Accrediting Practising Dietitian Mentoring Guide

Last revised: July 2017

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Accrediting Practising Dietitian Mentoring Guide Resource for Mentors in mentoring partnerships with Provisional APDs

This guide has been developed as a result of the need identified by the Dietetic

Credentialing Council to support Mentors who participate in the Provisional

APD mentoring requirements. This guide was drafted under a consultancy to

DA by Wendy Stuart Smith APD. Resources were drawn from the Accrediting

Practising Dietitian (APD) Guide1, Resumption of Accredited Practice Guide2 and

the Victus Report3

Accrediting Practising Dietitian Mentoring Guide 2

CONTENTS

1. Introduction 3

2. Mentoring 3

3. Starting the Mentoring Journey – New Mentors 6

4. DA Mentoring Requirements 6

5. A different perspective on Mentoring – Group Mentoring 13

6. References 14

7. Resources 14

8. Appendices 18


1. INTRODUCTION DA Mentoring is a volunteer activity for those who choose to mentor. Those who participate as Mentors are supporting those who are provisionally accredited to move through to full accreditation as part of the APD Program. This important and vital role is highly valued by DA and this support resource provides some guidance for being a Mentor. A webinar on mentoring is available on DINER.

2. MENTORING

A mentoring relationship is different from supervision.

Mentoring is a mutual and reciprocal relationship whereby both parties utilise reflective practice and experiential learning to develop new skills, knowledge and attitudes. ‘Mentors are resource persons with whom mentees clear their thinking or sound out the validity or an important decision’.5

A good mentor:

• Is someone of integrity, able to be trusted and respected by the mentee, and able to maintain confidentiality.

• Is a good listener – active listening skills and the ability to hear the mentee out and be a sounding board are essential traits.

• Is positive and encouraging, but at the same time realistic.

• Is a good communicator, and is able to communicate complex reasoning and problems in an understandable way.

• Is able to reflect back to the mentee to explore the issues under discussion and challenge beliefs, understandings and practice when appropriate.

• Provides advice within the scope of their own abilities and when required. They will encourage the mentee to seek further advice on issues if beyond their expertise and may be able to suggest other sources of support.

• Is open and real with the mentee. This does not mean sharing private information or becoming the counsellor, but be able to relate experiences you have had that may assist the mentee in their journey.

• Shows genuine interest in the mentee. This may include being available, remembering and respecting appointments and being ‘in the moment’ and emotionally present when meeting with your mentee, rather than clock watching.

• Is knowledgeable. This does not mean being an expert in a particular field (although you might be). It is simply having more experience in an area than the mentee.

• Does not tell the mentee what to do or what to think. Rather they help the mentee work through issues in order to come to their own decisions.

Who might you mentor?

Within the context of the Provisional APD program there are specific requirements to be met, and much of this resource relates to Provisional APD mentoring. See the APD Program Handbook for more information.

Formal mentoring is required in any Provisional APD Program including the case when a dietitian is returning to dietetic work after a break of greater than three years. Further details may be found in the APD Program Handbook page ‘Resumption of Practice’.


Mentoring may go beyond the provisional period. Many mentoring relationships continue, although usually in a less structured way, well beyond the minimum Provisional APD requirements.

Some mentoring partnerships develop for specific reasons past the mandatory provisional period, and in fact this is encouraged. You may therefore mentor someone entering e.g. a new practice context or a new clinical area, requiring / desiring a little support. In this instance, it is up to the mentor and mentee to decide if there is to be a structure with regular contact, or if the mentoring is to be on an ad hoc basis. Both may work, depending on the need.

If you are interested in mentoring as part of the APD Program, consider adding your name to the ‘find a mentor’ page on the DA website.

The question about whether you can mentor someone in your workplace arises from time to time. Ensure that this will work within the environmental context. You may need to consider the boundaries between mentoring and supervision are maintained, and it may be easier if the mentor is not the mentee’s line manager. There are certain benefits of understanding from within an organisation or department and shared experiences which can be helpful. Consider all the pros and cons of entering the partnership with a work colleague who you line manage or supervise and decide if it will work for both of you.

Role of the mentor

The role of the mentor is described in the APD Program Handbook.

Some of the main roles of a mentor include:

• Non-judgemental listener

• Encourager, supporter

• Helper…to set goals, refine resume, apply for positions, structure and complete CPD activities, clarify thinking, develop/refine new clinical knowledge etc.

• Provider of feedback and guidance

• Challenge….. misconceptions, small thinking, ….

• Facilitate the mentees reflective practice

Role of the mentee

The role of the mentee is to meet the requirements of the Provisional APD Program and drive the mentoring partnership. Ensuring the meetings occur, tasks are completed, Continuing Professional

Development (CPD) is occurring and reflective practice is evident should all be the mentees responsibility.

Mutual benefits of mentoring

Certainly in a mentoring relationship the mentee should be supported, and assisted in developing their knowledge and skills, but mentors often find they too gain from the relationship. Some of that gain is the simple satisfaction of assisting another person to move forward, in watching them grow and find their feet in a profession about which you are passionate. There are other potential benefits to the mentor if you are open. The mentee comes with different ways of looking at things, different experiences, perhaps a different cultural background and different knowledge. Mentees can also give you fresh inspiration with their often enthusiastic approach to develop professionally.

