From Student to Mentor in Clinical Practice: Health Care Students' Experiences in a Mentoring Course

Abstract

Background: Clinical practice is a compulsory and essential part of health care studies in Finland. However, there are not enough trained mentors at clinical practice facilities. The objective of this mentoring course was to provide students training at the earliest possible stage. Method: Students from various health care disciplines participated in the mentoring course. The course was conducted entirely online, and learning methods included lectures, small-group exercises, and discussion forums. Results: Students' responses indicated the mentoring course enabled them to learn about a mentor's role and about various mentoring theories. Conclusion: The mentoring course helped prepare health care students for their future work life and for the clinical mentoring of students. The course expanded students' views on a mentor's duties and helped them reflect on their personal strengths and weaknesses. [ J Nurs Educ . 2023;62(5):298–301.]