A new Near-Peer Mentor program was piloted this semester to help UFV nursing students hone their skills in flexible, accessible ways.

Designed to smooth the transition into clinical practice throughout the greater community, the initiative was created by fourth-year BSN student Chantal Glowacka and Experiential Learning Coordinator Lee-Anne Stephen. The student-centred approach gives nursing students the opportunity to practice in an informal, drop-in environment with the guidance of an experienced peer.

Glowacka took on this work-study project to develop her leadership skills, and to support her fellow students – especially newcomers.

“I know when I was going into the program, I felt nervous asking my instructors for extra help – I  didn’t want them to think I was incompetent or, you know, asking stupid questions,” she says.

“So it was just really nice to be able to be that peer that already had some experience, was a little further along in the program that students felt comfortable coming to and asking lots of questions.”

She found that peer-to-peer support helped participants strengthen their motivation while building comfort and hope for the future.

Promoting the initiative through Blackboard, posters, in-class videos, and word-of-mouth, Glowacka and Stephen first surveyed students to find out what skills they were interested in practicing, how they like to learn, and when they were available.

With this information, they scheduled three open lab sessions that nursing students of any level could sign up for or drop into to work on IV skills, respiratory assessments, blood pressure assessments and more.

The extra practice doesn’t just benefit the nurses in training.

“The extra practice helps with patient safety in the long run,” says Stephen.

“The more time that they can have in the lab practicing these skills, the safer they’ll be when they get into clinical, the more confident they’ll be, and the more knowledge they’ll have.

“Chantal has taken the first steps in this project and really stepped up and took initiative.”

Plans are underway for the School of Health Science’s Near-Peer Mentor program to continue next year, providing more opportunities for nursing students to build on their skills and their confidence.