The experience of being a protege in a nursing mentor relationship

• Main Author: Roberts, Ellen Marcelle
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: 2008
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/3156

This study describes the experience of proteges in a nursing mentor relationship. The nature and essence of mentoring is described from the perspective of the protege using a phenomenological method. Data were collected by use of an in-depth, semi-structured interview. Thirteen proteges (10 nursing faculty and 3 master's in science of nursing students) acted as participants. The findings emphasize the importance and profundity of the mentoring relationship for these proteges. Mentoring is seen as a complex phenomenon that can be conceptualized as having four major content categories: mentoring as a process, mentoring as a relationship, mentor functions, and mentoring outcomes. Major themes under each of these content categories are described. The implications that mentoring has for nursing practice, education, administration, and research are presented. === Applied Science, Faculty of === Nursing, School of === Graduate