Background: Final-year baccalaureate nursing students can experience a significant amount of stress that negatively impacts their well-being, academic performance, and transition to professional practice.
Purpose: This pilot study aimed to evaluate the impact of a Virtual Peer Mentoring (VPM) program using alumni mentors in addressing mental well-being, self-compassion, and professional development needs of final-year baccalaureate nursing students.
Methods: An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. The quantitative research used a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design and quantitative data was collected using three validated instruments to assess mental well-being and self-compassion. The qualitative research used an individual and focus group interview design. Twenty-three mentees and eight mentors participated in the VPM program during the 2018-2019 academic year.
Results: Quantitative results showed that while mental well-being and self-compassion scores improved post-intervention, the change was not statistically significant. Qualitative analysis uncovered new insights into the participants' experiences and revealed three categories: (1) Continuation of the Mentoring Relationship; (2) Growth as a Recipient of Mentorship; and (3) Continual Development by Being a Mentor. The categories illustrate how mentees perceived benefits to their professional socialization, academic expectations, and well-being while mentors similarly expressed enrichment with their personal growth and professional development as a result of VPM.
Conclusion: VPM was well-received by participants and show promise in supporting nursing students to manage academic, practice, and socialization challenges. Both mentors and mentees described gaining mutual benefits and professional and personal growth.
Keywords: Education, nursing, baccalaureate; Mentorship; Mixed-methods; Qualitative studies; Quantitative studies.
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