Abstract

STUDENT NURSE PERCEPTION ON MENTORSHIP IN THE CLINICAL PLACEMENTS: A CASE STUDY IN A KENYAN HOSPITAL

Samwel Ndukanio*

Abstract

Background: Mentorship is an important component in the training of nurses because it enhances clinical nursing education. It creates opportunities where students integrate theory with practice thus, developing them as future professional nurses. However, various factors that are common especially in developing world, Kenya included are understaffing, heavy workload as well as inadequate training for mentors tend to affect its implementation. In Kenya, there is inadequate data on mentorship. This study was aimed at assessing the student nurse perception on mentorship in the clinical placements in Kenyan hospitals. Methods: An exploratory qualitative design was used to explore the student nurse’s perceptions on mentorship in their clinical placements. Purposive sampling was used and participants with desired characteristics were selected. In this study one sample forming three discussion groups of nursing students was used. Out of a population of 200 students, 38 were selected. Out of these, 18 were selected for the study based on their academic performance. Three groups were formed from the sample each comprising of six students. Data was collected through Focus Group Discussion. Results: The data generated observed that that mentorship is critical in facilitating learning in clinical setting and that the five roles of a mentor namely assisting, guiding, advising, befriending and counseling are necessary in mentoring. The roles of assisting, guiding and advising were reported by students as very crucial in enhancing the acquisition of clinical skills. Conclusion: The five roles of the mentor were all found to be necessary in making it effective. Positive relationships between students and mentors are crucial in executing the roles. The assisting, guiding and advising roles have a direct role to facilitating learning. Befriending and counseling roles have an indirect role to learning but are more effective in promoting positive learning relationships.

Keywords: Mentorship, Mentors, Focus Group Discussions, Clinical learning, Nurses.