Comparison of the Effect of Mentorship with a Senior Student or Qualified Nurse on Knowledge and Clinical Self-Efficacy of the Second-Semester Nursing Students

Background: Due to the pivotal role of clinical education in the nursing profession, paying attention to effective approaches in improving the quality of education is of great importance. Objectives: The current study aimed at determining the effect of mentorship with senior students or nurses on knowledge and clinical self-efficacy of nursing students. Methods: The current trial was conducted on 72 nursing students in Lorestan University of medical sciences in academic year 2012 - 2013. The participants selected by convenience sampling method and assigned, using stratifiedrandomblocks, to one control group which supervised by a faculty member only and two intervention groups supervised by a faculty member and a senior student or nurse as mentor. Clinical self-efficacy scale and a researcher-made questionnaire were used to measure the participants’ knowledge and self-efficacy before and after the educational intervention. ANOVA and paired samples t test and chi square were used to analyze the data. Results: The mean score of knowledge and clinical self-efficacy increased in all the three groups, but the increase was significantly higher in the third group (the group supervised by a faculty member and a qualified nurse as mentor) than the others. Conclusions: Dueto the positive effects of mentorship with a qualified nurse, it is suggested that mentorship programs be included in the curriculum of nursing students.