General
What is the ENA Mentoring Program?
The ENA Mentoring Program was created to support members’ professional development needs. It is an online resource – including a searchable database – that facilitates the establishment of short and long-term mentoring relationships. It is user-driven, allowing registered mentees to search among registered mentors using specified criteria to find individuals whose experience and expertise match. Likewise, registered Mentors can search for and identify potential mentees. Timelines and goals of the relationship are agreed upon by both individuals once the relationship has been established.
What is Mentoring?
Mentoring can be short term or long term.
A short-term mentoring relationship, otherwise known as a coaching relationship, has a set duration that is focused on specific development areas or issues. An individual with relevant expertise will provide advice or guidance to the mentee to help complete a short-term project or goal. This may include projects such as submitting a journal article or preparing for a clinical teaching presentation.
A long-term or ongoing mentoring relationship is usually focused on a mentee exploring ways to identify career and personal growth goals with the assistance if an experienced and trusted mentor. This may include a member seeking guidance on how to become a national-level leader or move into a clinical management role.
It is up to the mentee and the mentor to decide the desired length of the relationship based on needs and goals.
Is there a fee associated with using the mentor program?
The mentor program is an exclusive benefit of ENA membership and is available only to current members. There is no additional charge to use this resource.
How are mentors and mentees matched?
Matching is user driven. This tool will display potential matches based on selected criteria for the individual to explore further before requesting a mentoring relationship. Members must first enroll as a Mentor, Mentee or both. During the enrollment process, members will select preferences for various demographics to establish their personal criteria.
A registered Mentee will visit the “Find a Mentor” page, while a registered Mentor will visit the “Find a Mentee” page and fill in their search criteria to search for possible matches. Click the names of the potential matches to view their profiles. Once the Mentee/Mentor has decided, they will click on the Mentor/Mentee button (seen below the registered individual’s profile picture) to request that person. An e-mail will be sent to the individual alerting them that they have been requested to be a Mentor/Mentee, which they will be able to accept or decline the request.
For Mentors
How do I become a Mentor?
If you are a member, click here to enroll as a mentor. For assistance with enrolling, refer to the Mentoring Program User Guide. You will be instructed to choose your preferences for various demographics and complete your member profile. There are no requirements beyond a current ENA Membership to participate, however you may wish to refer to the Mentoring Program Guidelines to understand the suggested responsibilities and expectations of the role.
Who are the Mentees?
Mentees are current ENA members who are seeking a connection to provide support or guidance in their career or professional development. There are no other requirements to participate as a mentee.
Can I have more than one Mentee?
Yes, however we recommend that you be judicious in selecting only Mentees who are most suited to learn from your expertise and experience. It is also important to only engage in the number of mentoring relationships you have the time to support. You can limit the number of Mentee requests you are willing to accept on the Mentoring enrollment page.
How do I find Mentees?
Once you have enrolled as a Mentor, go the "Find a Mentee" page and select the criteria you want to use for your Mentee search. Click on the Mentees' names to view their profiles. Once you have found a good match, click on the Mentee badge (seen below the Mentee's profile image) to send the email request.
How will I know if a Mentee has selected me as their Mentor?
You will receive an e-mail from the Mentee requesting you to be their Mentor. You will be prompted to accept or reject the request.
Is it okay to reject a request?
Yes, but there should be a good reason to do so. We encourage you to at least have an initial conversation to explore whether the relationship would be mutually fulfilling. If a potential Mentee has misinterpreted the information in your profile, you may find them to be an inappropriate match. If you want to decline a request, go to the "My Mentoring Relationships" page within your profile under the Connections tab and check the “decline” button next to the specific request. If you already have a mentoring relationship established and feel you cannot engage with an additional mentee, it is recommended you update your profile with the correct maximum number of volunteers you are willing to accept.
What if I’m going to be on vacation or unavailable for a period of time?
Go to the "Mentor Enrollment" page, click the “Mentor Status” link then click on the check-box next to “Temporarily Not Participating.” Doing this will indicate that you are not accepting any Mentee requests at the moment, and your mentoring profile will not be included in a Mentee’s search for a Mentor. It is your responsibility to communicate your availability to your existing Mentees.
How do I end a mentoring relationship?
If the mentoring relationship is complete, go to the "My Mentoring Relationships" page within your profile under the Connections tab and mark the relationship as “completed.” A brief survey will be sent at the close of the relationship to help track outcomes and improve the overall mentor program.
If the mentoring relationship isn't working out, please kindly discuss your decision to end the relationship with your Mentee. Go to the "My Mentoring Relationships" page within your profile under the Connections tab and mark the relationship as “completed.” If you have concerns or issues you would like to share related to your mentoring relationship, please send notice to ENAconnect@ena.org.
What are the expectations for participating Mentors?
We expect that you will fulfill your commitment to develop at least one mentoring relationship, whether it is short-term or long-term. We expect you to respond to initial requests from Mentees in a timely manner, and that you communicate with your Mentees as agreed upon by both you and your Mentees. Please refer to the Mentoring Program Guidelines for more information.
