Mentoring up: A grounded theory of nurse-to-nurse mentoring

摘要

Aims and objectives To generate a theoretical explanation of nurse-to-nurse mentoring in the clinical setting. Background Despite an abundance of mentoring literature, the processes involved between nurses in mentoring relationships have yet to be studied. Nursing literature has focused on mentor attributes and relationship outcomes rather than focusing on theoretical discovery. Design Classical grounded theory (CGT). Methods CGT procedures (constant comparative method, coding and memoing) were used to analyse interview data exploring fifteen nurse proteges' experiences of mentoring. Results Confidencing, the proteges' need to become confident in the professional role, emerged as the main concern of study participants. Three dimensions are threaded throughout nurse-to-nurse mentoring: earnest intentions, filial bond and trust-worthiness. Earnest intentions are the sincere attitude that proteges and mentors demonstrate regarding their mentoring relationship. An exclusive, familial-type connection, filial bond, attends to the affective needs of proteges and mentors. Trust-worthiness, the explicit feeling of trust between proteges and mentors, strengthens as each demonstrates being worthy of the other's trust. Mentoring Up theory explains five phases of mentoring: seeding, opening, laddering, equalising and reframing. The initial phases are periods of relationship discovery (seeding) and testing (opening). Laddering is an intense period of reciprocal interactions between mentors and proteges. Equalising begins as proteges perceive themselves to be equal to their mentors in terms of their professional capability. Proteges reflect on the meaning of the relationship in the reframing phase. Conclusions Mentoring Up is a dense theory that reveals insights, explanations and predictions for initiating, developing and engaging in mentoring relationships. Mentoring Up fills a gap in the existing literature and provides a framework for future mentoring research. Relevance to clinical practice The theory has implications for healthcare organisations, nursing education and individual nurses. Mentoring Up expounds on the interpersonal connections and reciprocal interactions vital for successful nurse-to-nurse mentoring.