Initiation of a Mentoring Program: Mentoring the Invisible Nurse Faculty

Part-time clinical nursing instructors can be an important asset to student learning when qualified. However, they are often expected to begin teaching without an orientation, knowledge of teaching skills, and experience. Additional hurdles for novice faculty include unfamiliarity with the academic culture, college and nursing program policies, procedures, and syllabi. Orientation to the clinical faculty role and having a mentor has been shown to bridge the knowledge gap for the novice part-time clinical nursing faculty.