Impact of Continuing Education on Nursing Mentor Satisfaction: An Analysis of Educational Intervention Limits

Abstract

Introduction. The quality of clinical mentorship is a determining factor in the training of future nursing professionals. However, various organizational and personal factors can limit the involvement, motivation, and commitment of clinical preceptors. Objective. To evaluate the impact of a training program on the perceive involvement, motivation, satisfaction, and commitment among health professionals who mentor nursing students in a clinical setting. Method. A quasi-experimental, prospective, pre-post intervention study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Spain. The IMSOC questionnaire was administered to 239 professionals. Mean scores for the dimensions of involvement, motivation, satisfaction, obstacles, and commitment were compared. Results. Satisfaction was the only dimension that showed a statistically significant improvement after the training (with the mean score increasing from 22.96 to 25.41; p = 0.029). No significant changes were observed in involvement (p = 0.491), motivation (p = 0.304), or commitment (p = 0.230). In fact, commitment showed a slight non-significant decrease. Conclusion. Training alone is insufficient to improve most key dimensions of the mentoring experience, except for satisfaction. It is imperative for healthcare institutions to implement complementary strategies, such as formal recognition and the creation of a supportive culture, to comprehensively strengthen the commitment, involvement, and motivation of clinical preceptors.