The Effect of a Mentoring Program for New Graduate Nurses

The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of mentoring programme on the reality shock, clinical adaptation, and professional competence of new graduate nurses. The research questions were: Are the reality shock scores of new graduate nurses participating in the mentoring program lower than those in the control group? Is the clinical adaptation of new graduate nurses participating in the mentoring program higher than those in the control group? Are the professional competence scores of new graduate nurses participating in the mentoring program higher than those in the control group? The study was a mixed-use study with intervention and control groups, blinded design, randomized controlled experimental method, and focus group interview method. The number of nurses comprising the sample was determined using power analysis. The study population consisted of 65 newly graduated nurses who had started the institution, and the sample consisted of 56 nurses (28 in the intervention group and 28 in the control group) who were randomly assigned. In the first phase of the study, mentor nurses were trained according to the developed training program, and in the second phase, the mentor nursing practice was implemented. During this period, nurses in the control group received a one-month routine clinical orientation training, nurses in the intervention group received a one-month nursing mentorship program, and newly graduated nurses were monitored for three months. Quantitative data were collected before and after the nursing mentorship program, and in the third month of the study. Focus Group Interviews were conducted before and after the nursing mentorship program to collect qualitative data.