Mentorship: Maslow and me

The Department of Veterans Affairs Nursing Service developed a leadership training program that utilizes a preceptor for a trainee. The relationship these two establish determines the level of development the trainee can achieve. The working relationship between preceptor and trainee in this setting surpassed the task-oriented aspects of the preceptorship program and can better be described as that achieved through mentorship. The cadre of competencies are comparable to Maslow's (1970) hierarchy of needs and are viewed as interacting and cyclical. The goal of the training program is to develop a leader that is capable of self-actualization in an advanced leadership role. The authors' personal experiences are used to demonstrate how the principles of mentorship are applied in the training setting.