Help nursing students prepare for their futures
RN Mentoring Program
Mentor a Nursing Student
The Susan S. Morrison School of Nursing at the University of St Thomas is looking for certified RNs to help support our pre-licensure students as they prepare for a career in nursing.
Volunteer mentors have the opportunity to influence the nursing profession’s future leaders by supporting students as they begin their careers. Mentors also develop their own leadership skills as they sharpen their ability to give feedback, encourage deep reflection, and articulate their own experiences in thoughtful and instructive ways. Those who mentor often report feeling more satisfied in their own careers.
St. Thomas nursing programs place an emphasis on whole-person wellness, social determinants of health and health equity, interprofessional collaboration, advocacy, and systems change. St. Thomas seeks to help serve the health needs of diverse populations in urban and rural areas by training culturally responsive nurses who proactively improve whole-person healing.
Contact
Jessica M. Nelson
Serving as a Mentor
Your Role as a Mentor
Mentors and mentees will connect approximately 10 times over about two years. The program supports MSN students for the duration of their 20-month program, and supports BSN students in the junior and senior years of their program. The Susan S. Morrison School of Nursing will provide resources to mentors and student nurses to help guide the relationship.
Volunteer mentors will:
- Actively develop supportive, intentional relationships with student mentees, based on mutual trust, respect, and accountability.
- Create safe space for the student nurse to work towards personal learning goals, develop a sense of professional identity, learn from mistakes, and reflect on personal values, beliefs, biases, and cultural influences.
- Provide objective guidance and feedback based on personal experience.
- Facilitate reflective thinking through thoughtful, thought-provoking questions that help the mentee become self-aware, confident, and connect to the mission of the Susan S. Morrison School of Nursing
Your Role as a Mentor
Mentors and mentees will connect approximately 10 times over about two years. The program supports MSN students for the duration of their 20-month program, and supports BSN students in the junior and senior years of their program. The Susan S. Morrison School of Nursing will provide resources to mentors and student nurses to help guide the relationship.
Volunteer mentors will:
- Actively develop supportive, intentional relationships with student mentees, based on mutual trust, respect, and accountability.
- Create safe space for the student nurse to work towards personal learning goals, develop a sense of professional identity, learn from mistakes, and reflect on personal values, beliefs, biases, and cultural influences.
- Provide objective guidance and feedback based on personal experience.
- Facilitate reflective thinking through thoughtful, thought-provoking questions that help the mentee become self-aware, confident, and connect to the mission of the Susan S. Morrison School of Nursing
Application and Matching Process
The application requires interested RNs to upload a resume, contact information for two professional references, and basic information that helps match volunteer mentors with students. Once selected, volunteer mentors must agree to a background check.
New mentors will be provided an orientation session to review program goals and expectations. Students will also attend a similar meeting to understand their responsibilities in the mentoring relationship. Orientation dates will be provided when mentor/mentees are matched. Our goal is to match students to experienced professionals as soon as possible.
A staff member from the School of Nursing will check-in regularly to ensure that matches have the resources and support they need.
Application and Matching Process
The application requires interested RNs to upload a resume, contact information for two professional references, and basic information that helps match volunteer mentors with students. Once selected, volunteer mentors must agree to a background check.
New mentors will be provided an orientation session to review program goals and expectations. Students will also attend a similar meeting to understand their responsibilities in the mentoring relationship. Orientation dates will be provided when mentor/mentees are matched. Our goal is to match students to experienced professionals as soon as possible.
A staff member from the School of Nursing will check-in regularly to ensure that matches have the resources and support they need.
Timeline
For applicants wishing to be part of the program connecting to the inaugural MSN cohort, please apply no later than April 1, 2023. Matches will be made as soon as possible in April and several virtual orientation dates will be offered to mentors before they meet their mentee.
For future cohorts, applications received by October 1 are given priority consideration for matches to students in the most recent student cohort. At times, there may be an opportunity to match students to mentors outside of the preferred October timeline, and all current applications in the pool will be considered, with orientation provided as needed. Our goal is to match students to experienced professionals as soon as possible.