Mentor Interview (Coursework Sample)

Mentor Interview Student’s Name Academic and Professional Credentials Mentor Interview University’s Name Mentor Introduction Mrs. Mary Brown is a registered nurse currently working as a nurse manager at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. In this role, Mrs. Mary Brown oversees the recruitment and training of nursing staff, facilitates the implementation of quality improvement initiatives, provides support and guidance to improve nursing staff skills, and streamlines workplace conditions to optimize patients’ safety and well-being. She also manages and creates work schedules to minimize conflicts among nursing staff to enhance workflow. Professional and Education Background Mrs. Mary Brown has never worked in another field. She claimed that the urge to help people and prevent the severe health and economic consequences of life-threatening illnesses compelled her to pursue nursing as a profession. Moreover, Mrs. Mary Brown maintained that the fulfilment she attains by providing support and comfort to people in vulnerable states drew her to the nursing profession. According to González‐García et al. (2021), a Bachelor of Science in Nursing is required for a nurse to become a nurse manager. Mrs. Mary Brown further acknowledged that a registered nurse license and membership in authoritative organizations like the American Organization for Nursing Leadership are mandatory for a nurse manager position. Current Role Discussions Mrs. Mary Brown argued that career advancement opportunities, higher wages, and chances to optimize staff and patient well-being are advantages linked to the nurse manager position. The position also creates platforms for nurse managers to implement effective policies, learn good resource management practices, and acknowledge desirable leadership traits. However, Gab Allah (2021) claims that heavy workloads, severe burnout, reduced patient contact, and struggles with work-life balance are challenges of the nurse manager position. Equally, inadequate administrative support and limited resources pose significant challenges to nurse managers. Mentor Selection Rationale I chose Mrs. Mary Brown because of her extensive experience and commitment to patient care, safety, and well-being. With adequate nursing knowledge, I believe Mrs. Mary Brown will be valuable and relevant for my career development and potential nurse manager position in the future. Additionally, Mrs. Mary Brown is a good listener, non-judgemental, offers constructive feedback, approachable, resourceful, and flexible. These desirable traits make Mrs. Mary Brown an excellent mentor. Mentoring and Professional Development Based on Mrs. Mary Brown’s responses, she had a mentor. She emphasized that her mentor helped her gain valuable career insight, become confident, obtain enough nursing knowledge, access relevant nursing materials, and expand her professional network, which contributed to her current nurse leadership position. As such, Mrs. Mary Brown perceives mentorship programs as pivotal for nurses’ career development, leadership, and personal growth. Therefore, Mrs. Mary Brown feels that by sharing her clinical experiences, allowing me to set goals, suggesting programs to boost my nursing skills and knowledge, and nurturing good leadership skills she can effectively guide me in my nursing professional development. Mentor Advice Mrs. Mary Brown stressed the need for networking and forging desirable relationships with people in the healthcare industry. According to Hill et al. (2022), positive relationships offer opportunities for nurses to excel in leadership and gain more knowledge, which are foundations for nursing development opportunities. In addition, Mrs. Mary Brown encouraged me to seek constructive feedback to acknowledge my weaknesses and strengths for better interventions. She also underscored the importance of staying current with healthcare events because up-to-date information enhances the learning of new skills and management of complex healthcare issues which are key in nursing profession development. Lastly, Mrs. Mary Brown advised me to set time-bound, relevant, measurable, specific, and achievable goals to guide my career development and progress. Reflection Mrs. Mary Brown is experienced, knowledgeable, and portrays a good personality. For these reasons, she qualifies to be my mentor. For instance, her vast nursing knowledge and clinical experience can help me become an excelle...