Self-awareness. An awareness of attitude is essential for the identification of learning needs of supervisee (Hawkins and shohet(1989). The appropriate recognition of the nurses’ own feelings, the frame work to understand those feelings and the ability to contain those feelings allowed a clear understandings of difficulties that the patient was experience (Philips et al 1998). Rawlinson defines self-awareness as bringing into consciousness (those) various aspect of our understandingly of ourselves. Constructive appreciation of the self is essential. Supervisee is needed to feel that the supervision not judging them (Bulmer 1997, Fyffe 1997, Roden 1997).
Assertiveness. Assertive behaviour is defined as setting goals, acting on those goals in a clear and consistent manner and taking responsibility for the consequences of those actions. The assertive nurse is able to stand up for the rights of others and her own rights. Ability to say no, ask for favours, appropriately express both positive and negative thoughts and feelings, initiate, continue and terminate interaction is the main skills of assertiveness (Lazarus
Assertiveness needs to be learnt and practiced. Effective nursing encompasses the mastery of assertive behaviour. Studies show that non-assertive behaviour in a professional nurse is related to lower level of awareness (schutzenfer 1992). Continued patterns of non-assertive responses have adverse psychological effects on the nurse and a negative influence on the standard of care the nurse delivers (mc canton and Harieo 1990) Supervisee will need to know their own strength to recognise their uncertainties and to become assertive.
Assertive is itself is stressful because of the uncertainly regarding how others might react to this new action.
Feedback. Feedback enables students to monitor strength and weakness of their performance (Sadler 1989) constructive feedback gives messages to students about their effectiveness and worth- their self esteem (Gipps 1994) feedback, therefore has an indirect effect on learning by how the academic self esteem of the students affected (Gipp 1994).
Communication. Communication is key to effective supervision. Supervisee should have attentive and active listening skills. He must be able to comment openly, objectively and constructively (Stuart C 2003).
Reflective skills. Reflective practice then is about using reflection to enlighten, develop and improve professional action. It is an “empowering and motivational process, which enables individuals to be more effective and assume greater responsibility for their own practice”(Neary 2000).
Willingness to learn- John (1997) developed a model to describe this relationship based on the core concept of being available. The issue I have continued to bring to meeting senior. I do not always feel comfortable discharging a client who I think still need nursing care. Mentoring gives me opportunity to express this discomfort and in doing so I usually recognise that my feeling have to do with my agenda to be seen as effective to help people. My mentor enables this process by allowing me to continue talking; something it involves questioning.
Self assessment and reflection on practice
In the early stages of my program I was often frightened by my first encounters with caring for sick and needy patients and working in unfamiliar settings. My mentor was friendly, which encourages me to feel welcome more able to ask questions or to reveal worries that they might otherwise contain. My ability to survive under such stress is through the support, and in some instances the protection, of experienced practitioners (Stuart C C 2003). To establish and maintain an effective working relation with my mentor I need to establishment of good rapport with my mentor, which is only possible by effective communication skills.
To reflect on the practice I kept reflective diary as advised by my mentor. I jot down my thoughts, feelings and preoccupations after every shift, which helps me to pinpoint my concerns more precisely, and thus help make the actual mentoring session more effective. I meet this skill by assessing my needs planning the learning, implement and evaluate.
Once I was asked to go with deaf kids outdoor activities with deaf staff, I refuse to go. The mentor than asked me the reason. Because of my limited knowledge and understanding of sign language, I would not be able to communicate with them and would not be able to communicate and help them when needed. She was happy about my self-awareness and assertiveness.
On the first day of my placement in deaf children’s ward the willingness to see involvement of children in their own care encourage me to get permission from one of nursing staff (my mentor was in annual leave) in team to join them. A staff described me that children explore their concerned in the meeting. The nurse-in charge asked me to leave the room, which not only shocked me but also the staff who allow me to join, she kept quite. This made me feel that I am outsider. I felt isolated anxious, insecure and angry. I lost the interest in ward. I hesitated to ask question and participate in any activities in that ward. Students suffering from such experiences rarely managed to compensate for loss of time and confidence ending up in a cycle of deprivation (Bulmer 1997). I voice my concern and identify my needs, which is necessary to find out the ways to reduce stress and anxiety and increase confidence (Klein 2000). Bound et al (1993) believe that support, trust and confidence in the student can help overcome past negative influences and allow the student to act and think differently from the past.
Befriending and counseling skills of my mentor help me tremendously to deal with this emotionally demanding situation, which also help me establish strong rapport with my mentor. This contributes to success in mentor- mentee relation ship and facilitates learning process.
I took this event as lesson. The frustration, hesitation and the feeling of insecurity which remained one week until the intervention of my mentor make me self aware to understand the impact of frustration on our thoughts and behavior, this help me develop empathy to the mentally ill and disabled patient. The need of skillful and flexible communication in life. It also makes me to think and evaluate the event and reflect on it and understand power dynamics and importance of good team.
