NZNO Nurse Practitioner Mentor System

The Nurse Practitioner Advisory Committee of New Zealand (NPAC-NZ) requested that its four constituent organisations establish mentor support systems to assist aspiring Nurse Practitioners with preparation for the Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ) Nurse Practitioner endorsement process.  In 2003 and 2006 New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) members attended a training day facilitated by NPAC-NZ and NCNZ.

Purpose

The NZNO mentor system has been established with the purpose of assisting applicants to refine and develop their written application and to prepare for interview and potentially a site visit.

Mentoring Relationship

The mentor relationship is one built on mutual trust whereby the applicant and the mentor explore and reflect on the evidence to support the application.  This process will assist the applicant in the development and refinement of the portfolio application and preparation for the interview.

The relationship is one of openness to listening, learning and sharing with both parties committed to professional growth and development of nursing.  Respect for each other’s input is crucial to success.

The mentor’s responsibility is to

• assist the applicant to prepare the best possible case for Nurse Practitioner endorsement.
• support and encourage the applicant
• help develop the applicant’s sense of confidence
• provide honest feedback

This is achieved by being a listener, a sounding-board, identifying areas which show strength for the case and those areas which need further work, are lacking or absent.  This process will help the applicant to define, refine, clarify – to SHOW AND TELL how they meet the specified criteria.  The mentor will be acting as a “critical friend”.

The applicant needs to be committed to the relationship and open to both positive feedback and challenging critique.  They need to prepare agendas for meetings, to not be afraid to ask for advice and guidance, and to follow-up on agreed actions between discussions/meetings.

Phases or stages in the relationship

Initiation

Selection, setting the ground rules, getting to know one another, greater reliance on mentor

Working/developmental phase

Characterized by mutual trust and sharing, interdependence and creative risk taking

Termination

Increasing independence, applicants acts on own initiative, self evaluates and is ready to move on

Matching Applicant and Mentor

• First point of contact will be NZNO Professional Nursing Advisor, Charlotte Thompson (ph 04 494 6388, email CharlotteT@nzno.org.nz). This is an initial screening call.  Only those who have accessed the NCNZ Nurse Practitioner documents and have commenced drafting their application will enter the NZNO Nurse Practitioner Mentor Programme.  All general queries and preliminary advice will be responded to at this screening call.  Callers will be advised to re-contact Charlotte once they have made an initial draft of their application.
  
• If an initial draft application is near completion, the available mentors and their profiles will be shared with the applicant and information regarding the NZNO Mentor Guidelines will be discussed.  Copies of profiles and NZNO Mentor Guidelines will be forwarded to the applicants.
  
• The applicant will contact Charlotte with the preferred mentor.  Charlotte will then discuss the applicant with the preferred mentor and double-check their ability to proceed with mentoring the applicant.
  
• The applicant will then be provided with contact details.
  
• A central record of applicant/mentor matches, the number of contacts, time involvement and key systems issues will be maintained and monitored.

Ground Rules

1. It is the applicant’s responsibility re the success or failure of the application.
2. Expectations of the mentor and applicant in the mentoring process explored and agreed on initial contact.
3. The mentor assists with reflection and feedback. She/he does not hand hold in the development of the application.  It may be that the mentor would recommend that the applicant meet with others who may be better able to provide advice in certain areas of the application.
4. Discussion during meetings is confidential.
5. Mentors will keep a record of contacts, time involved and any key issues arising.  NZNO will monitor the workload of mentors.  Mentors are volunteers and NZNO is concerned not to overburden them.  Also, mentors will keep confidentially for their own use, a record of key points of discussion and action points/timeframes agreed and when the next contact will be.  Applicants will keep this information also.
6. The applicant is responsible for identifying their needs from the mentor and for preparing an agenda of points they wish to address at each contact.
7. The applicant needs to initiate the meetings and carry the costs of any telephone calls or meetings
8. Should the application not be successful with Council then the applicant is asked to make contact with Charlotte Thompson at that point to check with reviewing any issues and to discuss appeals and further contact with the mentor

Conclusion

This is a new process for NZNO, the applicants and the mentors. Should the mentoring relationship feel uncomfortable for any reason, it is essential that you discuss this together.  If the situation does not improve then do not feel hesitant in saying so and seeking a new mentor relationship.  There will be no problem with this.  The process needs to work for both the applicant and the mentor.

Acknowledgements

Deb Spence and Rayna Wootton are acknowledged for their input to the development of this document.

April 2003