What matters, what is valued and what is important in mentorship through the Appreciative Inquiry process of co-created knowledge.

BACKGROUND

A key element in the provision of safe and competent midwifery care is how learning experiences are construed and translated into practice. This process can be supported through clinical/professional mentoring. What constitutes 'good mentorship' has been the topic of much debate. While research exploring mentorship exists, there is less research exploring co-created perceptions of mentorship by the mentee and mentor.

OBJECTIVES

To explore student and registered midwives' co-created perspectives of what matters, what is valued and what is important in mentorship.

DESIGN

An adapted Appreciative Inquiry methodology guided this study with thematic analysis used for data analysis.

SETTINGS

One regional Australian university.

PARTICIPANTS

A convenience sampling, from a population of 39 third-year Bachelor of midwifery students and 39 registered midwives providing clinical supervision for students enrolled in a specific unit of study and concurrently undertaking midwifery practice experience were recruited into this study.

METHODS

Following the four-step process of Appreciative Inquiry; Appreciate, Envision, Co-create and Embed, imagery cards were provided, and participants selected the image that resonated with their understanding of mentorship. Shared understandings were cultivated to co-create what worked well and what was valued in facilitating a positive learning experience.

RESULTS

Trust developed over time is a valued component of mentorship relationships. Similarly valued is the sense of belonging and feeling safe, elements reliant on the establishment of effective and respectful communication.

CONCLUSION

What matters, what is valued and what is important in midwifery mentorship is a mutually respectful relationship between mentee and mentor. This requires time and trust and the creation of a space where the student can develop a sense of professional belonging and feel safe to learn. Further research is needed to explore ways to co-create safe learning environments. Appreciative Inquiry is a method suited to studying this area.