The Protege and the Sage : Students' Perceptions of Work-Based Mentoring Experiences

ABSTRACT

Mentoring is offered as a supportive learning strategy within an educational programme for mature multi-cultural South African nurses. This paper considers the literature; describes mentoring within a nursing management course; and uses the findings to illustrate students' mentoring experience through the following three themes (1) Mentoring as a teaching strategy Initial considerations; (2) Mentoring as a process; and (3) Consequences of mentoring as a teaching strategy. Self-reports; based on two questions; describe the perceptions 16 post-basic students have of mentoring as a means of scaffolded learning through the voicing of their 'authentic' experiences. This study forms a component of a larger qualitative case study of a management course using action research within the critical genre. A way forward is suggested that can promote both the mentor/mentee relationship and meaningful learning. Students paid particular attention to the difficulties of choosing mentors; engaging in and 'negotiating' the process and maintaining the relationship. They recognised the value of 'special people' (not necessarily in their discipline); in their professional development and noted the need for mutual commitment to the process to achieve mutual benefits