Mentorship Pilot Program
Sponsored by the OHA
Early in 2005, the NHS was successful in being chosen by the Ontario Hospital Association to participate in the RN Nurse Mentoring project. This one-year project, provides funding for two Registered Nurses 20 hours per week, in which to mentor their colleagues on the nursing unit, particularly new hires and those transferring in from other hospitals in our network. Dr. Heather Kilty of Brock University is the Project Consultant and well-known to Niagara's nurses. This project compliments the NHS's existing Mentorship Program, which is one of the few established in Ontario, and further emphasizes our dedication to the professional development and education of our nursing staff.
Nurses Helping Nurses
Maryke Durrant, an Intensive Care Unit Permanent Charge Nurse and Wendy Cunningham, RN, an Inpatient Surgical Nurse, are both participating in the pilot. "Our focus is to improve job satisfaction on our respective units for nurses, by making sure they have the skills, knowledge and comfort level with how our processes work," says Maryke, who has been nursing since 1972. "We are able to provide a support system for new hires, someone they can come to if they have educational needs, training or for some of our day-to-day processes."
"It is our job to help them become familiar with our professional practice and with the culture of the hospital, so they feel they belong and are a member of the team," says Wendy, who has been nursing for 19 years. "We're here to help ease the way and our new hires know we have a confidential relationship with them, so they can bring us their concerns."
Wendy and Maryke are two of only 20 RN's in Ontario who were selected to participate in the project. The duo says their colleagues and Clinical Managers on the nursing units, as well as the Ontario Nurses Association, are very supportive of the whole concept, which makes their work that much easier. In addition to providing day-to-day support, the project will also produce research data for use by Brock University.
Next Steps
Maryke and Wendy will both be working with the Nursing Professional Development Committee and their respective Clinical Managers to develop a Business Case to transition positions of this nature to full-time status.