The mentor can be challenged in their own thinking, and in working through issues with the mentee, can undertake their own reflective practice about how and why they do or believe certain things, which encourages the personal/professional growth of the mentor as well.


What it is, what it is not

Starting with what it is not – it is not supervision. In many clinical positions in particular, clinical supervision comes as standard. Supervision within a hospital clinical position is usually provided by a line manager, and at times may be provided by another Allied Health professional, particularly in rural and remote positions. It is characterised by formality and assessment. It is often driven by the needs of the supervisee to attain competence and it may be required as part of a formal or structured education, registration or credentialing process. One familiar example of supervision is dietetic clinical placement where student dietitians are assessed by supervisors through demonstration of particular skills and knowledge. Some other allied health professions also use this model for their CPD, at times throughout the career.

Supervision may be defined as: ‘The provision of guidance and feedback on matters of personal, professional and educational development in the context of a trainee’s experience of providing safe and appropriate patient care.’1

Whilst there is much strength in the supervision model, this is not what is required by the DA for the Provisional APD year in the profession, or ongoing. In supervision there is often an imbalance of power in the relationship, and often there is payment made, which adds another dimension. These and other issues may lead to a less open relationship and a reticence of the supervisee to discuss important issues for fear of negative repercussion. There can also be a sense that the supervisor is the one with the answers and dictating the direction, rather than an empowering of the mentee to grow to greater independence.

A mentoring relationship is different from supervision. Mentoring is a mutual and reciprocal relationship whereby both parties utilise reflective practice and experiential learning to develop new skills, knowledge and attitudes. ‘Mentors are resource persons with whom mentees clear their thinking or sound out the validity or an important decision’.5

In the DA model there is no payment made for mentoring. It is voluntary on behalf of the mentor. It is mandatory for progression through the Provisional APD Program for the mentee. Although DA determines requirements around frequency of contact, the partnership is driven by the mentee and their needs in terms of personal and professional growth and development. This then drives the roles and boundaries of the relationship; therefore, no two mentoring relationships are the same.

Not sure if you are mentor material?

A self-administered questionnaire, developed for practitioners to measure their mentoring potential is found in Appendix 1. It may assist you in assessing your capacity and preparedness for the role.

I have been asked to mentor someone working in a different practice area from me. Is this ok?

There is no necessity to be in the same area as your mentee. In fact, you may see things from a different angle which may be useful and you may learn more from your mentee. If the potential mentee IS going into a different area from that in which you practice, suggest they get another mentor to assist just in that area or develop a network in that area. For example, if you are a hospital dietitian and your mentee is going into private practice, suggest that they become active in DIPSIG and undertake a business course. Be clear about your boundaries and stick to what you know well.


3. STARTING THE MENTORING JOURNEY – NEW MENTORS

Consider getting a mentor to mentor you with mentoring

Having made the decision to mentor, you may find it worthwhile to speak with someone who has done some mentoring in the past and potentially ask if they will mentor you for a period of time (it does not need to be formal, possibly someone you can have a chat with, perhaps over coffee, then call at times on an ongoing/set period basis as required).

Reflect on your own mentors – what worked well, what did not… why?

When starting the mentoring journey, it is good to reflect on your own previous experiences. Who in your life has been a mentor? This may have been a relative, sporting coach, teacher, or your own APD mentor. What qualities did they have that made the relationship work well? What did you gain from the relationship? How? Why? What can you put into practice for someone else?

Qualities of a good mentor

A good mentor is someone who desires to facilitate the growth of another person, assisting them to gain confidence and become more independent. No mentor knows all the answers, but may be able to assist the mentee to explore options to find answers.

4. DA MENTORING REQUIREMENTS Before taking on a mentee, make sure you are able to commit to the relationship. Most dietitians, whether in corporate areas, health departments, private practice or elsewhere, will undertake mentoring in their own time and not as part of the workplace. Ensure you understand what is required so you can communicate these with your mentee so they are also clear about requirements, found in the APD Program Handbook. Refer back as required.

The Mentoring Process

a) Getting started

Registering the mentoring partnership

A mentoring partnership is registered online (hardcopy may be used in certain circumstances only).

In order to mentor a Provisional APD, you must be a financial member of DA and be a full APD.

The mentee must have converted (if previously a student) to full membership and have applied for Provisional APD status.

Mentoring partnerships are to be registered within six months of the mentee joining the APD program and within four weeks of the partnership being established. If a partnership is not registered in 6 months, the Provisional APD is suspended from the APD Program until they register a mentor.

Structure of process

Be clear about the requirements of mentoring as set out by DA. These requirements were reviewed by DA (Victus Report) in 2011 and determined as the appropriate requirements according to the best available evidence.


a. In a nutshell, Provisional Program Requirements: The mentee and mentor must formally register their partnership online, including developing a Mentoring Partnership Plan

b. Online registration of the partnership, including mentor confirmation, must occur within six months of joining the Provisional APD Program and within four weeks of commencing a mentoring partnership. The consequence of not meeting this requirement is suspension from the Provisional Program (losing APD status) until a partnership is registered. C. The active partnership period must be for a minimum of 52 weeks.

c. Deferment of the Provisional Program is not possible.

d. Communication between mentee and mentor must be at least monthly during the 52 weeks.

◦ Each monthly meeting (minimum of 12 sessions) must be one hour in length and must be in person or via internet based computer technology where the participants can see each other e.g. Skype/ Facetime/ Google Hangout.