How much time will I need to invest as a Mentor?
We recommend that you and your Mentees agree on a schedule that works best for both of you. The most important thing is to discuss your mutual expectations about time and communication at the start of your relationship. Keep in mind that mentoring doesn’t necessarily require large amounts of your time. Even brief phone calls or e-mail exchanges with you can make a big difference to your Mentees. You can select how many hours you are willing to invest as a mentor in the demographics section when setting up your profile. This will help notify potential mentees if you are available for a few hours a week or a few hours a month. Setting the mutual expectation of time commitment and goals up front with your mentee is the key to a successful outcome.
If you are interested in meeting in-person with your mentee, the annual meeting offers a convenient venue for getting together with your Mentees over coffee or lunch. If you are matched with a member in your area, state council meetings or events are another opportunity to connect in person.
What benefits do I receive from the organization if I participate as a Mentor in the program?
All Mentors are volunteers. As an active program participant, you will receive an ENA CONNECT digital badge identifying you as a Mentor. Any costs associated with participating in the mentoring program, such as lunches, coffee, etc., are at the expense of the mentor and mentee.
If I enroll as a Mentor, can I also enroll as a Mentee?
Yes. You may participate as either a mentor or mentee in the program. We recommend that you consider your available time if choosing to serve in either role, to ensure both relationships receive the attention needed to be successful.
For Mentees
How do I become a Mentee?
You must have a current ENA membership to enroll as a mentee. There are no other requirements. If you are a member, click here to enroll as a Mentee. For assistance with enrolling, refer to the Mentoring Program User Guide. You will be instructed to choose your preferences for various demographics and complete your member profile.
Who are the Mentors?
Mentors are other ENA members who have volunteered their time to share their expertise and support members' careers and development.
Can I have more than one Mentor?
While there is no limit to the number of mentoring relationships you can establish, we recommend that you be judicious in selecting only Mentors who are most suited to your mentoring needs. Please keep in mind that Mentors have limited time to offer and may have other Mentoring relationships.
How do I find a Mentor?
Once you have enrolled as a Mentee, go to the "Find a Mentor" page and select the criteria you want to use for your Mentor search. Click on the Mentors' names to view their profiles. Once you have found a good match, click on the Mentor button (seen below the Mentor's profile image) to send the Mentor an email request.
What should I do if my Mentor search doesn't return any matches?
If you don’t see any possible mentors in your search, you may wish to change the demographic selections in your mentor profile. Reducing your criteria may help broaden matches with enrolled mentors. New mentors are enrolling in the program every day, so we suggest waiting a few days and refreshing your search results to see if any there are any new matches.
What should I do if I don’t hear from the Mentor I requested?
If you don’t hear from the Mentor within one or two weeks, feel free to contact them using the contact information found on their profile page.
What if the Mentor isn’t the right “fit” for my needs?
Sometimes, regardless of the information provided, Mentors and Mentees don’t always "fit." If this happens, we suggest that you discuss your decision honestly and kindly with your Mentor; thank them for their time then start a new Mentor search. Setting expectations up front on the time commitment you are looking for as well as any specific details on what you are seeking in a mentor will help create a more successful mentoring relationship. If you have concerns or issues you would like to share related to your mentoring relationship, please send notice to ENAconnect@ena.org.
Where can I meet with my Mentor?
It is up to you and your Mentor to decide how, when and where you want to pursue your mentoring relationship. It is likely that most of your communication will occur by phone or electronically. The annual meeting offers a great opportunity to meet in person. If you are matched with a member in your area, state council meetings or events are another opportunity to connect in person. Any travel or meal expenses are the responsibility of the individuals. There is an opportunity to select in your mentee profile set-up if you are interested in communicating in-person or electronically.
How long does the mentoring relationship last?
We recommend that you and your Mentor agree on a schedule that works best for both of you. It is suggested that the Mentee proposes a schedule to the Mentor based on your goals. The most important thing is to discuss your mutual expectations about time and communication at the start of your relationship. Some mentoring relationships may last for a year, while others may have a more finite timeline once you have achieved your goal. You can select how many hours you are looking to connect with your mentor in the demographics section when setting up your profile. This will help notify potential mentors if you are seeking a more short-term opportunity with a limited number of hours, or a longer-term opportunity with ongoing connection points.
What benefits do I receive from the organization if I participate as a Mentee in the program?
Mentees receive access to a searchable database of experienced emergency nurse ENA members. As an active program participant, you will receive an ENA CONNECT digital badge identifying you as a Mentee. Any costs associated with participating in the mentoring program, such as lunches, coffee, etc., are at the expense of the individual.
If I enroll as a Mentee, can I also enroll as a Mentor?
Yes. You may participate as either a mentor or mentee in the program. We recommend that you consider your available time if choosing to serve in either role, to ensure both relationships receive the attention needed to be successful.