Using retirement for the continuation of the mentor role with minority nurse leaders

This presentation describes an innovative strategy to promote healthful work environments and facilitate the ongoing career development of minority nurse leaders in community health nursing education and community health nursing practice. Mentoring for this group of nurses is relevant across the entire career continuum. Using the theoretical perspective of human becoming, the mentor assists the transition of the mentee in role orientation, socialization, skills development and growth to role of leader. Both the retired mentor and the mentees experienced positive outcomes. The opportunity to exend the mentor-mentee relationship into retirement helps to continue nurturing the leadership development of the mentee. This relationship is reciprocal and sustained as the mentor derives satisfaction from guiding another in attaining self-clarity. Benefits for the mentee include: (a) adjustment to a new setting, (b) role-modeling, (c) emotional support and feedback, (d) dialogue about work-related problems, (e) availability of a resource person and (e) network building. The presentation is concluded with salient recommendations and implications for nursing education, practice and research.