◦ The 12 mandatory one hour face-to-face sessions must be logged in ‘My CPD’ as evidence of the meetings, under the ‘mentee/mentor activity – provisional’.

◦ Additional regular contact between the mentee and mentor is encouraged between the monthly meetings. This communication can be held by email or other media and can be flexible in timing, and is not required to be logged in your CPD logs.

◦ Arranging meetings is the mentee’s responsibility.

Transitioning to Full APD status:

To be considered for Full APD status the Provisional APD must have:

• Been in the Provisional Program for at least 52 weeks

• Completed all of the required CPD

• Documented each of the face-to-face monthly mentoring meetings on ‘My CPD’

• Completed an ‘End of Mentoring Report’ online (at the conclusion of the mentoring period) reporting on their Mentoring Goals and outcomes

• Completed any required dietetic practice requirement (for those in a Resumption of Accredited Practice program)

• Declared that all of these requirements have been met

The Provisional program must be completed ideally within 12 months and no longer than a two-year timeframe from the date of joining the APD program (subject to approval).

Failure to do so will result in suspension from the program and APD status being revoked for a period of 12 months.

The dietitian will then need to reapply to the program but they are only eligible to do so after the 12 months has elapsed.

It is important that you check the understanding of your mentee relating to the Provisional APD program and its requirements and expectations, sometimes down to the level of ‘do they know how to access the appropriate documents on the DA website?’


Philosophy of reflective practice and purpose of mentoring

It is important to discuss the above points with your mentee, not as a set of rules but within the framework of understanding the philosophy behind the provisional year and mentoring. It is critical that they also understand the reflective practice cycle and the importance of critical thinking and life-long learning (see Guidelines). Some mentees will come with good understanding and skills. For some mentees, the development of this understanding and the practice of reflective practice will be an important part of the upcoming year.

Getting to know your mentee

It is important to get to know your mentee, to find out how they work, and build trust. If you know your mentee from previously (e.g. supervision on placement), this process is a little simpler, but remember that this is a different relationship, a peer relationship, and you need to shift the balance of power, and get to know your mentee as your peer.

If you are able to have at least the first meeting face to face, this can be a real help in establishing positive open dialog, although this is not essential, and indeed not possible in some instances.

Clear boundaries – the responsibility is on the mentee

Setting clear boundaries at the start may save you considerable grief later on. Some points to consider and discuss with a potential mentee when you accept their request or at your first meeting:

• What you will and will not accept within the mentoring relationship. For example: o What is

the earliest / latest time of the day your mentee can feel comfortable calling you? Are there times you are unavailable? If a mentee has a burning question between mentoring sessions, what is the best way to contact you? (You may prefer an email or a text rather than a call – that way you can manage your availability).

◦ Where are you going to meet your mentee? You may choose a workplace, but a coffee shop may be more conducive to open discussion, particularly if you are both in the same workplace.

◦ What does mentoring mean? Mentoring is not just about ticking boxes or getting ‘stuff’ from you e.g. your resources. It is one thing to ‘pick your brains’ but another to drain you or your practice. It is an active process and you are looking forward to a journey of engagement and positive growth experience with the mentee taking the initiative.

• Be clear that you don’t know everything and that you will be encouraging your mentee to do their own research and at times you will learn together – this will take the pressure off you as the mentor when that moment does occur. This is an important point, as it will assist the mentee to realise that being a dietitian is a life long journey and this also means they are not expected to have all the answers, but to have the skills to find the answers if they exist and how to interpret what they find!

• Ensure the mentee understands and is clear about the DA requirements such as meeting requirements / frequency, keeping a log, setting goals, CPD, etc.

• Be clear about the mentee driving the process. Your expectations might include one of more of the below (or others):

◦ The mentee will draft their own learning goals in line with the APD Program Handbook, for discussion at the first meeting.


◦ Being clear with your mentee that initiative is important and you expect them to organise the next meeting in a timely manner and be prepared for the meeting.

◦ Discuss how you plan for the session to proceed, that you will be asking the mentee to explore situations and problems, providing advice when required, but expecting them to be a bit vulnerable and discuss their own thoughts on solutions and improvements. They are not coming to a lecture or a seminar.

◦ You will not sign them off the day the 52-week anniversary comes around except if they have appropriately engaged in the program and had an appropriate amount of mentoring.

Remember it is a two-way street. The above may sound a bit dictatorial, but if done in a relaxed manner ensuring you are both on the same page it should be taken on board appropriately. Make sure you ask the mentee about their expectations too and manage these if not reasonable. Written points may help at times and are always a good thing to refer back to, particularly if expectations are not met.

Setting goals

• It can be useful to ask your mentee to draft their goals, practice situations and resources / support prior to the first meeting. This gives you a focus of discussion beyond the pleasantries of getting to know them and will help shape future discussions.

• Remember goals need to be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely) – work with your mentee to improve the structure if needed.

• Goals may be flexible. If your mentee is not yet employed, these may change depending on the position gained. A starting point is essential.

• New graduates may aim to achieve too much with their goals – you may find it useful to bring them back to focus on getting the basics right, according to their chosen path and keeping the plan simple.

• It can be useful for the mentee to email you a pdf of the completed registration to help you keep in mind their goals and refer back along the way.

What does your mentee need from the mentoring relationship?

