Mapping the Drivers of Engagement in Mentorship in Nursing Clinical Practicums: A Network Analysis.

Aim: To map factors influencing nurses' engagement in clinical mentorship in nursing education and explore their interactions using network analysis.

Design: Observational cross-sectional study employing an online survey from July 2024 to May 2025.

Methods: A total of 261 clinical mentors from healthcare institutions in Catalonia, Spain, completed the survey. Key variables included engagement in clinical mentorship (implication, motivation, satisfaction, compromise), perceived obstacles, ward manager support, emotional intelligence, emotional wellbeing, working and employment conditions. Data were analysed using regularized partial correlation network analyses. Centrality indices were calculated to determine the most influential variables within the network structure.

Results: Motivation, ward manager support, and emotional intelligence emerged as the most central, interconnected drivers of engagement. Motivation showed positive associations with commitment and implication in the mentoring role and a negative association with perceived obstacles. Ward manager support was linked to emotional wellbeing and peer support, reflecting the importance of psychosocial resources. Emotional intelligence appeared to support motivation, work control, and satisfaction with the mentoring role. In contrast, professional experience and employment conditions showed limited influence within the network.

Conclusion: This study provides a comprehensive understanding of how multiple factors interact to shape nurses' engagement in clinical mentorship. Motivation, ward manager support, and emotional intelligence represent key leverage points for strengthening mentorship practices.

Implications for the profession: Sustainable, high-quality clinical practicums require supportive work environments that recognize and foster mentors' intrinsic motivation, leadership support, and emotional skills.

Impact: Clinical mentors are essential to student learning, and so is their engagement in the mentoring role. This study is the first to apply network analysis to this process, revealing that motivation, emotional intelligence, and ward manager support are central to engagement, while professional experience and employment conditions are less relevant. These findings can guide institutional strategies to promote supportive and nurturing clinical learning environments.

Reporting method: The manuscript is based on the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES).

Patient or public contribution: This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct, or reporting.