The purpose is to describe students’ experience mentoring children in their first clinical nursing course as sophomores in a community-based undergraduate curriculum. Specific aims of the study are to: describe students’ previous mentoring experience either as the mentor or the mentee; identify the positive and negative aspects of mentoring; and determine if mentoring assists in developing a therapeutic relationship, using therapeutic communication techniques, developing positive attitudes about diverse populations, and furthering health promotion goals with children. Thirty sophomore students who mentored pre-school and elementary school children for a semester described their mentoring experiences in a structured questionnaire at the beginning and the end of the semester. Of the students, 67% had a mentor and 23% had mentored children before. At the beginning of the semester, student worries included not being able to help (26%) and not knowing what to say (19%). Their greatest desire was to make a difference for the child (66%). The students described personal gains in their relationship and communication skills, along with increased insight into the context of the lives of children from diverse backgrounds. Students described helping children meet health promotion goals, particularly in the areas of life skills, and mental and social health. Findings of this study will be beneficial for school health nurses, practitioners in public health practice, faculty, social workers and other professionals who use preventive mental health and health promotion strategies with children.
Learning Objectives: At the end of this session, the learner will be able to: 1. Describe nursing student experiences as mentors to pre-school and elementary school children. 2. Discuss how the mentoring relationship is used to further health promotion goals of children.
Keywords: Health Promotion, Children
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.