As the health care model in the United States continues to change, the demand for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) will increase. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will insure a projected 30 million more individuals, many of whom will look to APRNs to provide their health care.1  An estimated additional 50 000 APRNs have entered practice since 2009, making quality mentorship programs essential.2 

Mentors must assist APRN students in linking their acquired classroom knowledge with real patient encounters. This connection improves the students’ comprehension of didactic material and provides valuable experience for their future career. Often, the expertise of any APRN is, in part, credited to past mentorship experiences, both during school or directly after graduation. The mentor can help the student develop his or her own identity as a clinician and approach to practice, in hopes of producing optimal patient outcomes. Although these experiences help...

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