16: LIFELONG MENTORSHIP AND MENTEESHIP ■ 387what they are or when they have changed, unless you have clearly communi-
cated this information to the mentor.- If your mentor has helped you in negotiating the system, working within the
organization, or learning within an academic setting, then acknowledge the
help, and thank the mentor. A simple acknowledgment in the way of a thank
you is a powerful reinforcer of effective mentoring, and lays the groundwork
for continuing collaboration and support in the future. - Remember that you are a collaborative partner in the mentoring relationship,
so collaborate and reciprocate. - Keep all appointments and commitments.
Mentoring is experienced in a dynamic, dialectic relationship of give- and- take forged
between mentor and mentee. Just like any other organic phenomenon, it must be nour-
ished and protected, or it withers and dies. As these tips for mentor and mentee il-
lustrate, if both partners in this relationship are considerate of each other’s time and
talents, commit to some goal setting and preparation planning, regularly clarify their
interactions, and take responsibility for mishaps on their part, the relationship should
flourish. The end product of this mentoring process can be improved professional skills,
increased career satisfaction, and more confident doctorally prepared nurses committed
to continued learning and collaborative advanced nursing practice.
■ FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The profession of nursing plays a major role in health care today and DNP- prepared
nurses are particularly vital. Specifically, DNPs will be operating in this complex
health care environment and at the crux of changes occurring in health care reform
and, as such, are positioned to drive change in health care through effective leader-
ship. To successfully maneuver in this environment, mentorship is a vital and nec-
essary resource; it is the single most influential way to successfully develop DNP
students and new DNP- prepared professionals, reaping the benefits of recruitment,
retention, and long- term maturation of future nurse mentors (Fox, 2015). Therefore,
we can no longer wait for happenstance relationships to develop; mentorship needs
to be commonplace through purpose- driven actions by individuals, organizations,
and systems. Resources must be allocated to support these efforts using innovative
approaches including: (a) distance or online mentoring especially for those who
do not have a match with a senior mentor at their own organization/ institution;
(b) mentoring by teams of experts; (c) mentoring to groups of novices; (d) peer men-
toring; and (e) mentoring forward (Lach, Hertz, Pomeroy, Resnick, & Buckwalter,
2013). Mentorship processes and programs must also undergo systematic evaluation
to ensure their meaningfulness in impact and quality.
In order to shift the normative processes in the way we endorse change, we
must have the courage and forethought to take deliberate action and invest in human
capital— both mentors and mentees. Leadership development as it occurs through a
mentorship supports the promotion of succession planning within the profession. DNP
leaders want to expand the cadre of mature mentors and eventually replace mentor
leaders through the development of new DNP students/ DNP graduates. This process
allows for a pool of competent DNP- prepared professionals that could be available for
selection for future leadership roles. Individuals are the intellectual capital of organiza-
tions; it is therefore incumbent for organizations to place value on people and devise