The Vermont School Nurse Mentoring Project 

Background for the project:

This project arose out of the realization that new school nurses in Vermont are often confused and overwhelmed at the beginning of a new job, and as a result feel isolated and ambiguous about the position.  Previously, there has been informal contact between experienced nurses and new nurses, but no systematic way of helping the novice school nurse through her first difficult year. We have all met nurses who tried and left school nursing, often feeling that they had no “back up”. This program hopes to assist new nurses in their new role. 

Upon researching new school nurse programs around the country, several ideas emerged that should be incorporated into the Vermont program.  First is the idea of skill acquisition, which states that even though many new school nurses are experts in other sub-specialties of nursing, when placed in an unfamiliar setting they become novices in their new practice. Competencies involved in school nursing may include specific nursing tasks, but also reflect standards of nursing practice as exemplified by the NASN and Vermont Standards of Nursing Practice. The nurse that has proven to be expert in school nursing practice should assist the novice nurses to become proficient: it is incumbent on us as professionals to participate in this process.

Second, adult learning theory, or andragogy, suggest that the typical adult learner is eager to participate as an equal partner in the learning experience, but does not respond as well to lectures and didactic instruction. Adult learners need to receive immediate feedback on how they are doing and want direct, concrete experiences that relates theory or information to day-to-day activities. The protégée, or mentee, has a need for information and is willing to learn.  It is necessary that the mentor have more experience and expertise in the field than that of the protégée. The “on the job” experience that school nurses face their first year is the perfect setting for adult leaning and a mentoring relationship.

Third, mentoring is different from the nursing preceptorships with which we are most familiar.  Mentoring is a two-way, fostering relationship in which both participants enter the compact voluntarily and expect to receive a valuable experience.  Thus, adult learning theory is applicable to the mentoring experience.  Mentoring can impart knowledge such as ‑­

nursing procedures, but it also plays a part in the professional socialization of the protégée. One hallmark of the mentor-protégée relationship is the sense of common purpose and equality of position, while the other is that the mentoring programs is separated from performance evaluation.  The protégée must be assured that she can ask questions and reveal herself honestly without fearing that her position is in jeopardy. 

Last, the mentoring program allows the novice school nurse to socialize to her new situation, and in doing so becomes independent and autonomous, rather than feeling isolated and uncertain in her new role. The expert nurse assists in this transformation by being available, encouraging and affirming, introducing the novice nurse to available resources on the local, state, and national level, and by exemplifying excellence in her practice.  

How does the project work?

Previously, school nurse mentoring in Vermont has consisted of an occasional phone call and infrequent contact; this program commits both nurses to a minimum of four face-to-face meetings during a school year, and contact at least one other time once a month all year.  The VSSNA will assist by giving time at the autumn and spring conferences to allow mentoring pairs to meet, but other contact must be set up independently.  Other requirements include committing to an agreement that articulates mutually agreed upon goals, time frames, and methods of communication.  An outline and check list of subjects to be covered will be provided, but it is left to the mentoring pair to decide how and when to discuss the material.  It is, therefore, incumbent on the mentoring pair to document meetings and subjects under discussion, using this record to fulfill requirements for licensure or relicensure credit.

How does one become a mentor?

Members of the board of directors of the VSSNA have agreed that the minimum requirements for the mentor includes baccalaureate preparation, membership in the VSSNA, and a minimum of three years of school nursing experience.  At least one and preferably two years experience nursing in Vermont would be helpful.

Although there is no VSSNA requirement that the mentor nurse is recompensed by her school system or the school system of the protégée nurse, the Vermont Standards Board for Professional Educators states that “it is recommended that mentoring programs provide a means for recognition and/or compensation for the mentor’s training and work (e.g. stipends, relicensure or academic credit, public acknowledgment)”.  Nurse mentors are encouraged to discuss this at the supervisory union level and with their LEA representative.  There is a survey that can assist you to consider this program.  New school nurses have similar needs assessment survey, which will allow the mentoring pair to set goals based on perceived needs of the protégée.

How does one become a protégée?

New school nurses complete a needs assessment survey during the new school nurse orientation workshop held by the Vermont Department of Education in August.  As a part of the survey, nurses indicate whether they would like to be part of the mentoring pair. This survey also allows the mentoring pair to set goals based on percieved needs of the protégée.  The Vermont Standards Board for Professional Educators requires all nurses working on a provisional license to have an experienced school nurse mentor assigned during the period of provisional licensure. Therefore, this program is offered to school superintendents as a method of standardizing a new school nurse mentoring program that is open to all school nurses.

Further Information

Nurse mentors are offered information on mentoring and the program through the VSSNA website and through the VSSNA newsletter.   A networking opportunity will be offered at the Autumn and Spring conferences.  All other new school nurses are invited to join the program if they would like the assistance and guidance of a mentor nurse. 

Discount

The VSSNA has agreed to allow new school nurses who are part of an established mentoring pair to join the VSSNA at half the usual cost of membership.