Abstract
Nursing is a known profession to help others by providing an environment of healing that includes elements of physical and psychological comfort. Our project looks at the importance of belonging as a form of supportive protection for the acute care novice nurse by using mentorship to help navigate the everchanging clinical environment. Mentoring has a direct correlation with belonging for nurses, being part of something with shared goals. Mentorship supports professional development while endorsing career pathway direction. Demanding clinical environments increase nursing responsibilities. Therefore, healthy work environments can be compromised and produce physical fatigue and mixed feelings leading to decreased job satisfaction, callouts, medical illnesses, and even resignations.
Notes
Presenter notes available in attached slide deck.
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Alpha Beta Epsilon at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Mentoring/Coaching, Acute Care, Workforce, Enhancing Professional Well-Being, Novice Nurses, Belonging, Acceptance, Social Inclusion, Mentorship, Clinical Supervision, Registered Nurses
Recommended Citation
Chernesky, Shelli Anne Marie; Bermudez, Natalie; and Kramer, Diane, "Well-Being for Novice Nurses with the Powerful Feeling of Belonging through Mentorship" (2026). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 60.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2026/presentations_2026/60
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-04-29
Well-Being for Novice Nurses with the Powerful Feeling of Belonging through Mentorship
Washington, DC, USA
Nursing is a known profession to help others by providing an environment of healing that includes elements of physical and psychological comfort. Our project looks at the importance of belonging as a form of supportive protection for the acute care novice nurse by using mentorship to help navigate the everchanging clinical environment. Mentoring has a direct correlation with belonging for nurses, being part of something with shared goals. Mentorship supports professional development while endorsing career pathway direction. Demanding clinical environments increase nursing responsibilities. Therefore, healthy work environments can be compromised and produce physical fatigue and mixed feelings leading to decreased job satisfaction, callouts, medical illnesses, and even resignations.
Description
The clinical specialty residency program runs 18-22 weeks. However, underutilized formal mentoring processes result in high first year turnover. Factors include being part of a team, feelings of more than just a job, comfort to ask questions and speak up in the group regarding challenges, support in all levels of care demands, and feeling valued. With collaborative efforts recommendations for all RNs post residency to have a mentor to enhance belonging for a healthy work environment emerge.