Improving Retention and Engagement through Inspiration: UnitedHealth Group's Inspire Nurse Mentorship Program

The Center for Nursing Advancement (CfNA) strives to enrich the experiences, skills, and impact of nurses. Using an innovative approach that values authentic interactions, the CfNA allows nurses the opportunity to enhance themselves while creating lasting relationships. Skilled communication plays a critical role within all the programs offered; moreover, the CfNA works collectively to ensure ethically oriented interactions, which are exemplified through the iNspire mentorship program.

Mentoring is an integral component of a healthy work environment, which is commonly requested but often missed within large organizations. The iNspire (Inspiring Nurse Success and Partnership in Reaching Excellence) program was created to provide a solid foundation for nurses serving in a variety of roles. Furthermore, iNspire was developed in response to feedback from nurses, which signaled a need for career guidance, business acumen, networking, and the aspiration to develop professionally.

Goals play a critical role in the design of the mentorship experience. The iNspire program provides succinct goals that stem from written, verbal, and non-verbal interactions. Specific mentorship goals are supported through an open dialogue and clear objectives. The program places great value on diversity and offers an experience that incorporates two-way intercultural dialogue. The program also provides a focused annual agenda to generate distinct directives; in all, iNspire seeks to create an interaction that is inclusive and transparent.

Several specific goals frame the iNspire mentorship program; More specifically, a desire to: improve nurse retention and engagement, support personal and professional development of nurses, increase knowledge related to the roles of nurses within UnitedHealth Group, foster business acumen, and support nurse-to-nurse networking. Accordingly, mentored relationships cultivate a positive perception of leadership and have the potential to influence nursing retention. As such, the iNspire program grants participants the opportunity to interact with seasoned leaders while participating in an environment that supports and stimulates.