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ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES
Roles
of the preceptor and the mentor
Preceptorship and mentorship are closely related. Together, they
constitute a principal means by which many leaders in the field of healthcare
management have been educated, trained, and guided through their careers.
The preceptor and mentor guide the development of the protégé’s
abilities, judgment, ethics, professionalism, and loyalty to the profession.
Preceptor
The preceptor is a coach in a formal educational relationship
with an individual during a residency or postgraduate practical experience
who structures the learning process and makes available appropriate and
necessary resources. Further, a preceptor often serves as a coordinator
of the learning experience and learning resources offered to the new careerist.
Specific activities can assist the preceptor and fellow—most important
is the development of an action plan that includes in-depth orientation,
delineation of required skills, periodic performance appraisals, a day-to-day
supervisory and subordinate relationship, participation in continuing
education and seminars, further academic preparation, and general dialogue
about professional and career development.
Mentor
As defined in Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, a mentor
is: “(1) a wise, loyal adviser; (2) a trusted counsel, tutor, guide,
or coach; and (3) a person higher up on the organizational ladder or an
authority in the field, a person of influence who commits time and emotion
to the relationship and who is interested in the protégé’s
personal growth.” According to the National Commission on Nursing,
a mentor is “someone who boosts self-esteem and offers counsel and
advice to the protégé and who provides the opportunity of
upward mobility to the protégé’s career.” The mentor
is a career development counselor for an individual already in the organization
as well as for an individual moving to another institution that offers
more opportunity for growth. A mentor should consider the following recommendations.*
- Assist fellows by letting them know that the mentor understands the
anxiety and time pressures often involved in the transition from school
to the practice world. Emphasize that fellows must learn to handle multiple
assignments simultaneously.
- Be specific in setting priorities, time frames, and expected outcomes.
Do not lead the new careerist to assume that a project is a major task
if a quick response with limited output of time and energy is all that
is needed.
- Make sure that the fellow understands the demands made on other people
in the organization. The fellow may fail to see that some requests are
unreasonable. The mentor can help the fellow become more realistic.
- Help the fellow understand the organizational milieu and the relationships
necessary to complete tasks effectively.
- Advise the fellow that it takes time to establish personal credibility
in the organization. The mentor should emphasize that the acquisition
of degrees, authority, and power must be tempered with wisdom and judgment.
- Assist the fellow in applying new knowledge in a nonthreatening way.
The mentor can also instill in the new careerist the importance of lifelong
learning.
- Ensure that the fellow has acquired sufficient knowledge and skill
to function independently whenever the preceptor is not accessible.
This requires persistence and patience. Also, encourage the fellow to
look to other members of the senior management team for assistance and
support.
- Counsel the fellow not to withdraw completely from other staff to
get assignments completed. Instead, advise the new executive to maintain
and strengthen contacts. A network of peers and contacts often stimulates
new ideas.
- Advise the fellow to adapt to organizational needs and make some personal
sacrifices to establish lasting relationships. Self-centeredness makes
it difficult to gain credibility and become part of the team.
*These
nine points were presented by Austin Ross, former executive administrator,
Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, in a paper delivered
at the Medical Group Management Association, Western Section Conference,
on June 23, 1983, in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Role
of the fellow
The new careerist must understand his/her role as a fellow and
contribute in ways defined by the preceptor. This role involves developing
as a team member and becoming socialized into the profession and the institution
through feedback from the management team.
In the role
of the fellow, the new careerist is dependent on the expertise of others.
Interpersonal skills are essential; he or she must follow directions,
learn the organization and its idiosyncrasies, develop supervisory skills
as delegated by the preceptor, complete the learning process, and assume
tasks. The individual must be willing to learn from those with more experience,
yet be courageous enough to contribute and take calculated risks. The
individual must learn to manage fear of failure because mistakes are often
the best teachers. The preceptor and mentor can instill a positive attitude
about risks that will assist executives throughout a career.
Specific
tasks will constitute a major portion of the fellowship. These include:
solution of management problems, analysis of specific policy issues, short-term
and long-term leadership roles, and accomplishment of specific organizational
projects.
With the
assistance of the preceptor or mentor, the new careerist can develop a
continuing education plan and a three-year to five-year career development
plan including both community and professional activities. Together they
should develop the foundation for a philosophy and management style that
includes a sense of social responsibility and ethical conduct. Assessment
in this area is the responsibility of the new careerist working with the
preceptor or mentor. An ongoing process that involves both time and energy
is essential.
Role
of the institution
The institution or organization must have a strong career-development
philosophy that includes promoting membership and advancement in ACHE.
The person responsible for the fellowship program must ensure that the
management team and department heads understand the program and the educational
process it involves. The institution must then make a commitment to provide
leadership in the field and serve as a role model for other organizations.
As in industry, when one successful company stimulates others, the development
of a superior fellowship program by one organization will motivate others
to adopt similar programs.
When multiple
organizations collaborate in sponsoring a fellowship program, each must
designate a specific preceptor for the participating fellow. These preceptors
must collaborate formally to assure continuity and effectiveness of the
fellowship program.
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