I just finished reading Professional Growth: Taking a novice nurse under your wing from the September issue of Nursing2011. In this article, the author, Pamela Woodfine MSN, RN, emphasizes the importance of mentoring and making a new nurse’s first experiences in the “real world” of nursing positive ones. She also stresses the importance of recruitment and retention to the future of our profession. Below, the phases of the mentoring process are listed as presented in this article. Regardless of where you are in your nursing career, whether the new nurse or a new or experienced preceptor, I think you’ll find them interesting and helpful in planning and implementing a successful transition into nursing. 

• Phase 1: introductions, discuss one another’s personal and professional goals 
• Phase 2: set goals and objectives together, establish a time frame
• Phase 3: determine guidelines for implementing plan of action and working relationship (for example, open communication, availability, and constructive criticism) 
• Phase 4: reflection and feedback  (most important phase; fosters critical thinking and increases clinical skills)

I hope you enjoy this article!  Also, you can read about A memorable mentor in my career and my thoughts on The makings of a good mentor.