Mentor in Nursing School

Hey Guys,

The pressure to be successful in nursing school is BIG. Nursing school is hectic and one of the ways to help de-stress is by finding yourself a good mentor. Your mentor can help guide you, encourage you, and celebrate you through the ups and downs of school. 

When I was a sophomore in nursing school I had a senior nursing student as a mentor. We met about every two weeks, but was also in contact via text. The number one thing I took away from that relationship was that there is life outside of nursing school. My poor mentor had to listen to me over and over stress about passing adult health or how I felt like I was a failure. All pretty common emotions for nursing school. Her encouragement and kindness was what got me through my first semester. 

My junior year I signed up to be a mentor. I tried as often as I could to see my mentee, but it never quite worked out. Regardless, I was always there for her as a resource and support. I have also signed up to be a mentor for my senior year and am excited to see who it is.

A lot of nursing schools already do peer mentorship programs and, although a great idea, they often times are unsuccessful. Here are some tips to have a successful mentor/mentee relationship. 

one// Be open and ready to be in a relationship. This ultimately means willing to find the time to meet and build bonds. As with any relationship, it takes two. Decide together how often you want to meet or what is the best way to contact one another.

two// Set some goals. What do you want to gain from your mentor? This could be help with learning skills or knowing how to study. Having an idea of what you want out of the relationship will help guide it in the right direction. 

three// Do not be afraid to talk or ask questions. That is why your mentor is there!

four// Be respectful. Your mentor most likely has a busy schedule as well. So when you are together make the time worth while and do not be preoccupied with something else. 

five// Support one another. Although your mentor is older than you, she or he could use some support in their lives as well. Be there for one another and do not be afraid to just hang out without the messes of school.

I truly encourage you all to have a mentor in nursing school. This could be a family friend in the medical field, another nurse, or an upperclassmen. 

P.S. If anyone would like support from either myself or Christine, please feel free to email mightynursemegan@gmail.com