Date of Defense

4-10-2024

Date of Graduation

4-2024

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Elissa Allen

Second Advisor

Cheryl Vanderploeg

Abstract

Studying the impact of a mentorship program involving undergraduate nursing students can inform educators of methods to increase student success and decrease attrition in baccalaureate nursing programs. This study aimed to determine if a mentoring session every three weeks between a first semester Bronson School of Nursing (BSON) student and a senior year nursing student increased the confidence and satisfaction of the first semester BSON student. A Student Success Survey (see Appendix A) was filled out at the beginning, middle and conclusion of the mentee students fall semester. The Student Success Survey was also administered to a control group made up of newly accepted BSON students. A Satisfaction Survey (see Appendix B) was additionally completed at the end of the semester by both mentors and mentees. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation were used to compare pre- and postsurveys. The mentor and mentees were in contact via phone or email when additional questions from the mentees regarding classes or the nursing program arose outside of the mentoring sessions.

Prior to our research, it was anticipated that BSON first semester students who participated in a nursing mentorship program with final semester BSON students would be more successful and confident in the classroom and clinical environment. The results from the study indicated there was no significant difference between the control and experimental groups regarding the student success and overall academic performance. There was also no significant difference between the results of the initial Student Success Survey and final Student Success Survey. However, the mentee participants did indicate on the Study Satisfaction Survey they believed they benefited from having a peer mentor in the BSON program and that the study increased their confidence in the classroom and clinical environment. In conclusion, this pilot study did not find that participating in a nursing student mentoring program significantly impacts a first-semester student's success but does improve overall course confidence.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Open Access

Download

Included in

Nursing Commons

Share

COinS