All undergraduate nursing study programmes in the nursing field must be developed according to the EU directive (2005/36/EC amended by directive 2013/55/EU) and European the EFN Competency Framework, which demands that the half of all contacts hours of each study programme are done in the clinical environments as clinical practice and mentored by the clinical mentors. Clinical practice is becoming a key environment for strengthening clinical competence (DIR55), as through the analysis of the quality of nursing care, the nurses improve their work.
Clinical mentor’s education is greatly lacking in nursing education and the unified mentors’ education program would be of a great need. The quality mentoring has significant effect upon student learning outcomes with great influence upon novice professionals’ intention to stay in the profession after graduation, also increases satisfaction in professional growth and identification with the nursing role. It is evident that changes are needed in this area and empowering of competent clinical mentors to assure quality mentorship to nursing student in clinical environment is of great importance.
In this context, the EFN is participating in an Erasmus+ project, coordinated by the College of Nursing in Celje (Slovenia), addressing the issue. This 28 months’ project, that started in September 2018, with a first meeting in November 2018, is aiming at addressing the clinical mentor’s lack in nursing education and develop the clinical mentor’s competence with mentor education for national and international nursing students. To assure the systematic approach, the project will develop Clinical mentors’ competence model which will provide new knowledge and findings regarding the current situation of clinical mentoring in nursing study programmes in Europe. The model will introduce most important concepts to be integrated into education of clinical mentoring. It will be used as a base to prepare Course of advanced mentorship competences and Mentoring guidelines as another output of the project which will offer clear and simple instructions to be used in the daily clinical practice of mentoring.
Consortium composition: College of Nursing in Celje (Slovenia): University of Oulu, (Research unit for Nursing Science and Health Management) (Finland); University of Alicante (Spain); Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (Lithuania); European Federation of Nurses Associations (Belgium).
More information: 1/ eBulletins- eBulletin #1 (December 2018)
- eBulletin #2 (April 2019)
- eBulletin #3 (November 2019)
- eBulletin #4 (May 2020)
- eBulletin #5 (September 2020)
- eBulletin #6 (January 2021)
- 1st Transnational project meeting, November 2018, Celje, Slovenia
- 2nd Transnational project meeting, 4-5 April 2019, Oulu, Finland
- 3rd Transnational project meeting, 4-5 November 2019, Alicante, Spain
- 4th Transnational project meeting, 2 February 2021, Online (Kaunas, Lithuania)
- 5th Transnational project meeting, 21 June 2021, Online (Brussels, Belgium)
- 29 April 2021, Kaunas, Lithuania (Organised by the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences)
- 4 May 2021, Oulu, Finland (Organised by the Research Unit of Nursing Science and Health Management, University of Oulu)
- 26 May 2021, Alicante, Spain (Organised by the University of Alicante)
- 10 June 2021, Celje, Slovenia (Organised by the College of Nursing in Celje)
- 17 June 2021, Online, Brussels (Organised by the European Federation of Nurses Associations in collaboration with FINE – Educators)
- 24 June 2021, Online, Brussels (Organised by the European Federation of Nurses Associations in collaboration with ENSA – Students)