Mentoring Matters

Neuroscience nursing is a fulfilling yet challenging specialty. How we care for and support each other as a profession and in our workplaces has been greatly impacted over the past few years by the stressors of the global COVID-19 pandemic and other issues such as burnout and poor staff retention and recruitment. Our formal and informal processes for education, networking and support were moved online, put on pause or cancelled, with some still not back to pre-pandemic activity. It’s in this difficult environment that mentorship programs around the world are gaining momentum.

Mentoring is a form of facilitated supervision. It most commonly involves a mentorship partnership between a more experienced mentor and a less-experienced mentee. The benefits of mentorship programs for healthcare and other professionals are becoming more widely recognised. The Burdett Trust’s Nursing Now Challenge successfully launched their online mentoring platform in 2021, providing opportunities for nursing mentorship connections across the globe (1). The corporate sector has also seen an increased uptake of mentorship programs during the pandemic period. With utilisation of virtual meetings and other technologies, physical distance is no longer a barrier to connecting mentees with the most suitable mentor for them. The ANNA mentorship program was launched in 2019, and has had a slow but steady growth since then.

ANNA members volunteering as mentors are having a significant impact on the future of neuroscience nursing. Not only are mentors gaining new skills or further refining their skills in communication and coaching, they are also gaining the wellbeing benefits associated with volunteering. Mentees in the program have access to skilled and experienced neuroscience nurse mentors who are able to guide and support them as they work towards achieving their career goals. It’s a win-win!

Mentoring matters, and it can make a difference. The ANNA mentorship program team is seeking mentors to be part of our volunteer pool for 2023 and beyond. Neuroscience nurses with a passion for sharing their knowledge are encouraged to apply. Our next intake for mentorship partnerships will commence in February 2023, so if you’re looking for mentoring support please submit your application on the ANNA website. As we look forward to the upcoming 2022 ANNA conference as an opportunity for our own personal learning and growth, let’s also consider how we can help to mentor our next generation of nurses as they dive into neuroscience nursing and keep swimming for many years to come.

Catherine

ANNA Treasurer

Neurosurgery Database Manager & Registered Nurse, Westmead Hospital Burdett Trust Nursing Now Challenge, 14/10/21, Nursing Now Challenge Launches New Mentoring Platform, viewed 29/09/22, Nursing Now Challenge launches new mentoring platform – Nursing Now Challenge

on behalf of the ANNA Mentorship Team