title: Evaluation of a peer mentoring program for early career gerontological nursing faculty and its potential for application to other fields in nursing and health sciences.
abstract: As the retirement rate of senior nursing faculty increases, the need to implement new models for providing mentorship to early career academics will become key to developing and maintaining an experienced faculty.
  
  
  
  This evaluation of a peer mentorship program for predoctoral and postdoctoral gerontological nurses examined its efficacy, utility, and potential for improvement.
  
  
  
  A web-based survey was developed, implemented, and completed by 22 mentees and 17 mentors (71% and 61% response rates, respectively) as part of the evaluation.
  
  
  
  The peer mentorship program was found to be valuable by both mentors (64.7%) and mentees (72.7%) in helping mentees further develop their careers and networks and providing mentors with supported mentorship experience.
  
  
  
  The peer mentorship program could serve as a model for other professional organizations, academic institutions, and consortiums to enhance and extend the formal vertical mentorship provided to early academic career individuals.
authors.affiliation: Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing, New York University College of Nursing, New York, NY; James J Peters Bronx VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY. Electronic address: Ab.Brody@nyu.edu.
authors.forename: Abraham A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Brody
authors.affiliation: Hartford Center for Geriatric Nursing Excellence, University of Utah School of Nursing, Salt Lake City, UT.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Edelman
authors.affiliation: Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at the University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA.
authors.forename: Elena O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Siegel
authors.affiliation: Clayton State University School of Nursing, Morrow, GA.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.affiliation: Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, NC.
authors.forename: Donald E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Ashley Leak
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bryant
authors.affiliation: Boston College Connell School of Nursing, Chestnut Hill, MA.
authors.forename: Stewart M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bond
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005181:Faculty, Nursing / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D000071252:Mentoring / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008611:Mentors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010379:Peer Group; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Faculty; Gerontological nursing; Leadership; Mentoring; Peer mentorship; Professional development