Mentor's Perspective on Structured Clinical Mentoring in the Arab Context.

Abstract

Background: Mentorship is essential in nursing education to foster clinical skills, critical thinking, and professional identity. Despite extensive research on mentorship, few studies have addressed its role in the Arab cultural context. This study explored nursing mentors' clinical learning experiences through mentorship within the cultural context of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Methods: A qualitative approach was employed, involving 20 mentors supervising fourth-year nursing students during their final clinical placement at a semi-public university in the UAE. The placement occurred from January to May 2024, as part of the Consolidation of Practice course, comprising 240 hours of clinical training. Structured and semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with the participants, and the data were transcribed verbatim. To analyse the data, an inductive thematic approach was adopted, and some data were quantified for additional insights.

Results: Four main themes emerged regarding the benefits of structured mentoring within the cultural context: critical for practical training, confidence building, bridging theory and practice and mutual learning. The essential mentoring skills identified were effective communication, patience, and understanding. Structured mentoring frequency positively influenced students' clinical learning. The strengths of the structured mentorship included exposure to real-life scenarios, improved communication, and the development of practical skills. Opportunities for improvement included increasing mentor-student interactions, enhancing the programme's structured nature, and integrating technological tools. The mentors recommended reassessing mentorship duration, increasing hands-on clinical exposure, strengthening mentor collaboration, and promoting student accountability.

Conclusion: Effective mentorship in nursing education in the UAE requires integrating theory and practice, clear communication, and leveraging technology to overcome barriers. Strengthening structured mentor-student interactions through focused workshops and refined programme structures can bridge educational gaps. Such enhancements can enable nursing students to develop into competent and confident healthcare professionals, who are familiar with culturally informed mentorship practices.