No qualified mentor to sign me off?!

Okay so I am forever having problems with mentors and signing me off, the last time my mentor was off sick on my last 2 weeks of placement and the person who was going to step in was off sick on my last day. the joys.

ANYWAY, so I am still in first year and on my second placement, and I am on a terrible and heavy ward- and can I add extremely unorganised and understaffed.

I was appointed a mentor because i persisted they give me one before I start and some off duty. My first day my mentor had no recollection of talking to me and sorting my offduty out, and she was appointed another student. So i was on my lonesome for a few days trying to figure out who to work with, then i spoke to the nurse in charge who finally gave me a mentor who is not qualified and only works part time. Yet most my time on placement she has been off on annual leave.

So I havent worked with her much yet worked with pretty much everyone else on the ward, but now its coming to the end of my placement and I am going to be working nights with a nurse ive made good friends with. The only nurse who actually makes me do 'nurse' things and pushes me to boost my confidence as all the other nurses just expect because its my first year to just do washes and basic care. I feel like I have completely taken a step back from my first placement, where they pushed me and guided with everything!


Okay, I dont think anyone will read all of that but what I'm tryng to say is, my mentor who has began my book is not a qualified mentor , I havent worked with her much, but I have worked with other people, but there has not been a consistent person i have worked with. I am just worried she will refuse to sign my book, and does there have to be another person to countersign it? another thing im worried about. the nurses on that ward dont seem like they want to help others out.

Sorry to hear you've not really enjoyed your placement this time. Unfortunately they are variable and some are more organised than others.

You really need to speak with your tutor at the uni and make them aware of this as all students should be allocated a mentor who is qualified. There should be a placement education facilitator (or similar) whose job it is to sort out issues with placements who can step in and help you. Uni rules vary as to who can sign things off, some allow nurses who aren't mentors to sign off competencies, others don't so this is something you need to clarify with the uni, or check your handbook to find out.

You also need to have a discussion with the mentor you've been given to find out if she is prepared to speak with the other nurses you've worked with to sign you off, and if she isn't able to, which I suspect is the case, then asking her to find out who will do it. Most universities have a set amount of time that you need to spend with your actual mentor (usually around 40%) so you might need to check this too.