Scholars’ experiences with faculty mentoring: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Future of Nursing Scholars Program

Abstract

Background

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Future of Nursing Scholars program supported nurses to complete PhDs in 3 years. Support mechanisms included mentoring by the program office and school faculty, and leadership development activities.

Purpose

To describe scholars’ perspectives of mentoring received by faculty during the accelerated timeline.

Methods

Of 201 scholars, 157 (78%) completed exit surveys, providing qualitative data on their experiences working with faculty mentors.

Discussion

Scholars highlighted strong mentorship (i.e., accessibility, emotional support) as the most important facilitator to program completion. Mentor challenges were identified as the second-most mentioned barrier to success, while the first was the accelerated timeline.

Conclusion

The scholars’ most-reported mentor-provided facilitators to success were availability and emotional support. Among scholars who noted barriers to their success caused by their mentor relationship, the most-reported issue was lack of access to their mentors.