Role of Mentor in Evaluating Student Learning - Essay Example

?Introduction Education is hugely important part of every individual that not only helps to empowers but also equips one with personal and professional competencies to compete and face the challenges of time. As such, the role of teachers and mentors becomes critical for myriad reasons. Indeed, the broader objectives of education are to empower students so that they are able to make rational decisions based on informed choices. At the same time, ethical and moral considerations also become immensely critical issues within the wider precincts of applying the knowledge gained in one’s personal and professional life. Hence, the role of mentors and teachers becomes crucial as they are major facilitators of learning processes for children, young adults and students of higher learning (Megginson et al., 2006). The paper would therefore, critically evaluate the role of mentor in evaluating student learning in the nursing profession. What is mentoring Mentors can be broadly be defined as guides and advisors for students in the process of learning. Though exact roles and responsibilities of mentors cannot be clearly defined but various scholars affirm that mentors mainly focus on individual students and facilitate learning environment in practice setting (Carnwell et al., 2007; Phillips et al., 1996; White et al., 1993). The major aim is to assess and evaluate students’ competencies, especially during pre-registration of healthcare workers. Department of Health has described it as ‘nurse, midwife or health visitor who facilitates learning, supervises and assesses students in the clinical setting’ (2001:6). Mentoring is intrinsic part of healthcare profession where mentors serve as important links in refining the skills and competencies of individuals to improve and improvise their performance. Thus, mentors are mainly experienced coaches or peer group who are capable of guiding young learners and sharpen their skills in the defined areas of expertise. Role and responsibilities of good mentors NMC (2008) emphasizes that qualified mentors are equipped with certain qualities which helps them to facilitate learning and assess students in practice settings. Some of these qualities as defined by Kerry and Mayes (1995) are: role modelling; nurturing attribute; capable of enhancing professional competencies of mentee; and building constructive relationship not only as teacher, friend or counsellor but as one of carer that is sustained over a period of time. These are key attributes that help to build bond of trust and mutual respect between mentor and learners. The mentors exert extensive influence on the learners and often act as role models for them. Consequently, the moral responsibilities of mentor are significantly more pronounced. Most importantly, in the era of fast globalization, ethical considerations and moral obligations become critical factors in healthcare industry and effective mentoring helps to inculcate and promote ethics within their profession. As per NMC (2008), mentoring involves eight major roles as: preceptor; assessor; clinical educator; clinical supervision; clinical supervisor; Practice teacher; registrant, supervisor. Preceptor primarily has basic minimum qualification of atleast twelve months’ experience in the desired area such that he/she can facilitate students’ transition to registrant. UK government provides the facility of preceptors to all new nurses to help them to become dedicated registrants (Bayley and Bayliss-Pratt, 2010). While assessor is equipped with necessary skills to assess students’ competencies, Clinical educators, clinical supervision and clinical supervisor help the nursing students to enhance their skills in clinical setting through effective feedback. Waskett (2010) believes that it helps the students to become confident and acquire skills that improve their performance. The rest of the roles of mentor differ with different areas in healthcare and medical environment. Hawkins and Shohet (2006) assert that supervisors as mentors are important as they help mentees to become more empathetic and improve the quality of healthcare services. In healthcare sector, mentors are also endowed with other pertinent roles as practice education facilitator or PEF, personal tutor and link tutor. PEF can be described as teacher in nursing and midwifery who promotes students learning experiences in practice setting and help assess their skills through effective feedback, encouragement, guidance and reflective practice (Carlisle et al., 2009). Personal tutor and link tutor are assigned to individual students and monitor their progress and liaise with mentors on a regular basis. Link tutors become essential elements of practice sessions as they help interpret students’ competencies in terms of their learning experience and achievable goals. How effective mentoring improves students’ learning in nursing With their impeccable behaviour, value based character and teaching prowess, the mentors tend to influence learners positively and motivate them towards higher professional achievement and personal growth. Good mentors guide students and help them to identify and evaluate conflicts so that they can be resolved effectively. Effective mentoring is key aspect of nursing education for various reasons. Mentors lead by example and therefore help inculcate strong ethics and moral considerations within the healthcare profession. By sharing experiences and dealing with practical difficulties, mentees evolve as better professionals and become more confident to meet the challenges of time. Many scholars assert that mentor and mentee relationship is hugely beneficial and sustains over long period of time and helps develop strong ethos of professional and personal satisfaction (Barnett, 2008; van Eps et al., 2006; Harrison et al., 2005). In nursing profession, effective mentoring helps to evaluate the nursing students’ responses in the clinical setting. They encourage critical thinking skills so as to improve their perceived diagnosis and care related responses. Mentors also help students to develop better psychological and social skills for the given clinical scenario in patient care. Nursing students benefit with strong mentoring as it empowers them and helps them to incorporate physical, mental and social well-being of the patients as it is intrinsically linked to ethically delivered care to medically sick people (Chitty, 2007; Ryles, 1999). Conclusion One can therefore say that effective mentoring helps the nurse students to assess their clinical abilities and improve and improvise their nursing competencies for higher personal and professional achievement. Most importantly, it helps to fulfil the core principle of nursing which is central to the welfare of the patients. It facilitates higher productive outcome and promotes mutual trust and confidence building with the patients by applying improved professional skills, informed choice, understanding and empathy developed through close association with the mentors. (words: 1028) Reference Barnett, J. E. Mentoring, boundaries, and multiple relationships: Opportunities and challenges. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 16, 2008: 3–16. Bayley, Maggie and Bayliss-Pratt, Lisa. Preceptorship Framework for Newly Registered Nurses, Midwives and Allied Health Professionals. UK: DOH, 2010. Carlisle, C., et al. 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A detailed study of the relationships between teaching, support, supervision and role modelling for students in clinical areas, within the context of Project 2000 courses. English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, London: ENBNM, 1993. Read More