By Dawn Whiteside
Mentorship is a key part of promoting professional development and the success of individuals in the perioperative setting, where the stakes are high and the environment is fast paced. The perioperative setting often focuses heavily on precepting, which is training that is essential to building the next generation of team members. Within the orientation and onboarding process, preceptors are focused on teaching safe practice specific to the specialty. This relationship is temporary and focused on developing skilled, safe caregivers for surgical patients. It is equally important to recognize the essential role of mentorship. Mentorship is characterized by a long-term relationship based on support and expertise.
Importance of Mentorship
A mentor is an experienced person who understands and demonstrates expertise in their role. Mentorship involves a long-term commitment that fosters both support and socialization into the perioperative environment. The Association of periOperative Nurses (AORN) has a position statement on the role of mentoring in the perioperative environment. Key aspects of the position statement include creating a respectful environment, building interprofessional relationships, and ensuring peer support (AORN, 2023). It is important to understand the definitions and roles related to the mentoring process. According to the American Nurses Association of Massachusetts (n.d.):
• Mentoring includes a one-to-one relationship that is long-term, months to year, and is based on trust.
• Mentors are a “trusted counselor, guide, role model, teacher, and friend, providing opportunities for personal and career development, growth, and support to the less experienced individual.”• Mentees are novice-level individuals undergoing job, role, or specialty transitions who benefit from guidance by an expert mentor
Mentorship in nursing is a nurturing process that is characteristic of nursing practice. The expertise of a mentor affords the opportunity to promote both personal and professional development. Personally, my career in perioperative nursing would never have started without my very first mentor, Fran Koch. It was not a common occurrence to be hired as a new graduate nurse in the operating room in 1987. Unfortunately, the same mantra is still stuck in many hospital systems that you must begin on a medical or surgical floor before you are allowed to even apply to a specialty like perioperative nursing. During my interview, I told the medical floor manager that I’d stay only as long as it took to get to the operating room. The manager left and called Fran, director of the operating room. Fran had me brought over for an interview and she hired me on the spot. That conversation marked the beginning of a mentorship that has lasted 38 years. I left that hospital after about five years and moved all over the country, but I still kept in touch. The nurse manager Mary Murphy became a great mentor, as well. I connected with Mary over the years as I advanced to management roles for direction and support for this new role. The ability to reach out to mentors to get feedback on situations is invaluable.
Why Certified Nurses Make Ideal Mentors
Certified nurses demonstrate a high level of competence and dedication to the profession. This expertise is invaluable in guiding novice team members through the intricacies of the perioperative environment. Certified nurses are well-versed in the latest best practices, technologies, and protocols, ensuring that their mentees receive up-to-date and accurate information. The perioperative specialty is fast-paced and a critical environment where a patient’s condition can change in seconds. The ability to respond quickly demands emotional and physical effort to be competent. This shared experience among team members creates a bond that is crucial for effective mentorship.
Benefits for the Mentee
For the mentee, having a certified nurse as a mentor offers numerous benefits. The importance of socialization of a novice team member cannot be overstated. A mentee who has a trusting relationship with an expert gains numerous opportunities. This aspect is important to decrease reality shock in new hires. A professional network of individuals that have expertise and role model exemplary nursing practice and the best standard of care is a keystone to promote excellence in others. The mentee should seek out an individual who is respected among team members and sets the example for others.
Benefits for the Mentor
With the current and future nursing shortage, being a mentor is a way to promote and guide the next generation of nurses. The benefit of mentoring helps to invigorate and energize the mentor as they provide support to novice team members. Being surrounded by a novice nurse that has chosen your specialty as their career path has a way of boosting the mentor’s mood. Mentors feel they’re making a meaningful impact on their mentees’ careers and help build the next generation of nurses.
Mentors gain a fresh perspective on the latest nursing trends and can evaluate their communication skills to determine what is effective or needs improvement. This dynamic relationship also contributes to a positive work culture and enhances teamwork within the perioperative environment. “A mentor identifies the nurse’s strengths and weaknesses in a synergetic relationship of support and confidence.” (Dennis, 2022, p. 216)
Benefits for the Organization
Organizations that support mentorship programs display a commitment to ongoing learning and professional development for the team members. Mentorship improves recruitment and retention while reducing staff turnover. When a novice team member is introduced to the perioperative environment reality shock is a potential issue that can lead to turnover, especially because of the unfamiliar nature of the perioperative setting, which receives limited exposure during nursing school.
Conclusion
Certified nurses are ideal mentors for novice team members in the perioperative environment because of their extensive knowledge, experience, commitment to lifelong learning, and demonstrated competency. Their guidance helps novice nurses navigate the complexities of perioperative care, fostering professional growth and enhancing patient outcomes. Organizations that prioritize mentorship foster a positive work culture and help sustain the highest standards of patient care. As the healthcare landscape evolves, the role of mentorship in nursing remains vital, ensuring that the next generation of nurses is well-prepared to meet the challenges of the perioperative setting.
References
American Nurses Association of Massachusetts (n.d.). Mentoring definitions, Accessed 6/13/2025. Mentoring Definitions – American Nurses Association Massachusetts
AORN position statement on responsibility for mentoring. AORN. Updated February 2023.
Accessed June 12, 2025. https://www.aorn.org/docs/default-source/guidelines-resources/position-statements/education/posstat_mentoring-050523.pdf?sfvrsn=83c00823_6
Dennis, V. (2022), The value of mentorship in nursing. AORN J, 116: 215-217. https://doi.org/10.1002/aorn.13769
