Mentorship Program begins on the Acute Inpatient Nursing Unit

Across Ontario, healthcare facilities are required to look at quality improvement on a continuous basis. Each facility is unique in how care is delivered and each has their own successes and challenges. We are very fortunate at SLMHC to have nursing staff that are willing to learn about and provide for the needs of our client population in an ever changing health care system.

As an administration team at Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre, we wanted to identify strategies to provide more support to our nursing staff. In doing so, a suggestion was brought forth by staff members to provide a more clinically supported nursing environment through mentorship. We are aware that we have exceptional support through our clinical nursing coordinators but also know that each have a significant time commitment to other managerial duties which require them to be away from the clinical areas. Therefore, a temporary strategy to provide a mentor who would complement the role of the clinical nursing coordinator has been developed.

Beginning March 25th, 2013, a mentorship program will begin on the acute inpatient nursing unit. Brad Lance, RN, will assume the role of mentor and will be working Monday through Friday. Brad will be working alongside the team leader and other staff to assist in creating and maintaining a supportive healthy nursing environment. Research has shown that when nurses feel more confident and supported in their roles, they are more likely to exhibit increased job satisfaction which leads to a rise in retention of staff. Along with this, patients are more satisfied with their care when it is provided by nurses who feel confident and supported.

The role of the mentor is to provide guidance to the team leader and staff related to roles and responsibilities, accountability, prioritization of care, time management and development of skills. The mentor will not be expected to receive a patient assignment, be counted in the daily staff, accompany medivac patients or be assigned as team leader.

Heather Shepherd, RN
Director of Acute & Ambulatory Services
Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre