
Design:
A rapid realist review.
Data Sources:
Systematic searches were conducted in Ovid MEDLINE (1946-December 2024), Embase (1974-December 2024) and CINAHL (1981-December 2024). Additional sources included Google Scholar searches, reference list scanning and grey literature (e.g., practice guidelines, policy briefs, professional reports). The review was conducted between August 2024 and July 2025.
Review Methods:
Realist review methods were applied to answer the question: What works, for whom, under what circumstances and why? The review proceeded in four stages: defining scope and research questions with an expert panel; iterative searching and screening; data extraction and synthesis into context-mechanism-outcome configurations (CMOCs); and development of a programme theory.
Results:
Twenty-two documents were included, spanning nursing, medicine, allied health and interdisciplinary contexts. Six CMOCs were identified, encompassing the following themes: (1) relationship compatibility; (2) vulnerability and self-exploration; (3) growth through untapped strengths; (4) anti-oppression and equity; (5) mentors' pride and confidence; and (6) culture of mentorship. The resulting programme theory conceptualises compassionate mentorship as a dynamic, multi-level process with cumulative impacts on individual well-being, professional development and organisational culture.
Conclusion:
Compassionate mentorship represents not only a relational practice but also a structural intervention for healthier workplaces. Programmes should prioritise compatibility, cultivate psychological safety, invest in mentee growth, embed equity, recognise mentor contributions and institutionalise mentorship culture.
Impact:
These strategies offer actionable pathways to strengthen workforce resilience, retention and sustainability.
Patient Or Public Contribution:
One co-author is a retired nurse, ethicist and person with lived experience in the healthcare system. This co-author was integral to this project, serving on the scientific steering committee from project conceptualisation and funding application through study conduct and publication.
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