Each mentoring relationship is different and will include different levels of emotional, knowledge and skills support. Ensure you ask your mentee what they are expecting so you can tailor the mentoring process, within the mentoring guidelines and your own expectations and expertise.

b) Along the way

Encourage your mentee to prepare for each session – before the mentoring session

• What CPD have they undertaken? Asking them to send a print out from their CPD log also encourages them to keep this up to date (or at least bring it on the day).

• Review and reflect on the previous month’s goals.

• Draft goals for the upcoming month, based on the goals set for the year, review of the previous month and/or new ones if the mentee’s situation has changed.


Encourage your mentee to prepare for each session – during the mentoring session

There are many things that can be discussed with your mentee, and this may vary to some extent from month to month and also on the situation in which the mentee is working.

• Review the month’s CPD with your mentee:

◦ Ask your mentee what they have learned from their CPD activities and facilitate their reflection on this. That is, why is this learning significant? How can you incorporate this learning into your practice?

◦ Discuss – e.g. a case scenario and reflect on the application to their own ongoing practice, etc.

◦ Discuss a study they have read and critically appraised o Does the CPD support their goals?

Encourage them to record all of the CPD they participate in (not just the minimum 30 hours)

• If they are involved in patient/client care, ask your mentee to prepare a de identified case study to discuss (this does not need to be onerous – they only need enough information to prompt them). Questions such as – what did they do, what went well (why?), what would they do differently (why? How?) In other settings there will be projects / incidents they will be able to reflect on and learn from.

• What were the highlights of the month? Why were they highlights? How can they continue to work at that level and improve?

• Was there somewhere they felt they did not perform as well as they would have liked? If so, what happened? Why it was not as good as desired? How could they do this better next time?

• If your mentee has just moved out of home to take up a position away from home, such as interstate or rural, the psychosocial aspects of that move will be important in their success in this position. Talk about how they are settling in, making friends, finding social opportunities, etc. If your mentee is still in the process of finding paid dietetic work, then:

◦ They may be grateful if you are able to assist them with job applications, reviewing their resume, helping understand selection criteria and ensure they answer appropriately, pointing them in the right direction. There are numerous resources online for writing a resume and job application which they may find useful.

◦ It may be that your role here is very much to encourage as they may get quite discouraged if this goes on for a period of time.

◦ You may need to encourage your mentee to look outside their original expectations to other opportunities. If they had their heart set on a hospital position, it can be worthwhile challenging this to consider other options. Talk to them about things they really enjoyed on placement – are there other possibilities they would consider? How would they go looking at rural positions?

◦ Ask them to consider short term volunteer roles to gain experience and become familiar with the work landscape.

◦ Bring scenarios and cases you wish for them to consider and use these as a basis for the discussion. Ask them to develop a presentation plan or how they might go about conducting an evaluation project – using theoretical examples will at least encourage their thinking in lieu of having the work environment to provide the examples.


Listen

Being an active listener is one of the most valuable skills you can demonstrate with your mentee. The first year after graduating can be one of highs and lows and trying to figure out their place in the profession, along with a lot of self-doubt and questioning. Just being able to air this with someone who is non-judgmental and will listen often gives them a chance to process things.

Hear them out (take a few notes along the way if you need in order to remember discussion points). Try not to interrupt except if you need clarification.

After they have finished is the time to speak. Reflecting back to them can be a good place to start.

Reflection

When useful, reflect back to the mentee. Explore where they are at, rather than telling them what they should do next. Sometimes they would like you to do the thinking and give them the solution. This is not going to help them grow, and will result in lazy thinking and dependency rather than critical thinking and independence. In the early stages, mentees may ask questions such as:

• ‘What do you think I should do?’

• ‘What do you think about ….?’ etc.

Often when exploring a problem, asking a few well-targeted questions to make them think will help them explore the problem and the issues surrounding it more deeply.

• ‘When that happened, how did you feel?’

• ‘What is the worst thing that might happen?’

• ‘Would you just go over that again so I can understand a bit better?’

• ‘How did you come to that….. point/conclusion/realisation…?’

• ‘What gave you the feeling that….?’

• ‘I think you are saying…. Tell me if that is correct.’

• Tell me what you have learned from that experience/consultation/patient/…..’

Finding solutions, growing independence

Ultimately you want the mentee to come up with appropriate, meaningful and practical solutions to problems; solutions they own and can implement. Only after they have reflected and provided their thoughts can you see where they are at. This is the time for you to offer suggestions, but these too can be framed when appropriate as questions such as:

• ‘What are some of the options you could consider?’

• ‘What are the pros and cons of the options you have discussed?’ / ‘What would happen if you did/did not do that?’

• ‘What might be a reasonable next step?’

• ‘Have you thought about….?’

• ‘What are some of the places you could go for information / resources on….?’ (remind them of PEN / DINER amongst other places)

• How do you think you might do this differently next time (in a similar situation)?’


There is a time and place for providing information and inexperienced mentees often need some level of correction of clinical/procedural understanding or knowledge. It is often most appropriate to provide teaching after you have had some meaningful discussion about a particular problem.

As part of the teaching you may assist the mentee to formulate a plan and encourage the mentee to do some reading / research. Ask the mentee to report back at the next session and discuss the outcomes after implementation.

Be open and ‘real’

• Be confident in admitting you don't know everything, and prepared to talk about how you find answers.

