The gift that never stops giving

I have been very fortunate to have has many great mentors throughout my nursing career. There is not enough space and time for me to speak about all of them.....so I will focus here on one my more recent mentors who has been supporting me in my practice over the past 3 years. My mentor came into my life after I showed interest in focusing my nursing practice in older adults. Soon after completing my Gerontology certificate, I reached out to my mentor for advice on advancing my nursing career as a specialist in Geriatric Nursing. My mentor has been walking beside me for the last few years, encouraging me and advising me on how I can continue to acquire specialized knowledge in the care of older adults. He has helped me to network with other nurses who share my interests in caring for older adults.

He has helped me to identify my knowledge gaps and helped to illuminate areas within my practice that needed improvement. He also taught me to respect my certification and to see it as a privilege. He has also taught me how to care for it as I continue to meet my requirements for ongoing certification. I am lucky that I am able to run into him often and share stories and seek advice as needed. I will forever be grateful to him!

His mentorship has also helped me to better understand what good mentorship is all about and how to make a difference in the professional lives of others. I use many of his approaches to mentor staff that I directly work closely with. In so many way, his mentorship is a gift that never stops giving, as I am able to emulate lot of his approaches, including coaching strategies to support others in achieving their professional goals.