Relation Between Mentoring Learning and Mentor Effectiveness: Case of Nursing Studies

The relationship between the mentoring learning and mentor’s effectiveness is analysed in this doctoral dissertation. The case of nursing studies is considered for the research. During the first stage of the research three group discussion sessions with nursing lecturers and nursing students (n = 24) were carried out, and essential features of nursing students mentors’ effectiveness were determined. In accordance with the results of the first stage of the research and on the basis of the scientific literature analysis, Knox, Mogan (1985) nursing mentor‘s effectiveness description was chosen for questionnaire design as the most compatible with an identified nursing students mentor’s effectiveness model. In the second stage of the research referring to Illeris (2003; 2007) learning dimensions and ideas of learning theories, learning categories and subcategories have been identified in advance, and the latter ones have been modified to analyse the process of mentoring learning. Mentoring learning categories and subcategories have been proven while analysing data obtained by interview method with effective nursing students mentors (n = 14), who were named in the first stage of the research, and formulating the subcategories-related propositions. In the third stage of the research the main qualitative research using survey was performed. Questionnaires of nursing students mentors’ and nursing students pairs (n = 882) have been analysed. It has been found that mentoring learning and nursing students mentor’s effectiveness are linked with statistically significant relationships. It has been confirmed that mentoring learning determines greater nursing students mentors’ effectiveness. Nursing students mentor’s mentoring learning model has been created, which considers seven groups of learning components that correspond to learning dimensions, identified in the learning theory of Illeris (2003; 2007)