• Particularly when things don't seem to be falling into place, a mentee may feel like they are being left behind, are not good enough or even consider giving up. They will see you as successful and potentially ‘having it all together’. The reality is that they do not see the highs and lows you have been through, the struggles you may have had finding a job, or getting to the position you now hold. It can be worth relating a few relevant stories of getting a job, or second guessing yourself, without making it all about you. Done sensibly, this can engender the sense that you understand, can be trusted and help build the relationship. Most importantly it can give them hope that things will improve for them over time.

c) Trouble Shooting

Confidentiality, ethics and safety of practice

It is imperative that confidentiality be maintained at all times.

If there is an ethical or unsafe practice issue, this should be discussed with your mentee in the first instance. It is not your role to resolve the issue. This is the responsibility of the mentee. However, if you have ongoing concerns, these should be referred, in the first instance to National Office and then via the usual channels (complaints and disciplinary process).

The power differential

It is important that you as the mentor keep in mind that you are dealing with a young colleague and not a student. This person has met the criteria to practice as a dietitian in Australia.

Neither is your mentee a subordinate. Your role is not supervision, not telling them what to do. If your mentee feels you are in a position of power over them, it will make the development and maintenance of an open and honest relationship difficult. The result of this may be that they do not discuss issues deeply and thus problems may not come to light, leaving the mentee feeling lost and unsupported.

Breakdown of the relationship

Sometimes things don't work out and there is often no blame involved. It is imperative to set good boundaries at the start as these can often circumvent issues, or at least act as a reference point if/when a mentee steps over the mark, allowing problems to be sorted quickly. There is a huge learning curve in the first year of work, both personally and professionally and sometimes mentees do forget what was discussed earlier in the year.

Occasionally it comes to the point where you may need to dissolve the relationship. Make sure you have done some self-reflection first. Be objective – what are the real underlying problem(s), beyond any personality issues? Aim to work through the issues if this is possible in a final meeting so you are


able to move on, and to reduce the awkwardness that may occur when you next see the mentee at an event.

You may wish to call DA National Office to discuss your decision to dissolve the partnership. It is important to note that the mentee will need to find another mentor to complete the provisional requirements. Remember, if the need to change was purely logistic or for individual issues then it is just a simple re-registration of a new mentor for the mentee. However, if you have concerns about the mentees practice this must be brought to the attention of DA.

Remember, you contribute to the endorsement that this practitioner should be credentialed as an APD.

d) Finishing strongly

As you come to the end of the mentoring period, hopefully your mentee will be much more confident, and more independent and critical in their thinking. It may be easy to become complacent about the relationship. This is the time, though, to be ensuring they are indeed at that point and discussions can revolve around this and plans for the future.

Encourage your mentee to check back through their log to ensure they have completed adequate time and CPD to qualify (this is their responsibility, not yours). If not, the formal part of the relationship must continue until this is complete.

At times, it may be useful to extend the relationship past the 52-week mandatory period if you have the resources to do so. If your mentee hit a snag during the year and has not yet gained the confidence they need and would benefit from the discipline and accountability of the formal relationship for a specific purpose, this is to be encouraged, as there is two-year period to meet all DA requirements for the Provisional program (although CPD remains at 30 hours per year as the standard requirement). If not completed within 2 years, the Provisional APD will be suspended from the APD Program.

It is also important to discuss with your mentee your thoughts about the future. It may well be that you would like to stay in touch with your mentee going ahead and vice versa. Indeed, many mentoring relationships end as friends for many years. If this is the case, make sure you let your mentee know this so they do not feel unsure about contacting you again.

Before your final formal meeting, ask your mentee to draft their input to the ‘End of Mentoring’ document online (hardcopy in approved circumstances) for discussion and finalisation at this meeting. This can also be a good opportunity to ensure they are set up well for the year ahead with clear goals and strategies to move forward.

5. A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON MENTORING – GROUP MENTORING

You may have had more than one person ask you to be their mentor. It may not be feasible to take on two or more mentees independently. However, particularly if they are friends and know each other well, you may find that a form of group mentoring may work. In this model, each mentee needs individual and sometimes private input from the mentor, but spending at least some of the mentoring sessions in the group session is not only time efficient but introduces a different and very positive dynamic to the sessions, where the mentees share their different journeys and experiences and brainstorm ideas. When managed appropriately, the mentor will play the role of facilitator for some of the session and this can be both a productive and positive experience for all involved.


However, you should ensure that all involved mentees are comfortable with this situation before commencing group mentoring.

6. REFERENCES 1. APD Guide, DA, 2015

2. Resumption of Accredited Practice Guide, DA, 2015

3. The Victus Report – Strengthening the Provisional APD Program, DA, 2011

4. Walker WO, Kelly PC, Hume RF. Mentoring for the New Millennium. Medical Education Online. 2002;7(15).

5. Schon, D ‘The reflective practitioner: how professionals think in action’ 1991 Aldershot England

6. Darling LAW, Schatz PE ‘What do nurses want in a mentor? J Nursing Administration 1984; 14(10): 42–44

7. RESOURCES

Useful websites:

Mentoring:

• http://www.mentorset.org.uk/pages/mentoring.htm MentorSET UK; (accessed 25/1/15)

• http://pcaddick.com/page12.html (accessed 25/1/15)

• http://www.washington.edu/admin/hr/roles/ee/careerdev/mentoring/index.html University of Washington mentoring site (accessed 25/1/15)

Resume writing / job application – as a mentor, being familiar with places a new graduate can go for assistance can be useful:

