Mentorship course for early-career nurses: module 4. transitioning into the new role

Overview

This publication is part of a structured mentorship toolkit developed under the WHO Regional Office for Europe’s EU4Health-funded Nursing Action project to strengthen nurse retention and recruitment in the European Union. It supports early-career nurses through the transition from education to clinical practice while also providing experienced and senior nurses with a tool to structure the transmission of their knowledge and competence to new colleagues. The toolkit comprises a mentorship framework and two mentorship courses, one for mentors and one for early-career nurses. Each course contains an introduction and six modules. The framework organizes mentorship around four pillars – support, reflection, development and belonging – giving health authorities and employers a frame in which they can shape the institutional and governance conditions that will ensure mentorship is rolled out at scale and across all services. The two courses follow the mentoring relationship as it develops, from preparation through role transition to readiness for independent practice. Each module is supported by a video session and a selection of practical tools, structured reflective exercises and scenario-based assessments designed to guide learning.