Mentorship Program

Welcome to the inaugural ACCCN Mentorship Program.

We have developed this program in response to member feedback highlighting a gap in career development opportunities for our members. While there are many mentorship programs available,  we wanted ours to have a point of difference – mentors who are also very experienced critical care nurses.

As this is our first program, we have deliberately kept it simple, to ensure it is accessible to a broad range of nurses. We will seek your feedback halfway through the program and at the end to guide future program development.

This Mentorship Program is specifically designed for nurses who have completed a postgraduate critical care nursing course and subsequently have 2-3 years clinical experience working in critical care and are considering what to do next. The program may also be relevant for novice critical nurses who are working towards or in a leadership role. Nevertheless, all members are welcome; there are times throughout our careers when an impartial perspective from a fellow nurse can be helpful in guiding us toward our professional goals.

What is mentoring?

Mentoring is a developmental process that provides regular support to enhance an individual’s performance and maximises their potential for the future.  It is a confidential, non-judgemental relationship, which facilitates a wide range of learning, experimentation and development.  In mentoring, a more experienced person acts as a guide who assists another person to learn faster and more effectively than they might do alone. 

Mentoring is not telling people what to do; neither is it being an uncritical friend. It involves suggesting alternatives, some of which may be challenging. 

There are four important aspects to successful mentoring:

• Joint clarity around the mentee’s and mentor’s expectations, and how the mentor and mentee will work together   
• A strong and enjoyable working relationship based on trust, commitment, mutual respect and engagement
• Specific mentor skills, such as listening, questioning, challenging, supporting
• A strong desire by the mentee to progress and develop, by being open to alternative perspectives

What will I gain as a mentee or mentor?

Mentees:

• A safe, supportive space to reflect, identify professional growth opportunities and make appropriate/informed career plans
• Access to an experienced critical care nurse and role model to provide alternative perspectives
• Ongoing knowledge and skill development
• An opportunity to network and build professional relationships
• Increased confidence and ownership over career related decision-making

Mentors:

• Undertaking a rewarding and enjoyable experience
• Augmenting leadership, communication and interpersonal skills
• Gaining a sense of satisfaction by assisting the development of a colleague
• Acquiring fresh perspectives, ideas and knowledge
• The opportunity to share your extensive knowledge and expertise

When & how often?

The first ACCCN Mentorship Program will commence in early 2026 and conclude late November/early December, with an evaluation occurring midway and at the end of the program.

Participating in the program as either a mentee or mentor does not require a large time commitment. You should expect to meet every 4-6 weeks for up to 1 hour, and maybe do a bit of homework – especially the mentee! Like all things in life, the more you put into it, the more you will get from it.

Should the mentor and mentee wish to continue the arrangement, this will be outside of the program and at the discretion of mentor and mentee.

Privacy

Participants in the ACCCN Mentorship Program must agree to maintain confidentiality with regard to the information shared in the mentoring partnership.

Any information that you are privy to or receive as a participant in the ACCCN Mentorship Program will be treated as confidential, notwithstanding any requirements for mandatory reporting to APHRA.

What do I have to do?

Mentee

• Identify issues to be addressed, set goals
• Be willing to consider issues from a different perspective and try new ideas
• Seek feedback and take it on board
• Respond to challenges thoughtfully
• Communicate openly
• Schedule meetings with mentor

Mentor

• Set realistic expectations
• Assist in problem solving
• Provide support whilst encouraging independence
• Listen actively and give constructive feedback
• Share your own experiences, including mistakes and lessons learnt
• Suggest alternate perspectives that may be challenging
• Remember the mentee must choose their own direction
• Provide introductions to others who may assist the mentee

Once the program commences there is no specific documentation required by ACCCN, although we will ask you for your feedback mid-way through and at the end of the program. It is up to you to maintain your own record of the meetings, if you decide to do so. It would be useful to take notes at each meeting for your own benefit, but there are no assessments or reports required during the program.

How do I become a mentee or mentor?

Please complete the appropriate EOI form below:

We will use that information to match mentors and mentees according to the mentor’s skills and experience, and the goals of the mentee. We will aim to allocate mentees and mentors from the  the same state, so the mentor is familiar with the appropriate nursing structure, local people, practises and opportunities; and you are in the same/similar time zone. 

MENTOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORM
MENTEE EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORM

Closing Date

Expressions of interest for Mentors and Mentees close 31st December 2025.

Discussion Points:

At the first meeting

• Get to know each other; particularly the professional “you”. Sharing personal information may take time
• Commitment to confidentiality and what this means for both of you
• Identify any topics you are uncomfortable discussing e.g. personal topics
• Discuss what the mentee would like to achieve/reason for taking up mentorship. Make goals as clear as possible so success is easy to define!
• Meeting schedule: when, where, how long
• Contact between meetings: yes/no, how

Subsequent meetings

• Progress since last meeting
• What worked, what didn’t? Why?
• What next?

It’s not working

Sometimes aspects don’t work the way you thought they might. We all have different styles and a mismatch can hinder the mentoring process. If either of you believe the mentoring relationship is not working, there is the option for the mentee to seek a new mentor, or leave the program altogether without consequence. If this occurs please discuss this with the ACCCN Mentorship Program Coordinator and they can support you through this process.

Thankyou for being a part of the inaugural ACCCN Mentorship Program and we hope you enjoy the experience.