NurseMentor FAQs
Answers to common questions about the Nurse Mentor program
The NurseMentor program is for UCalgary Nursing students and UCalgary alumni RNs only.
Nursing students in any year of study can apply to be mentored by an alumni nurse, but they must commit to regular contact with their mentor. Monthly contact is the minimal commitment.
All mentors must be alumni and should be practicing RNs. In some cases, nurses who are no longer practicing will be considered, as they may have valuable experience to share with a student.
Register anytime during the academic year, beginning in September through to the end of February.
The bulk of student/mentor matching will be completed early in the fall term, which is the best time to find an ideal mentoring match. However, a new round of matching will take place in January, early in second term.
*All mentoring matches are carried though to April of the second term -- the full academic year for pairs matched in the fall.
Mentees are expected to make the first connection with their mentors within a few days after they are matched.
In your first mentoring meeting as a pair you should discuss how and how often you’d like to connect. We recommend a monthly meeting with informal messaging in between.
Regular and open communication is key to your success in this program! Ways to communicate are: through our online platform via chat or video call, by phone, text, social media, email or in-person.
A mentor, in this case, is a person who has volunteered to help you during your nursing studies and through transition as you become a nurse.
NurseMentors are alumni of UCalgary Nursing; they understand what you are going through. They are available to answer questions you may have and to offer advice.
They are practising nurses in all sorts of fields, with vast experience. They can become a role model and a confidant.
Communicate. Let your mentor or mentee know that you are busy or preoccupied. If you are going to be away, let them know that too.
Nurses and nursing students are busy people and sometimes the demands can be stressful.
NurseMentor aims to help here; reach out to your mentor for support and guidance when times are tough.
As a mentee you are partnering with your mentor for guidance and collaboration. It's your role to be curious and open to learning from each other.
Start by introducing yourself to your mentor and then ask questions about them. For example, what kind of nursing do they do and how did they get there? What does a typical day at work look like for them? What are some of the challenges and rewards they have experienced?
From there, any and all questions about the realities of being a student and a nurse, and your professional development as you become one, are a go. Focus on your goals, both as mentor and mentee, and let your conversations help you achieve those goals.
Also, don't forget to ask your mentor how you can help them. Mentorship is a two-way street!