In-depth Knowledge of the Role of the Clinical Mentor.

OBJECTIVES: This work sought to unveil the meaning expressed by clinical nurses by being mentors for students from the nursing internship level. METHODS: Phenomenological research. In-depth interviews were conducted with nine clinical nurses from a hospital in Santiago de Chile, who participate as mentors of nursing students in their last stage of university formation. RESULTS: Four comprehensive categories were obtained with their respective units of meaning by nursing: 1) vocation and gratification, 2) personal and professional challenge, 3) big responsibility, and 4) transmission of experience. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical mentorship is a relevant experience in the professional lives of nurses, which implies overcoming challenges, self-training, and delivering the best of oneself, for the purpose of training future professionals prepared to practice nursing integrally.

Tecnología en un centro de quimioterapia ambulatoria y cuidado avanzado de enfermería: estudio observacional / Technology in an outpatient chemotherapy center and advanced practice nursing: observational study

Antecedentes: los cuidados de enfermería avanzados (CEA) requieren que la enfermera apoye sus conocimientos teóricos y experiencia clínica en un modelo de atención de enfermería con el objetivo de entregar cuidados holísticos e integrales según las necesidades de cada paciente. Objetivos: identificar las herramientas tecnológicas que la enfermera dispone en una unidad de quimioterapia, seleccionar una de las tecnologías específicas que utiliza y generar una propuesta para que a partir de ella, se pueda establecer cuidado avanzado. Metodología: para la recolección de datos se utilizó el método de observación no participante aplicado en un centro de quimioterapia ambulatoria de adultos. Resultados: se observó que las enfermeras utilizan correctamente las tecnologías duras disponibles en su unidad. En relación a tecnologías blandas-duras, si bien hay un conocimiento especializado en oncología, no existe un marco teórico de la disciplina asociado a los cuidados de enfermería brindados. En cuanto al uso de tecnologías blandas, éstas parecen relacionarse más a características personales que a una intervención estructurada y consciente. Conclusiones: las tecnologías son una herramienta que, junto a su expertise, permiten a la enfermera entregar cuidados seguros y eficaces. La unidad de quimioterapia es un centro donde se podrían hacer CEA. Se propone fortalecer los momentos de cuidado frente al paciente, con conocimientos propios de la disciplina a través de tres modelos de enfermería sugeridos, para poder decir que se están entregando cuidados avanzados en pacientes sometidos a quimioterapia ambulatoria.

Background. Advanced practice nursing (APN) requires nurses to support their knowledge and clinical experience in a nursing care model that delivers holistic and comprehensive care adjusted to the needs of each patient. Objetives. To identify the technological tools available to nurses in a chemotherapy unit, to select one of the specific technologies used and to generate a proposal that can be used in advanced practice. Methods. Data was collected using non-participant observation in an adult outpatient chemotherapy unit. Results. It was observed that nurses properly used hard technologies in their unit. In so far as hard-soft technologies, although there is a specialized knowledge in oncology, there is no theoretical framework associated to the nursing care provided. With regards to the use of soft technologies, their use seems to be related more with personal characteristics that a structured and conscious intervention. Conclusions. Technologies are tools that, coupled with nursing expertise, allow nurses to provide safe and effective care. The chemotherapy unit is a center where APN could be conducted. This study proposes enhancing patient-oriented care based on the knowledge of the discipline as expressed in three different models that are suggested, thus making it possible to state that advanced practice nursing is being provided to patients undergoing ambulatory chemotherapy.