Authors (including presenting author) :
So KY(1), Leung SM(2), Ng CW(2), Tang KY(3), Ching R(4), Lee WM(1), Tang C(2), Lo CK(3)
Affiliation :
(1) Infectious Disease Centre, Princess Margaret Hospital, HKSAR (2) Department of Medicine & Geriatrics, Princess Margaret Hospital, HKSAR (3) Department of Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, HKSAR (4) Infection Control Team, Princess Margaret Hospital, HKSAR
Introduction :
Preceptorship, being a conventional and efficient way utilized to assist newly graduated nurses in adapting to their transition, involves the efforts of clinical mentors to help novices to develop practicing competence. To ensure a quality mentorship, the needs for skilled mentors deserve our undivided attention. This highlights the vast importance of adequate training and support readily available to these mentors. The proposed CARE Ambassador Program is based on the Magnet Model to promote a positive practice environment for ward-based mentors.
Objectives :
(1) To assist ward-based mentors in tackling difficulties encountered and facilitate self-confidence; (2) To enhance and strengthen communication between mentors and mentees.
Methodology :
A pre-program survey was conducted from October to November 2018 on 40 ward-based clinical mentors as an initial assessment to explore their perception. The analysis helped direct the derivation of the CARE Ambassador Program Model to drive improvements. It emphasizes on the introduction of the “CARE Ambassador” to provide support to and share experience with ward-based mentors. A pilot 30-minute sharing session with 5 ward-based mentors was held on 23th November, 2018, followed by a post-intervention evaluation to collect feedbacks from all participating mentors.
Result & Outcome :
Result: The pre-program survey reveals that the surveyees feel competent and rewarded as a nursing mentor (4.58/6). Questions with lower scores are concerned with adequate training (3.50/6), support (3.65/6), experience sharing with other mentors (3.75/6) and regular progress discussion with supervisors (3.78/6). In the evaluation of the pilot sharing session, all participants show a coherent trend in agreeing with being able to receive support, encouragement from and share difficulties with the CARE ambassador (all scored 5-6/6). All of them also agree that similar session should be held again in the future and most of them indicate an appropriate frequency of twice a year. Conclusion: The CARE Ambassador Program, with evident effectiveness, transferability, feasibility and cost-effectiveness, which focuses on ensuring an adequate support to ward-based mentors. Together they can not only produce a synergistic benefit on mentees through support provided by empowered mentors, but can also further extend the implication of the program to nurture experienced nurses moving into leadership positions.
Co-location with:
