Learnings from a mentoring project to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives to remain in the workforce

‘DANMM that’s good!’: evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of the Deadly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nursing and Midwifery Mentoring (DANMM) Programme across rural, regional and metropolitan NSW–a collaborative study protocol

“…Initial testing of the small-scale pilot was restricted to one LHD and the evaluation was only a descriptive post-programme investigation. In the funded DANMM Programme, the project will build on the pilot 11. Specifically, the programme will involve an online self-paced foundational learning package.…”

“…Given the scarcity of research in the field and the absence of empirical findings supporting recommendations for health service-wide nursing and midwifery mentoring frameworks,10 the DANMM Programme was conceptualised and initially implemented as a small-scale pilot project in partnership with one regional hospital in NSW, Australia between 2018 and 2019. The DANMM pilot project evaluated the implementation of a mentoring programme specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives to promote local workforce capacity building and provide culturally safe professional support 11. Programme evaluation used Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s methods of conversation referred to as ‘yarning’ (a form of relaxed storytelling that facilitates discussion about a key topic) 10 11.…”

“…The DANMM pilot project evaluated the implementation of a mentoring programme specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives to promote local workforce capacity building and provide culturally safe professional support 11. Programme evaluation used Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s methods of conversation referred to as ‘yarning’ (a form of relaxed storytelling that facilitates discussion about a key topic) 10 11. Five themes, including Motivation, Cultural Safety, Relationships, Learning and Programme factors, were developed to represent key study findings (as previously published) 11.…”

“…Programme evaluation used Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s methods of conversation referred to as ‘yarning’ (a form of relaxed storytelling that facilitates discussion about a key topic) 10 11. Five themes, including Motivation, Cultural Safety, Relationships, Learning and Programme factors, were developed to represent key study findings (as previously published) 11. Taken together, the significance of the findings demonstrated a clear need and desire for mentoring opportunities by participating Aboriginal nurses and midwives and the organisation, while also uncovering the detrimental role that racism and lack of cultural safety has on workplace satisfaction 11.…”

“…Five themes, including Motivation, Cultural Safety, Relationships, Learning and Programme factors, were developed to represent key study findings (as previously published) 11. Taken together, the significance of the findings demonstrated a clear need and desire for mentoring opportunities by participating Aboriginal nurses and midwives and the organisation, while also uncovering the detrimental role that racism and lack of cultural safety has on workplace satisfaction 11. Of additional importance, findings revealed practical implications for the implementation of organisational mentoring programmes as follows: mentoring programmes need to be accessible for nurses and midwives; need to be implemented and evaluated for sustainability and cost-effectiveness; will have an impact on workplace satisfaction when rich mentoring relationships are facilitated and supported organisationally 11.…”