BMT currently has 52% of the nursing staff with 2 years or less of nursing experience. Our new hire pool of candidates is almost always new grads whose BMT knowledge is limited to a few slides during a nursing school lecture. As they complete orientation, they are overwhelmed with the knowledge and tasks associated, but find themselves without a preceptor by their side. We needed a continuation of support through the next year of their career. This team took on the challenge of building the mentor group. The three of them have used their talents to cohesively lead this resource. They recruited experienced staff to serve as mentors at a time when preceptor burnout was high. They plan and coordinate quarterly meetings where mentors and mentees come together for fun, education, and team building. They have built a safe space for newer staff to share their ups and downs while learning from others. Their activities and discussions promote teamwork, critical thinking, and communication in a relaxed environment.

In a recent research study looking at our nursing staff over the past five years, we identified that our biggest risk of losing staff was right around the two-year mark. We knew we had an opportunity within the first 5 months of being hired to implement interventions that would impact those turnover numbers at the two-year mark. Chris, Shawn, and Maddie stepped up to resurrect the mentor group that had dissolved when COVID hit. Not only are we seeing better relationships between newer staff and experienced staff, but we are seeing more openness in communication and teamwork. Outside of the mentor meetings, these three are seen as leaders who are approachable, accessible, and genuine. Those characteristics go a long way in building trust and psychological safety with newer staff in a complicated patient population.

They merged their individual talents to create the best product. Chris is very organized and loves a spreadsheet. He facilitates and tracks mentor/mentee pairings, attendance, schedule planning, and time management during prep meetings and mentor meetings. Shawn is very creative and loves to plan games for team building and education. She researches and adapts to meet the needs of the group size and time. Maddie takes the lead in facilitating the mentor meetings. As a newer night shift charge nurse with about five years of experience, she is the perfect representation that helps newer nurses envision themselves in a leadership role in the future.

Their individual talents provide a well-rounded experience for our mentors/mentees providing a learning environment while having fun. They partner with a unit educator and manager while planning meetings. This helps inform who they recruit as guest speakers for the meetings. We have had topics specific to medical diagnoses, role of the Social Worker, stress management, etc. In speaking with newer staff, they love the meetings.

When we talk at Cincinnati Children’s about “being the best at getting better”, this group and their work comes to mind. They want to see a cohesive, knowledgeable team who help our patients on the journey to new life after a bone marrow transplant. This requires patience, coordination, ingenuity, and a little fun to move newer nurses from “I can do a good job” to “I am good at my job”. Investment in our people is a strategic goal and these three put so much effort and energy into our people. Not only are they building stronger nurses and relationships, but they are supporting both our mentors and mentees in the process.