Mentoring in Nursing - Springer Publishing

Foreword
O
ver the years I have mentored many individuals such as students,
new nurses, experienced nurses trying something new,
and faculty. At first, it seemed like a lot of work to mentor someone,
but over time, mentoring strategies became easier to implement and
a routine component to most interactions. In my position as dean, I
am constantly reminded how much mentoring new faculty need to
develop into fully contributing, robust faculty. Over the years, it has
become essential to provide professional development and mentoring
in order to recruit and retain new talent. Formal and informal mentoring
has increased faculty performance, has increased retention and
commitment to the university, and has resulted in knowledge sharing.
Recently, I had the good fortune to talk with Sheila Grossman
and to be introduced to this book. She is passionate about how mentoring
can empower those of us in the nursing profession. Her intent
is to tell us how to create a mentoring spirit in nursing.
Everyone who picks up this book can benefit from the simple and
straightforward way that the content is presented. Perhaps you have
questioned if you are qualified to be a mentor. Maybe you don’t know
how to begin. This book provides guidelines and offers strategies, so
that you can begin engaging in mentoring activities right away. Your
own life experiences in learning and working with others qualify you
to be a mentor, so there is no question about your suitability. Your
enthusiasm for your work and the profession will be so contagious
that you will inspire others just by doing what you enjoy most.
Even though mentoring has long been recognized as beneficial
to the development of students, practicing nurses, and faculty, there
has been a lack of an established mentoring history in nursing. Yet
the literature is replete with evidence about the benefits of mentoring
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