The Development of a Formal Mentoring Model and Program in a Faith-Based School of Nursing

Mentoring is a leadership initiative and a strategy that promotes collaboration, net-working, and inter-professional relationships.  The purpose of this poster presentation is to present the Formal Mentoring Model and Program developed by the Mentoring Task Force at Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (BULHSON).

Mentoring is the foundation of self-development and launching of a professional career trajectory (Hunt & Ellison, 2010; Meier, 2013).  Mentoring is a dynamic, evolving, ever changing relationship between individuals (Grossman, 2013).  The mentoring process involves one individual guiding another to develop both personally and professionally (Grossman, 2013).  Mentoring within a workplace setting is helpful to increase employee attitudes, motivation, and career outcomes (Meier, 2013).

The mentorship model developed by the BULHSON Mentoring Task Force, was designed to incorporate seven concepts identified by the Task Force as important to a successful faculty mentoring program. The seven concepts include the BULHSON mission and vision, the mentor, the mentee, Baylor University Pro Futuris (2012), and visionary leadership within the context of a Christian academic community.  Finally, elements of the nursing process, ongoing assessment and evaluation, are incorporated.  The goal of the mentoring program is transformational mentorship, culminating in the outcomes of Christian excellence in teaching, leadership, service, professional practice, scholarship, and research.

The conceptualization of the Mentorship Model centers on the tenets of the strategic vision of Baylor University Pro Futuris (2012), and the vision and mission of the school of nursing “to prepare baccalaureate and graduate level nurses, within a Christian Community, for professional practice, health care leadership, and world-wide service” as well as the nursing school’s motto “Learn. Lead. Serve.” The theoretical framework for the Model is based on the System Theory of input, throughput, and output (Kelly, 2011), and consists of interdependent entities, communication, and interactive processes for the development of predetermined outcomes.  Input information of the model consists of the Mentor-Mentee Agreement, the foundation of the mentoring relationship. Other pertinent input data includes SMART Goals, (Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Results-oriented, and Time-based) to focus on faculty development and career trajectory for non-tenured and tenured faculty, as well as an organizing scheme of policies and procedures of the structure and organization for the mentoring program. 

The input melds into the throughput of contiguous interacting circles of entities with continual assessment and evaluation, while encased in the foundation of a Christian community.  These entities include the Baylor University Pro Futuris (2012), the mission, values and vision of BULHSON and the dynamics of the mentor and mentee relationship, interactions, and processes interconnected by a visionary relationship that is the underpinning of the transformational mentorship.  The desired outcomes of the transformational mentorship are teaching, leadership, service, professional practice, scholarship, and research. At the heart of these outcomes are the priorities of the enactment of BULHSON motto “Learn. Lead. Serve” with professional practice as the fundamental foundation of the nursing profession.  These outcomes of the mentoring program, promote excellence in the profession, the school of nursing, and above all, increased evidence-based quality patient care.