• http://www.dietitianconnection.com/component/content/article/24-resources/professionaldevelopment/949-how-to-write-a-stand-out-resume dietitian connection have a number of resources, including a webinar by Maree Ferguson (accessed 25/1/15)

• http://career-advice.careerone.com.au/resume-cover-letter/resume-writing/resume-writing-thebasics/article.aspx resume and job application tips (accessed 25/1/15)

• http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Resume Making a resume (accessed 25/1/15)

YouTube clips:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwy3KKz_WfA - interview with mentor and mentee. A successful partnership (accessed 24/1/15)

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_EWTmFAFLI - benefits of workplace mentoring. Some good information but a bit corny (accessed 24/1/15)

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKQL_X5a8uk (Riverside Training) – differences between coaching and mentoring – Australian (accessed 24/1/15)

http://www.mentorset.org.uk/pages/mentoring.htm

http://www.mentorset.org.uk/pages/mentoring.htm

http://pcaddick.com/page12.html

http://pcaddick.com/page12.html

http://www.washington.edu/admin/hr/roles/ee/careerdev/mentoring/index.html

http://www.washington.edu/admin/hr/roles/ee/careerdev/mentoring/index.html

http://www.dietitianconnection.com/component/content/article/24-resources/professional-development/949-how-to-write-a-stand-out-resume




















http://career-advice.careerone.com.au/resume-cover-letter/resume-writing/resume-writing-the-basics/article.aspx
















http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Resume






https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwy3KKz_WfA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwy3KKz_WfA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_EWTmFAFLI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_EWTmFAFLI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKQL_X5a8uk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKQL_X5a8uk


• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I16V7DrNj8M Mentoring skits on how to/not do mentoring – case based (accessed 24/1/15)

Background reading

• Chichester M, Dennie M ‘Peer mentoring: when nurses share time and expertise, everyone wins’

• Nursing for women’s health 2000;14:235–37

• Clynes M, Raftery S ‘Feedback: An essential element of student learning in clinical practice’ Nurse Education in Practice 2008;8(8):405–11

• Cohen M, Jacobs J, et al ‘Mentorship, learning curves, and balance’ Cardiology in the Young 2007;17(suppl 2):164–74

• Elizov M, Boillat M, McLeod PJ ‘Are mentors born or made?’ Medical Education 2014; 48:545–6

• Eller L, Lev E, Feurer A ‘Key components of an effective mentoring relationship: A qualitative study’ Nurse Education Today 2014;34(5):815–20

• Hawker J, McMillan A, Palermo C ‘Enduring mentoring partnership: a reflective case study and recommendations for evaluating mentoring in dietetics’ Nutrition and Dietetics 2013;70:339–44

• Holmes D, Hodgson P, et al ‘Mentoring: Making the transition from mentee to mentor’ Circulation 2010; 121:336–40

• Kostovich C, Thurn K ‘Group mentoring: a story of transition for undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students’ Nurse Education Today 2–13;33(4):413–8

• Kowtko C, Watts L ‘Mentoring in health sciences education: a review of the literature’ Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences 2008;39:69–74

• Lach H, Hertz J, et al ‘The challenges and benefits of distance mentoring’ Journal of Professional Nursing 2013;29(1):39–48

• Lennox S ‘Developmental mentoring: New graduates’ confidence grows when their needs shape the relationship ‘Journal of the New Zealand College of Midwives, 2012; 46: 26

• Mangan L ‘The many modes of mentoring: new spins on the classic relationship;’ Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2012;112(5):1324

• McCollum G ‘”M” is for “mentorship”’ Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2013;113(10):1281

• Nolan T ‘Paying it forward’ Journal of Paediatric Health Care 2013; 27:82

• O’Flynn, Kelly M, Bennett D ‘Professionalism and identity formation: students’ journeys and emotions’ Medical Education 2014;48:463–5

• Papadimos T ‘Teaching and learning moments: The Mentor’ Academic Medicine 2014;89(1):70

• Plakht Y, Shiyovich L, et al ‘The association of positive and negative feedback with clinical performance, self-evaluation and practice contribution of nursing students’ Nurse Education Today 2013;33(1):1264–8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I16V7DrNj8M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I16V7DrNj8M


• Reid T, Hinderer K, et al ‘Expert clinician to clinical teacher: developing a faculty academy and mentoring initiative’ Nurse Education in Practice 2013;13(4):288–93

• Reinertsen J, O’Neill S ‘Perspective: developing the next generation of leaders: perspectives from both sides of the mentoring relationship’ American Journal of Medical Quality 2012;27(6):535–7

• Rockey S ‘Mentorship matters for the biomedical workforce’ Nature medicine 2014;20(6):575

• Rooke N ‘An evaluation of nursing and midwifery sign off mentors, new mentors and nurse lecturers’ understanding of the sign off mentor role’ Nurse education in practice 2014;14(1):43–8

• Rousmaniere T, Abbass A, et al ‘Videoconference for psychotherapy training and supervision: two case examples’ American Journal of Psychotherapy 2014;68(2):231–50

• Scott E, Smith S ‘Group mentoring’ Journal for Nurses in Staff Development 2008;24(5):232–8

• Shollen S, Bland C, et al ‘Relating mentor type and mentoring behaviours to academic medicine faculty satisfaction and productivity at one medical school’ Academic Medicine 2014;89(9):1267–75

