title: Development of a mentorship programme for new graduate nurses in mental health.
abstract: A university and three area mental health services collaborated in developing a mentorship programme for new graduate nurses in mental health. The programme evolved from initiatives identified by the New South Wales Government to address recruitment and retention problems impacting on the mental health nursing workforce. This mentorship programme was identified as a strategy to potentially contribute to retention of novice nurses within the local mental health nursing workforce. New graduate nurses entering the mental health field were provided the opportunity to engage in a temporary supportive professional mentoring relationship. The present paper describes the background of the programme and provides an overview of how it was developed. It serves as a starting point for others contemplating developing similar programmes. Evaluation of the programme is incomplete, therefore, formal results will be presented in a subsequent paper.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Family and Community Health, University of Western Sydney, Parramatta Campus, Penrith South DC, New South Wales, Australia. amccloughen@yahoo.com.au
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McCloughen
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: O'Brien
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D008611:Mentors / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D017145:Models, Educational; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D009517:New South Wales; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D011057:Politics; D011231:Preceptorship / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D014495:Universities / Q000458:organization & administration