Exploring Mentees' Perceptions of an Undergraduate Nurse Peer Mentorship Program.

BACKGROUND A nurse peer mentorship program was implemented to address the needs of undergraduate nursing students at an academic institution. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of mentees who participated in the nurse peer mentorship program. METHOD A qualitative descriptive study was conducted. Data were collected using semistructured interviews that were transcribed verbatim and descriptively analyzed using an inductive approach. RESULTS Eleven participants were interviewed. Participant narratives revealed themes related to the student experience as they transitioned to university and their unique needs that motivated them to join the program. Mentees described helpful mentor behaviors and provided insight into the academic, social, professional, and mental health benefits and personal growth experienced from peer mentorship. Participants shared factors that affected mentoring relationships. CONCLUSION Study findings support the need for broad evaluations of peer mentorship programs and can inform educational leaders to improve mentorship support available for nursing students. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(4):227-230.].