It is important that we know ourselves in order to avoid inadvertently upsetting people or judging people or labelling them due to our own values and prejudices (Vance 2000), Skilful and flexible communication relies on increased self-awareness. Self awareness help me to recognise my own need for personal professional development overcome resistance, under stand the definition and purpose of mentoring, develop reflective skills, open to self disclosure through increased, self-awareness, open to constructive feedback identify from personal strength and limitation. But I still need to develop challenging skills and immediacy, overcome anxieties of being in a position of responsibility.
I was anxious about my ability to perform basic clinical skills. I fail to focus on the clients because I have to concentrate my attention on developing clinical skills. Feedback from my mentor prompts me to think of the clients holistically and to build self-confidence to enable the shift of focus to the patient (Neary M 2000).
Conclusion
Mentoring is a process that awakens our confidence in our abilities. It is complex developing, nurturing and empowering relationship that requires mutual respects and affirmation. Mentor provides support and helps mentee navigate the informal systems of unwritten policies, procedures and politics ( Klein at el 2000). The mentor and mentee work together to develop critical thinking skills and reflective scepticism, which leads individuals to question, and validate continuously (Vance 2000). The mentee must possess an interest and willingness to learn, open and have listening, observation and communicational skills and open to feed back.
Mentoring therefore offers a supportive environment in which we can explore with a skilled facilitator our own thoughts, feelings, attitudes, values and norms as they affect our work. Mentoring is a way in which we can get to know ourselves better by developing and increasing our level of self-awareness. My assertion is that in receiving assistance from skilful knowledgeable, compassionate mentor. I was allowed to gain insight into my own performance knowledge ability and confidence and have had opportunity for someone trust to acknowledge the change the success that have arisen out of my clinical development. I have had a regular opportunity to act constructively.
References
Atkins S and Muurpey K (1993) Reflection: a review of literature. Journal of advanced nursing 18, 1188-1192.
Bond M and Holland S (1998) Skills of Clinical Supervision for Nurses. Buckingham. Open U niversity Press.
Bulmer C (1997) supervision how it works. Nursing Times, 93(48) 53-55.
Cutcliffe J R, Butterworth T, Proctor B (2001) Foundamental themes in clinical supervision. London. Routledge.
Driscoll J (2000) Practicing Clinical Supervision: A reflective Approach. London. Bailliere Tindall.
G.J. Earnshaw(1995) Mentorship: the students' view. Nurse Education Today. 15, pp. 274–279.
Gipps CV (1994) Beyond testing: Towards a theory of education assessment. London: The falmer press.
Hart GM (1982) The process of clinical supervision, Baltimore, University Park Press.
Hawkins P and shohet (1989) supervision in the helping profession.Milton Keynes. Open University press.
Myric F and Yonge O(2001) Creating a climate for critical thinking in the perceptorship experience. Nurse education Today.21.461-467.
Neary M (2000) Teaching, Assessing and evaluation for clinical competence, Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes.
Philip B, Downie C M (eds) (1998) teaching and assessing in clinical practice: a reader.2nd Edition. London: Greenwich university press.
Stuart C C (2003) Assessment, Supervision and Support in clinical practice: A guide for nurses,midwives and other health professionals. London. Churchill livingstone.
Tomey A M (1996) Guide to nursing management and leadership. London. Mosby.
Quinn FM (2000) Principles and Practice of Nurse Education. (Fourth ed.), Stanley Thornes, Cheltenham.
Mc Canton PJ, Hargieo (1990) assessing assertive behaviour in student nurses; a comparison of assertive measures. Journal of advanced nursing 15 (12) 1370-1376.
Northcott N(2000) Mentorship in nursing. Nursing management 7, 30-32.
Nylund L. and Lindholm, L., 1999. The importance of ethics in the clinical supervision of nursing students. Nursing Ethics 6, pp. 278–286.
Page S and Wosket V (2001) Supervising the consellor:Acyclical Model. 2nd Edition. London. Roultedge.
Power S (1999) Nursing Supervision. A guide for clinical practice. London: Sage.
Proctor (1988) supervision: a working alliance. London: Alexia,
Scanlon C, Weir W S (197) learning from practice? Mental health nurses’ perceptions and experiences of clinical supervision. Journal of advanced nursing 26,295-303.
Watson N. A., 1999. Mentoring today–the students' views. An investigative case study of pre-registration nursing students' experiences and perceptions of mentoring in one theory/practice module of the Common Foundation Programme on a Project 2000 course. Journal of Advanced Nursing 29, pp. 254–262.
Wong S (1979) Nurse teacher behaviour in clinical field:Apparent effects on nursing students’ learning. Journal of advance learning, 3 ,369-378