CorrectCare

Create a Mentor Program and Watch Your Staff Flourish

by Susan Laffan, RN, CCHP-RN/A

The applicant’s resume is strong, the credentials and references check out, the attitude is upbeat and the security check is spotless. Hired! Now what? How do you ensure that your new correctional health staff member is ready to perform the assigned job responsibilities before actually taking on those responsibilities? Training.

Proper training is vital, and optimally it is not a single phase but rather a multiphase process. These phases include orientation, preceptor training and competency testing, as well as mentoring, which may be the most rewarding for the staff member.

This article present some guidelines for initiating and operating a mentor program. But first we will briefly discuss the other phases since they are the backbone to any staff member’s success. Studies show that retention of new staff members is higher if they feel they have received a comprehensive orientation and preceptor experience rather than being “thrown to the wolves.”

Corrections is a unique setting for health care providers. It is important that new staff understand not only the heath services aspect of their jobs but also the inherent security issues. It is during orientation that rules, regulations, policies and procedures are discussed. Poor understanding of these issues has at times resulted in a staff member being locked out of a facility due to a security infringement.

New staff members must know their specific job responsibilities and scope of practice. Registered nurses, for example, must understand that they are responsible to know and are held accountable for the American Nurses Association’s general standards for RNs, as well as its specific standards and scope-of-practice guidance for corrections nursing. All health care providers are also responsible for adhering to state and local regulations, and, if their facility is accredited, for complying with accreditation standards (such as those of NCCHC). This knowledge can be attained through a preceptor phase.

After staff members are trained, it is important that they maintain their competency in specific job skills. Competency testing should be done upon hire and at least annually. For nurses, skills measured may include venipuncture, restraint application, urine pregnancy testing and the use of medical equipment such as a blood glucose meter, AED/defibrillator and oxygen. All competency testing must be documented and remain on file.

Astute managers are proactive, encouraging a nurturing and positive environment for their staff. This is where mentoring comes in. In return, staff members will take pride in their work, striving to improve their own job performance as well as the efficiency and quality of health services as a whole.

Mentoring may begin at any time during the other three phases. It entails matching an experienced professional  with the new employee to help the employee achieve professional growth. This growth provides a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, and may be necessary to move up the ladder toward a management position. An effective mentor program can be very rewarding for everyone involved.

Preceptor vs. Mentor
The terms mentor and preceptor are often used interchangeably, yet their meanings are different. A good model definition of preceptor comes from Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center, Lincoln, NE, which has been recognized for excellence in nursing. There, new employees are paired with a preceptor who is responsible for “the didactic and clinical information necessary to perform a job.” The preceptor provides “appropriate experiences” for the employee on the job, daily updates about the employee’s progress and an evaluation after orientation is complete.

This close interaction is meant to ensure that the new employee is competent in the job responsibilities and tasks within his or her scope of practice and has practical experience in dealing with protocols and established routines.

A mentor, on the other hand, is a trusted counselor or an influential sponsor or supporter. The philosophy is that experienced mentors can foster professional growth in others by providing valuable information and advice on a wide variety of job-related matters and helping the mentee establish and achieve goals.

But mentoring is a dynamic, two-way process. At Saint Elizabeth, mentors are expected to “serve as teacher, guide or coach,” but the partnership provides both individuals with the opportunity to give and receive. It is meant to foster long-term relationships based on trust, respect, communication and support. A firm commitment to the process and a willingness to invest time and energy are essential for a successful relationship.

Roles and Responsibilities
Many correctional health professionals are passionate about their own careers and already see the value in aiding others in their careers. These individuals are ideal candidates for the role of mentor. Typical mentor responsibilities include the following:

• Serving as a role model

• Sharing the organizational values, vision and culture

• Building relationships based on trust

• Establishing objective, realistic, measurable goals with the mentee

• Monitoring efforts to achieve goals and giving timely, objective, specific feedback

• Sharing experiences with the mentee

• Explaining issues and barriers specific to correctional health care practice

• Advising on career-related topics such as advancement, publishing, teaching, enhancing visibility, networking and overcoming obstacles

Mentees often are new employees, current employees who were promoted to a new job or those taking on new job responsibilities. However, any staff member might desire a mentor. Regardless of the situation, the employee being mentored should strive for growth and development by:

• Seeking advice

• Sharing needs and goals with the mentor

• Actively listening to the mentor

• Striving for continuous learning

• Committing to the organization’s goals, values and vision

A good mentor should take initiative in the relationship, inviting the mentee to talk, suggesting topics and offering to give advice. A supportive mentor will not only acknowledge accomplishments but also make useful suggestions and offer constructive criticism. Trust is essential; the mentee must trust that anything discussed will be held in confidence. But remember: A mentor meeting is not the forum for complaining about staff, policies or operations.

Professional growth is a key goal of mentoring, so this will be a prominent theme in the partnership. Mentees should be encouraged to become involved in organizations such as the Academy of Correctional Health Professionals and the American Nurses Association and to attend local, state and national conventions. Another smart move is to participate in NCCHC’s Certified Correctional Health Professional program. If appropriate, advanced certification or specialty certification for RNs can be a next step.

To enhance visibility, networking and, ultimately, leadership, the mentor should encourage the mentee to volunteer for projects at work, to provide an educational in-service for employees or patients, or to publish an article pertaining to correctional health care.

Both participants, of course, must be respectful of each other’s time. It is likely that the mentor has more pressing time demands, so he or she must be explicit about limits. It helps to schedule dates and times to meet, and to keep each other apprised of other times that are good or not good for contacts.

Launching the Program
In each correctional facility, there undoubtedly are some individuals who would make great mentors, as well as many who would appreciate and benefit from being mentored. Interest in a proposed program can be generated by explaining what mentoring is, how it works and how it benefits each partner in the relationship and the organization as a whole. This can be done at a staff meeting, through the employee newsletter, in informational handouts and many other methods.

The mentors should be recruited first so they can work together to establish site-specific goals that suit the needs of staff. These goals could include attendance at conventions, conducting in-service trainings, writing for publications, encouraging work colleagues to join professional groups or to obtain professional certification and so forth.

With the mentor goals set, the next step is to recruit mentees. For new employees, this should occur as soon as they are hired, but all staff members should be invited to participate. In addition to the methods noted above, word of mouth is very effective. All mentees should be encouraged to tell their peers about the program.

Generally, mentors and mentees meet one-on-one. However, an initial or periodic group meetings may be valuable. Here the mentors can reinforce the program purpose, explain the goals they have set, lay out the ground rules, discuss expectations and answer questions.

After the program is set in motion, it is important to conduct routine evaluations to determine if it is achieving its goals, if it is meeting staff needs and if changes are necessary. Participant feedback is vital. This can be gathered via a questionnaire that asks, for example, whether the program was beneficial, how it can be improved and how to encourage others to participate. Evaluation findings should then guide refinement of the program.

It is not hard to establish a mentor program and the rewards are many. Correctional health care professionals owe it to each other, and to themselves, to promote quality health care and professional growth among colleagues. A good mentor can contribute immeasurably to the development of a colleague. The mentee will remember and value those contributions forever, and later will probably mentor somebody else.

— About the author: Susan Laffan, RN, CCHP-RN/A, is the co-owner of Specialized Medical Consultants, Toms River, NJ. She is chair-elect of the Academy of Correctional Health Professionals and serves as co-chair of its mentoring committee, which she helped develop. Learn about the Academy’s mentor program ».

[This article first appeared in the Fall 2009 issue of CorrectCare.]