A qualitative evaluation of an Australian public health nutrition workforce development intervention involving mentoring circles

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate a mentoring circle workforce development intervention among a group of public health nutrition novices. Design: The mentoring circle intervention focused on facilitating practice-based public health nutrition competence development and supporting reorientation of practice from clinical services to preventive services. A retrospective post-intervention qualitative semi-structured interview was used to explore the experiences of those participating in the mentoring circle and to make evaluative judgements about intervention attributes and effectiveness. Setting: Victoria, Australia. Subjects: Thirty-two novice public health nutrition practitioners employed in the state public health system. Results: Key evaluative theme categories relating to the mentoring circle intervention were identified, including the structure and function of the group, the utility of using advanced-level competency items to guide planning, having a safe and supportive environment for learning and the utility of learning via mentoring and on-the-job experiences. These qualitative evaluation data identify the attributes of the mentoring circle intervention contributing to intervention effectiveness. Conclusions: This qualitative evaluation indicates that mentoring circles can be an effective workforce capacity-building intervention, particularly in novice workforces characterised by professional isolation and split function roles.

Supporting Australian Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal nursing students using mentoring circles: an action research study

“…Meetings provide participants with a forum in which they can solve problems together and share ideas (Palermo et al, 2011). Researchers in this study noted the emotional skills and competencies which students developed by participating in group mentoring did not extend to competencies in all four domains of emotional intelligence.…”

“…In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in the use of group mentoring models to support people working in the health and medicine sectors (Caldwell, Dodd, & Wilkes, 2008;Palermo et al, 2011) and as a teaching and learning tool for nursing students (Kostovich & Thurn, 2013). Researchers have found it to be a promising way to increase communication and cooperation skills and to decrease the stress levels of students and clinicians alike (Fletcher, Leadbetter, Curran, & O'Sullivan, 2009;Slaski & Cartwright, 2003).…”

“…Palermo, Hughes, and McCall (2011) list some benefits of group work as the development of trusting relationships, reflective practice and gains in professional competency. The mentoring circle developed for this study fits a one-to-many model, as described by Huizing (2012) in which an experienced and skilled mentor is grouped with several less-experienced participants to facilitate regular meetings, activities and discussion.…”

Planning for the next generation of public health advocates: evaluation of an online advocacy mentoring program

“…Skill acquisition is enhanced by learning environments that provide the opportunity to apply content to a realistic practical situation. 19,20 This program applied this concept and aimed to increase access to public health advocacy, which is lacking in many university courses. Both mentees and mentors reported examples of practical application of advocacy; however, there is scope to improve the program to reflect participant interests, additional adult learning principles and more structured feedback and support.…”

Supporting dietitians to work in Aboriginal health: Qualitative evaluation of a Community of Practice mentoring circle

“…At commencement, the participants were required to gather for a four‐hour face‐to‐face workshop, which was held for convenience as a pre‐conference workshop for the Dietitians Association of Australia National Conference in Brisbane in May 2014. The purpose of the face‐to‐face session was to allow participants the opportunity to get to know each other to support the establishment of trust, which had been previously determined to be an important part of effective group functioning . Each participant developed individual learning objectives, which was informed by self‐assessment against their current competence in cross‐cultural competencies used previously in similar settings .…”