TY - JOUR
T1 - The midwife-student mentor relationship : creating the virtuous circle
AU - Sheehan, A.
AU - Elmir, R.
AU - Hammond, A.
AU - Schmied, V.
AU - Coulton, S.
AU - Sorensen, K.
AU - Arundell, F.
AU - Keedle, H.
AU - Dahlen, H.
AU - Burns, E.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Background: Good mentoring is important for students to support their adjustment to and learning in the clinical environment. The quality of the mentoring relationship is key for students but there is a lack of evidence explaining how a good mentor/mentee relationship establishes and develops over time. Aim: To explore the developing relationship between mentors and mentees participating in a structured midwifery mentoring program in one Local Health District in Sydney, Australia. Methods: A qualitative interpretive descriptive research design was utilised. Data were collected using 10 focus groups with midwife mentors (n = 31) and seven focus groups and four interviews with Bachelor of Midwifery student mentees (n = 24), over a 12-month period. Thematic analysis using an inductive approach was applied incorporating constant comparison to identify themes and sub-themes. Findings: Three overarching themes and three sub-themes were identified. The first theme was ‘The great unknown’. Within the second theme ‘Building the relationship’ were three subthemes: trying to connect; becoming known; and an insider on your side. The final theme ‘the virtuous circle’ described the reciprocal relationship and benefits that developed between mentor and mentee. Discussion: The mentor/mentee relationship took time to develop and went through a number of phases. A positive mentor/ mentee relationship flattened hierarchical differences, increased student confidence and capacity for learning, and reflected the midwifery continuity of care relationship between midwife and woman built on respect and partnership. Conclusion: Developing a successful midwifery mentoring relationship takes persistence, reassurance, and mutual disclosure ultimately resulting in a recurring cycle of encouragement and support.
AB - Background: Good mentoring is important for students to support their adjustment to and learning in the clinical environment. The quality of the mentoring relationship is key for students but there is a lack of evidence explaining how a good mentor/mentee relationship establishes and develops over time. Aim: To explore the developing relationship between mentors and mentees participating in a structured midwifery mentoring program in one Local Health District in Sydney, Australia. Methods: A qualitative interpretive descriptive research design was utilised. Data were collected using 10 focus groups with midwife mentors (n = 31) and seven focus groups and four interviews with Bachelor of Midwifery student mentees (n = 24), over a 12-month period. Thematic analysis using an inductive approach was applied incorporating constant comparison to identify themes and sub-themes. Findings: Three overarching themes and three sub-themes were identified. The first theme was ‘The great unknown’. Within the second theme ‘Building the relationship’ were three subthemes: trying to connect; becoming known; and an insider on your side. The final theme ‘the virtuous circle’ described the reciprocal relationship and benefits that developed between mentor and mentee. Discussion: The mentor/mentee relationship took time to develop and went through a number of phases. A positive mentor/ mentee relationship flattened hierarchical differences, increased student confidence and capacity for learning, and reflected the midwifery continuity of care relationship between midwife and woman built on respect and partnership. Conclusion: Developing a successful midwifery mentoring relationship takes persistence, reassurance, and mutual disclosure ultimately resulting in a recurring cycle of encouragement and support.
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/1959.7/uws:65745
U2 - 10.1016/j.wombi.2021.10.007
DO - 10.1016/j.wombi.2021.10.007
M3 - Article
SN - 1871-5192
SN - 1878-1799
VL - 35
SP - e512-e520
JO - Women and Birth
JF - Women and Birth
IS - 5
ER -