Veteran nurses must take the time to support and mentor younger colleagues to help prevent turnover, according to a blog post from Daily Nurse.
The publication cited 10 qualities good nurse mentors exhibit:
1. They act as role models, treating new nurses the way they would want to be treated.
2. They educate new nurses on company culture.
3. They help new nurses network with other healthcare professionals.
4. They offer constructive criticism.
5. They help identify areas of growth for new nurses.
6. They give praise when it's deserved.
7. They share their own learning experiences and mistakes with new nurses.
8. They keep their promises.
9. They are trustworthy and make new nurses feel comfortable coming to them with dilemmas.
10. They are open to feedback from new nurses.
"As a more experienced nurse, you can positively impact the careers (and lives) of new nurses if you take them under your wing instead of cutting them down," Daily Nurse wrote. "Use one or more of these strategies to support and mentor new nurses and help them start their first jobs on the right foot."