Mentoring

I love teaching more than anything. My Pop always said to "never withhold what you know, it may benefit the new person". It's an interesting outlook. In nursing so many clench the little knowledge they have, in hopes of staying superior. They screw themselves in the long term...A new nurse has so much to offer and a new outlook.
This is why I love to mentor/orient. I used to think until recent that the new RN was a blank slate, even though they had much to give me back. They are indeed not blank. They are FULL of knowledge and insight, which I knew, but not as strongly as I do now.

In the military it is requisite to give all knowledge to the underling. This assures us to have our back covered in combat. To withhold information most assuredly means you will die. A leader, true leader gives up what they know to carry on the mission/profession.

When I was in school, albeit LPN school in the beginning of my training/education, I was consistently told I was a "natural". This came from more than three instructors. One of them became my friend also, and we spoke, ate and socialized outside of class.  Cindi was the epitome of classic nursing. Even so, she was all about mentoring me, she knew she may be crossing a boundary. I always assured her she wasn't, and she would continue to share her experience and nursing Philosophy with me. To this day we remain friends, and I look to her in times of struggle in the profession.

To bring this thought to current, I have FINALLY found MY natural! She is so amazing, and adept. Could she be better in technical issues? Yes, but again, my job to teach her. In this situation, she is only a student nurse in her final phase of nursing school. I find it a struggle to be just a preceptor and not mentor her. I give her all I can, but I feel she/we need more time. I am so proud of her transformation from hour one until now. I guess the biggest issue is that I am not wanting the relationship to end. I have not asked Cindi about this, when we were in the same situation. Thankfully it just developed.

I know my student is going to do great things, and she will pass me on my accomplishments. No matter what degree level either of us attain. All of this is possible...I pray I am not to hard, and not too aggressive with my guidance.

I have already learned the student educates the teacher...so with this situation I try to sit back and listen now.