Nursing students’ experiences of mentorship by NGRNs on placement: a qualitative descriptive study

Background: The shortage of experienced nurses within the global workforce has resulted in healthcare systems increasingly relying on inexperienced nurses to meet workforce demands. These demands include the mentorship of undergraduate nursing students by newly graduated registered nurses. However, there is little understanding of how new graduate nurses filling mentorship roles impacts on students’ clinical placement experience. Aim: The study explored pre-registration nursing students’ experiences of mentorship by new graduate registered nurses (NGRNs). Method: The study used a qualitative descriptive design underpinned by naturalistic inquiry. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with pre-registration nursing students who were mentored by NGRNs. Twelve participants were recruited via social media using purposive and snowball sampling until data sufficiency was achieved. Braun and Clarke’s Thematic Analysis framework guided data analysis. Results: Interviews generated three themes and five sub-themes: Theme one – More than placement: A sense of belonging and included two sub-themes (i) Breaking the ice: Being welcoming and approachable and (ii) Cultivating empathy and emotional connection: She never judged me . Theme two – Pedagogical approaches of NGRNs in teaching with sub-themes (i) Collaborative learning in the clinical setting: We are learning together ; (ii) The role of time and patience: Do not rush, take your time and (iii) Building confidence and promoting independence: She allowed me to be hands on . Theme three – Barriers to effective student learning. Conclusion: NGRNs formed a positive relationship in the clinical setting by being welcoming, approachable and inclusive with students. This study prompts a reconsideration of established assumptions that experienced mentors provide the most effective mentorship. Relational attributes enhance students’ learning and confidence, highlighting the need to re-evaluate current mentorship models and recognise the positive impact these mentors may have on the future nursing workforce.