Carol Kostovich, PhD, RN
Kay Thurn, PsyD, RN

Participation in a mentoring experience can facilitate successful completion of a nursing program. While enrollment in schools of nursing has increased, retention in programs remains a challenge. An optimal learning environment to successfully navigate a baccalaureate nursing education requires shifting to a new teaching/learning paradigm.

In response to the need for this environment, faculty created a group-mentoring format to facilitate retention and success in the program. A pilot study of 20 graduating seniors supported the value of the mentoring experience. This study will explore students’ perspectives of participating in a group-mentoring experience over time. Students join a mentoring group beginning with their first clinical and continue with the same classmates until completion of the upper division nursing curriculum at a Midwestern liberal arts university. Those invited to participate in the study will include all students enrolled in their first clinical course, currently numbering approximately 35. Students will be asked to complete a researcher- developed interview questionnaire consisting of five open-ended questions relating to their experience in the mentoring group. The questionnaire will be completed at the end of each of their four semesters in the mentoring group. Three faculty researchers will analyze data using Colaizzi’s (1978) phenomenological data analysis method supported by a qualitative analysis computer software program.

This study closely aligns with the NLN research priorities as follows: New Teaching/Learning/Evaluation Paradigms; Student Recruitment and Retention; Teacher/Student Relationships.