The Significance of Mentorship for Hispanic and Latino/a Nurse
A mentor who offers experience, perspective, connections, and insights can greatly impact one’s nursing career. Yet, for some communities of color, like Hispanic and Latino/a nurses, the pursuit of belonging within the nursing environment can be more intricate.
Mayra G. Garcia, a pediatric clinical nurse specialist at Children’s Hospital in Dallas, Texas, shares her experience, saying, “I always knew I wanted to be a nurse, but I didn’t have any nurses I could personally talk to.” Garcia’s sentiments are shared by others. Mentorship holds the key to nurturing a sense of belonging.
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Acknowledging the Value of Mentorship for Hispanic and Latino/a Nurses
In the following sections, we delve into the essence of mentorship in nursing, particularly for the upcoming generation of Hispanic and Latino/a nurses.
Navigating the Experience of Hispanic and Latino/a Nurses
Much like some other communities of color, Hispanic and Latino/a nurses face distinct barriers when entering the nursing field, such as:
- A higher proportion of first-generation college students compared to other racial or ethnic groups
- Lower family incomes
- Increased reliance on financial aid
- Limited access to guidance
- A heightened susceptibility to imposter syndrome
While entry into the profession is a challenge, Adrianna Nava, Ph.D., President of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN), highlights that ascending to leadership roles within nursing, particularly for women nurses, presents an even greater challenge.
“Barriers to leadership for women are well-documented, but these hurdles become even more formidable when aspiring leaders are women of racial or ethnic minority,” Nava explains. “Witnessing a Latina/o in a leadership position empowers others to strive for loftier objectives.”
Promoting Latino/a mentorship in nursing holds the potential to surmount these barriers. By addressing these challenges, better healthcare outcomes are attainable through a diversified workforce that enhances cultural competence in nursing care.
The Importance of Mentorship in Nursing
The Essence of Inclusion in Nursing
Being underrepresented in a professional setting can evoke apprehension, irrespective of the differentiating factors such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, and others. For numerous Hispanic nurses, witnessing individuals similar to them within nursing, particularly in senior leadership roles, remains a rarity. This absence of representation can stifle their capacity to envision their own potential.
“Aspiring nurses need to witness nurses in leadership roles, guiding efforts within their communities, hospitals, and organizations. This inspiration empowers them to embark on a nursing career,” Garcia elucidates.
Representation breeds a sense of purpose and potential across any domain. However, the dearth of Latino/a professionals in such roles contributes to the sentiment of not truly belonging, as Susana González, MHA, MSN, RN, CNML, articulates.
“Impostor syndrome is a sentiment many [people of color] experience, especially those who possess a distinct language; often, you feel like you don’t fit in,” González reflects.
Mentorship is a pivotal conduit to cultivating a sense of belonging. Nevertheless, Nava underscores that the scarcity of Latino/a nurses in the nursing profession complicates the discovery of Latino/a role models, particularly those in leadership positions, who can mentor aspiring students within their local communities.
With a three-decade nursing journey in regions with a dearth of Latino/a nurses, Stefanie Gatica, DNP, FNP-C, along with Nava, recognizes the pressing need for greater representation and mentorship in nursing. Gatica encountered a lack of support in her workplace, underscoring the necessity for diversifying nursing and fostering mentorship for future nurses.
Spotting the call for representation and mentorship, NAHN champions Hispanic nursing mentorship by linking early career Latino/a nurses with experienced counterparts.
How NAHN Fosters Hispanic and Latino/a Nurses
Esteemed nursing organizations like NAHN address the mentorship void among Hispanic nurses. In addition to formal mentoring opportunities, NAHN offers budding nurses leadership prospects at local chapters and the national level.
Prospective mentors or mentees can enroll in NAHN’s formal mentoring program, engage in virtual or in-person networking events within local chapters, national conferences, or discussion forums. NAHN administers the “Hispanic Role Models in Health Care Careers” initiative funded by the National Institutes of Health Science Education Partnership Award Grant.
The association advocates Latino/a mentorship in nursing by extending diverse platforms and tools. Even if members opt against participating in formal, long-term mentoring, they can access advisors for specific queries or concerns.
The Gains of Mentorship for Hispanic and Latino/a Nurses
Latino/a mentorship not only benefits the mentored nurse and the mentor but also reverberates positively for patients and the healthcare system. Perks encompass:
- Guidance on college applications, financial aid acquisition, and successful college journeys, particularly pertinent to first-generation college students
- Insight on achieving work-life equilibrium as a nurse, particularly for Latina nurses whose families might be unaccustomed to women engaging in full-time work or pursuing careers
- Counsel on choosing nursing specialties or pursuing higher education
Access to formal or informal professional networks
- Elevated retention rates
- Enhanced career contentment for mentors
- Expedited progression to leadership roles for mentors and students
- Augmented organizational capability for instituting system-wide culturally competent care, transcending individual patient care
Discovering the Ideal Nursing Mentor
Mentorship in nursing is a matter too vital to leave to chance. Start by identifying your needs—whether it’s counsel on education, job hunting, specialization selection, or professional and career growth. Identify mentors with relevant expertise in these realms.
When selecting a mentor, factors to consider include:
- Relevance of experience to your situation
- Availability for guidance
- Zeal for nursing and mentorship
- A role you aspire to learn about
- A dependable and trustworthy demeanor
Carli Zegers, Ph.D., NAHN National Treasurer, empowers potential mentees to voice their needs.
“Be prepared to invest effort,” Zegers underscores. “Being a mentee is an active, not passive, role. It should guide the agenda and needs, so organization and initiative are vital.”
As you ascend to a position where mentoring others becomes feasible, be prepared to pass on the legacy. Serving as a mentor can foster your growth as a nursing authority, expand your network, and contribute to nurturing the culture of Hispanic and Latino/a mentorship in nursing, a boon for all.
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