• Singh M, Pilkington F, Patrick L ‘Empowerment and mentoring in nursing academia’ International

• Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship 2014;11(1):101–11

• Spector N, Mann K, et al ‘Facilitated peer group mentoring: A case study of creating leadership skills among the associate program directors of the APPD’ Academic Pediatrics 2010;10:161–4

• Steele RG ‘The social construction of professional mentorship’ Journal of pediatric psychology 2012;38(2):126–31

• Thorndyke L, Gusic M, Milner R ‘Functional mentoring: a practical approach with multilevel outcomes’ The Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions 2010;28(3):157–64

• Waite A ‘Guiding forces: Finding and benefiting from occupational therapy mentors’ OT Practice 2014; Sept 29:7–10

• Watkins C ‘Clinical supervision in the 21st century: Revisiting pressing needs and impressing possibilities’ American Journal of Psychotherapy 2014;68(2):251–72

• Weinberg R ‘The mentor’ Journal of general internal medicine 2013;28(12):1683–5

• Wells L, MacLoughlin M ‘Fitness to practice and feedback to students: a literature review’ Nurse education in practice 2014;14(2):137–41

• Zannini, C, Cattaneo C, et al ‘How do healthcare professionals perceive themselves after a mentoring programme? A qualitative study based on the reflective exercise of ‘writing a letter to yourself’’ Journal of Advanced Nursing 2011; 67:1800–10

Group mentoring:

• http://www.mentoring.org/downloads/mentoring_1327.pdf (accessed 29/1/15) Some useful information but mostly quite a different setting to dietetic professional mentoring

http://www.mentoring.org/downloads/mentoring_1327.pdf

http://www.mentoring.org/downloads/mentoring_1327.pdf


• Palermo C, Hughes R and McCall L ‘A qualitative evaluation of an Australian public health nutrition workforce development intervention involving mentoring circles’ Public Health Nutrition 2010: 14(8), 1458–1465

• Palermo C, Hughes R and McCall L ‘An evaluation of a public health nutrition workforce development intervention for the nutrition and dietetics workforce’ Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 2010; 23, 244–253

Other resources:

• First Steps to the APD Program

• DA Code of Professional Conduct

• Statement of Ethical Practice

• National Competency Standards for entry level dietitians

• DINER

• DA by-laws for information on matters such as DA’s organisational structures and procedures, e.g. membership, complaints and disciplinary procedures


8. APPENDICES

Appendix 1: A guide to measuring mentor potential

The tool below, developed by Darling, can be used as a prompt for dietitians selecting a potential mentor and for those who have been asked to act as a mentor to assess their own capacity and preparedness for the role.

1. Model Low 1 2 3 4 5 High ‘I'm impressed by her ability to...’; ‘really respected her...’; ‘admired her...’

2. Envisioner Low 1 2 3 4 5 High ‘Gave me a picture of what nursing can be’; ‘enthusiastic about opportunities in...’; sparked my interest in...’; ‘showed you possibilities’

3. Energiser Low 1 2 3 4 5 High ‘enthusiastic and exciting’; ‘very dynamic’; ‘made it fascinating’

4. Investor Low 1 2 3 4 5 High ‘spotted me and worked with me more than other nurses’; ‘invested a lot in me’; ‘saw my capabilities and pushed me’; ‘trusted me and put me in charge of a unit’; ‘saw something in me’

5. Supporter Low 1 2 3 4 5 High ‘willing to listen and help’; ‘warm and caring’; ‘extremely encouraging’; ‘available to me if I got discouraged and wondered if I was doing the right thing’

6. Standard-Prodder Low 1 2 3 4 5 High ‘very clear what she wanted from me’; ‘pushed me to achieve high standards’; kept prodding me if I allowed myself to slacken off’

7.Teacher-Coach Low 1 2 3 4 5 High ‘taught me how to set priorities’; ‘to develop interpersonal skills’; ‘guided me on patient problems’; ‘said ‘let’s see how you could have done it better’

8. Feedback-Giver Low 1 2 3 4 5 High ‘gave me a lot of positive and negative feedback’; ‘let me know if I wasn’t doing right and helped me examine it’

9. Eye-Opener Low 1 2 3 4 5 High ‘opened my eyes, got me interested in research’; ‘helped me understand the politics of the hospital’; ‘...why you had to look at the total impact something has on the hospital’

10. Door-Opener Low 1 2 3 4 5 High ‘made in-services available’; ‘included me in discussions’; ‘said ‘I want you to represent me on this committee; this is the information, this is our view’; ‘would delegate to you’

11. Idea-Bouncer Low 1 2 3 4 5 High ‘bouncing things off her brings things into focus’; ‘eloquently speaks for professional issues; I like to discuss them with her’; ‘we would discuss issues, problems and goals’


12. Problem-Solver Low 1 2 3 4 5 High ‘let us try new things and helped us figure it out; always had a pencil and calculator’; ‘we looked at my strengths and created a way to use them to benefit nursing’

13.Career-Counsellor Low 1 2 3 4 5 High ‘got me started on a 5-year career plan’; ‘I went to her when I was trying to sort out where I wanted to go in my career’; ‘I could trust her’

14. Challenger Low 1 2 3 4 5 High ‘made me really look at my decisions and grow up a little bit’; ‘She’d challenge me and I’d be forced to prove my point; I found out if I believed what I recommended’

Source: Darling 1984 Darling LAW, Schatz PE. What do nurses want in a mentor? Journal of Nursing Administration. 1984;14(10):42–44


Appendix 2: Checklists for commencing a mentoring partnership

Prior to taking on your first mentee

Preparation for taking on a mentee is important. You will need to understand what is required of you and the mentee and have a strategy for implementation. You may find this checklist helpful in organising yourself and your mentee prior to your first meeting so you start well, with clear understanding, boundaries and goals for the mentoring period.

