荔枝视频

What to do if you are someone who genuinely loves education, appreciated being a student mentee in the NurseMentor program, but finished school and moved on to your RN career? 

For Keelin Fenske BN鈥�22, it was a no brainer: she just completed her first year on the 鈥渙ther side,鈥� as an alumni mentor in the U荔枝视频 Nursing mentorship program that pairs undergraduate nursing students with alumni RNs.

鈥湵醭兮�檚 a real resource when you are a nursing student,鈥� says Fenske, now a RN in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at Foothills Medical Centre. 鈥淵ou are tunnel-visioned on university and maybe you 肠补苍鈥檛 see what is beyond." 

"But being mentored by an RN is very different from taking a course. 滨迟鈥檚 an additional support system and a chance to talk to someone who has been through what they are going through.鈥�

For the 2022-2023 NurseMentor season, Fenske was matched with a Year One [YO] student. The program has not taken a lot of first years because of the current curriculum where the undergrads, who come into U荔枝视频 Nursing directly from high school, do not take nursing courses in their first year. However, due to more mentors joining than mentees, coordinators of the program decided to try matching registered YOs with alumni RNs.

鈥�As a student, my questions were 鈥榳hat is happening next?鈥� I can answer that now for others who might have the same question, especially in that first year where you 诲辞苍鈥檛 know what you signed up for,鈥� adds Fenske.

While a bit hesitant she 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 have the experience necessary to be a mentor, Fenske quickly settled into the role. 鈥淚 know a lot of students have a hesitancy around some specialties 鈥� they 诲辞苍鈥檛 know what they need to do to get where they want to be 鈥� and I also know a lot of them want a placement in ICU.  I was the same and now I am in an ICU and can give some advice on how it can happen.鈥