Research shows there are several descriptions and characteristics of a mentor. Some research suggests that a mentor is “a coach, advice giver, counselor, guide, role model, and an experienced facilitator” [4]. Mentors possess the characteristics of being genuine, caring, compassionate, trustworthy, and respectful [5]. Other descriptions of a mentor indicate a mentor is an excellent communicator, a team player, and a person who forms a special connection with the mentee overtime to promote the mentee’s future success [1]. According to Hodges [6], “mentees that foster mentoring relationships include being life-long learners and embracing a commitment to both the university and the students’ success.” Given all the descriptions of what a mentor is the authors of this article would like to address their definition of mentorship. The authors’ definition of mentorship would be that mentors are faculty or nurse supporters, counselors, confidantes, advocates, preceptors, and advisors that promote the application of survivorship and retention of nurses and nursing faculty in the health care profession. Mentoring relationships include being life-long learners and embracing a commitment to both the university and the students’ success.

The goals of mentoring depend on the needs of the mentee and what the mentee is meant to learn. All mentee goals must include a path for professional development, clear, concise instruction regarding the way a job should be done correctly, and include more than one strategy to meet the goals with a mentee [7]. Mentor goals must be challenging. Mentors possess skills in understanding knowledge related to cultures, cultural diversity, and diversity of thought. Understanding the broad spectrum of diversity is important when teaching mentees. Mentors teach mentees (often students) how to interact with others, promote shared governance, and paths to success. Mentors promote protection, security, and understanding of their mentees [8].

Faculty Mentors are needed in nursing programs to support the transition of nurses into the academic setting. Merrill [9], attests that it is essential to create a climate to assist the novice nurse faculty member in transitioning from practice to academia. The mentoring climate has a dynamic effect on the profession as a whole. Research reflects there is a direct correlation between positive mentoring, and recruitment and retention of nursing faculty [10].

To facilitate mentoring, faculty should utilize positive role-modeling with students [11]. The aforementioned is true because an academic mentor begins building relationships that promote educational and emotional growth [12]. Just as children learn from parents, students learn from their teachers viewed in many instances as academic mentors. Faculty have to maintain the rigor level and uphold professional boundaries because students learn from what they see in action, not only from what they observe in the classroom. The mentoring environment for students should include security, protection, openness to diversity, and one that does not tolerate incivility [12]. Mentoring occurs in the classroom, clinical environments, laboratory environments and even public environments. Students’ mentoring environments should include security, protections, openness, diversity, and one that does not tolerate incivility.

Students see and learn how to maneuver and function in their environment by the role modeling and observing assigned mentors, who also function in the role of an educator for the mentee (Figure 2). Students are taught therapeutic communication and treating others with respect and compassion. One article indicated that mentors support their mentees by being role models during hard times. For example, when a mentee sees how a mentor reacts and interacts with others through a variety of experiences mentors demonstrate what it is to be a mentor and should be transparent in behaviors demonstrated to mentees (students) (Figure 1) [13]. The value that academic mentoring has for their present and future professional endeavors is priceless. This is true because mentoring can retain students and nurses in our profession. Nurse educators must teach and demonstrate to students a desire to be successful [12]. Suppose students do not have positive experiences with academic mentoring, it is a possibility that negative experiences may contribute to the shortage of healthcare professionals in years to come.

A poor attitude and lack of positive mentoring drive potential nurses not to enter the nursing profession and leave the profession before the mentee begins professional nursing or shortly after licensure. Negative experiences can lead to poor self-esteem, increased anxiety, medication errors, and decreased attention span, which can lead to student burn-out. For example, one article indicated that emotional outcomes of poor mentoring can lead to depressive symptoms, anxiety, decreased ability to adapt, lead to low self-esteem, and a decreased sense of purpose [14]. However, if the mentee feels supported, research indicates that they tend to have a sense of purpose. In addition, mentees feel as though they belong, develop good working relationships that build confidence, and decrease anxiety as the mentee develops professionally [14].

Health care educators, faculty members, and clinical instructors need to remember how it was for them when they first entered the realm of academia because experiences shape every professional to a certain degree [15]. Below Figure 1 and Figure 2 are visuals of the concepts that influence the factors that indicate whether a student or new faulty remember will have a negative or positive experience with mentoring (Figure 2). Note, the conceptual visual listed begins with the instructor, and the seasoned faculty member that influences either negative or positive outcomes. Many educators work through multiple trials and strategies to present information before they become proficient in the craft of education or academia [15]. Just as in healthcare, there is a novice nurse, an advanced

beginner nurse, a competent nurse, a proficient nurse, and an expert nurse, there are stages a mentee goes through before they can be a quality mentor. For example, a mentee must start out as a novice, then become proficient, then become competent, then become an expert in mentoring to give a mentee the best chances they can be to reach success in academia or in professional practice [16].

The depth of resilience for a new faculty member is in working through the stages that have to do with how supported he or she feels. If strong, healthy bonds and relationships are built while students or novice nurses are in the learning process, it is beneficial to all individuals involved and these mentees will likely be the sought after mentors of tomorrow [17]. Mentor characteristics consist of role modeling, nurturing, and creating friendship, paying it forward by sharing their experiences, efficiently meeting on a regular basis, and showing the mentee the endurance it takes to make it in the field of nursing and in nursing academia [18]. With quality mentorship in place, the shortage of professionals in healthcare may likely decrease.

Most nurses arrive at the academic setting without a solid foundation for academia or classroom teaching skills. Therefore, it is important to be clear on the role of a mentor. The role of a mentor is to: provide guidance, support, foster networking, bring a positive attitude to the mentoring experience, gain rapport with the mentee, and connect with the mentee on a professional level to be able to identify with the needs of the mentee, and demonstrate and assist the mentee with the ability to obtain professional development [11]. These roles assist in the retention of nurses and nurse educators in the nursing profession. These nurses leave the security of being experts in the clinical arena, only to face the reality they are now novices in the field of nursing education. Transitioning can be challenging and a lack of proper mentoring in academia can lead to increase stress and anxiety as a nurse’s role changes from expert nurse in clinical to a novice nurse in academia [9]. To support and retain these new educators, mentoring is important. In 2008, the National League of Nursing (NLN) Board of Governors published a position statement [19], Mentoring of Nurse Faculty.