Pre-Mentoring Checklist Complete

Do you have a desire and ability to assist a Provisional APD to full membership? You may find the ‘Guide to measuring mentor potential’ in Appendix 1 useful in your considerations

Have your read the APD Program Handbook pages: Provisional APD Program, Continuing Professional Development’ and understand what is required from the mentee (paperwork, CPD, etc.) and what is required of you, the mentor?

Do you have time to make the mentoring commitment?

Have you read the ‘DA Resource for Mentors’?

Do you understand what is required of a mentor and how this is different from supervision?

If you think it is useful, have you contacted someone who can mentor you with mentoring?

Have you thought through your boundaries when it comes to mentoring (e.g. availability, meeting times / places, etc.)?

Have you developed a basic mentoring plan / structure within which you are happy to work? E.g. what do you expect your mentee to prepare / communicate each month? Do you want this in advance or on the day?

If you are going to use the Mentoring online facility, have you registered your availability on the website?


At the start of the mentoring process

This checklist, too, is a guide that you may find useful. It can be completed with the mentee and each person keep a copy for later reference.

Start of Mentoring Checklist

Issue Discussed (Y/N)

Outcome: Discussion point / action required Date Complete

Does the mentee know how to access and utilise the website for APD registration / mentoring / CPD?

Is the mentee aware of resources available on DA website, including: list serves, PEN, DINER. Interest groups and branches and roles CPD opportunities including journal, webinars, conference, etc.?

Does the mentee have an understanding of the role of DA as an association, advocacy, support for members (incl. MAP), etc.?

Does the mentee have an understanding of potential for getting involved in the broader organisation even as a new graduate?

Has the mentee registered for the APD program?

Has the mentee read the APD Program Handbook, specifically the Continuing Professional Development and Provisional APD pages? Questions? Answers?

Does the mentee understand what is meant by ‘CPD’, ‘practice development areas’ and ‘learning modules’?

Has the mentee drafted goals, considered practice situations and support / resources required prior to the first meeting?




Have ‘you’ (the mentor and mentee) discussed the goals / practice situations and support / resources and finalised these to be included in the registration form?

Have you decided whether to register the partnership on paper or online?

Have you discussed and does the mentee understand the CPD requirements for the provisional year including what constitutes appropriate CPD? Questions? Plan?

Have you discussed what mentoring means, the roles of each person, and the boundaries of the mentoring relationship? Questions? Are you in agreement?

Have you discussed how the main monthly meetings are going to occur (face to face / skype / phone / mix)?

If the main meeting is to be face to face, has a decision been made as to where this might occur?

Have you discussed the expectations around communication between meetings?…. Phone? Email? Content expectations (set up next meeting? Other things?)

Have you discussed the best and most appropriate means of contact outside the mentoring times?

Have you discussed any preparation required of the mentee prior to the main monthly meeting? If so, what, and when is it required?

Have you discussed a reflective practice journal and the




expectations of the mentee in relation

to completion of the journal?

Have you discussed confidentiality?

Have you discussed expectations of each other?

Have you discussed the expectation that the mentee is expected to take the initiative and drive the relationship and what this means? Are you in agreement?

Have you discussed the structure of the upcoming mentoring sessions and come to an agreement?

Has the mentoring partnership been registered?

Other:

Other:

Mentoring face to face session template

The following template may be helpful for both mentor and mentee in guiding the mentoring sessions. Note that not all issues need to be discussed, depending on the mentee and their current status in terms of employment, and not necessarily all at each meeting.

Monthly meeting Checklist

Task Complete (Comments/ actions required) Date Complete

Before Meeting:

Mentee submits completed CPD to mentor at agreed time point

Mentee: reviews and reflects on month’s goals – Achievements? Problems? Questions? Thoughts for future? Continues to complete and log CPD

Mentee drafts next month’s goals based on annual goals and review of previous month / work situation



During Meeting

Personal: How is the mentee feeling generally? About the search for / development of employment?

About their position / place in dietetics and settling in / progress in a job? (if they have a dietetic position) About a move away from home / to a new city / town / state? Any concerns / problems / discussion points?

How does the mentor feel the month has gone generally? Review goals – progress? Achievements / highlights? What went well? Why? Progress? What did not go so well? Why? How might you do this differently next time to get a better outcome / options / solutions / plan? Discussion of case study / project progress – outcomes, problems, solutions.

Discuss CPD: Journal article Seminar / workshop / conference Webinar, IG attendance For each:

Validity of findings / information Questions / understanding Applicability to practice Practice change / goals Does the CPD support learning goals? If not, then….?

Goals for upcoming month and plans for CPD discuss plan for achievement

Set date for next meeting

After meeting

Mentee: implements goals, acts on plans



completes CPD, including updating CPD log on DA website keeps reflective practice journal

Accrediting Practising Dietitian Mentoring Guide

Documents

Transcript of Accrediting Practising Dietitian Mentoring Guide