Mentor Training in a Military Nurse Corps

Mentoring relationships benefit the mentor, protege, and the organization. Although the Air Force, Army, and Navy Nurse Corps recognize the importance and potential of such relationships, formal methods to develop and support new mentors have not been widely adopted. A brief literature review of mentoring relationships, followed by a description of the uniqueness of military nursing, and finally, the details of development, implementation, and suggestions for evaluation of a formal mentor training workshop are presented. The military experience can also provide parallels for civilian organizations facing recruitment and retention issues, particularly those with multiple sites.