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Mentorship Makes the Difference
July 2, 2025
For many seasoned nurses, starting out in the profession came with structure and support — a sense of belonging, and the reassurance that someone had your back. But for many new nurses today, that feeling is gone. Experienced nurses now fear that those entering the system won’t last — not because they lack passion, but because they lack support.
“Let’s take our young people, let’s mentor them. Let’s make it a good career — a very proud career, a serving career — instead of what’s happening now. Our new nurses are thrown into this. They’re not given any support. And I would highly doubt that a lot of the nurses who are just starting today will still be there in 30 years’ time. We need to support them. We need to build walls — and let them, in 30 years’ time, say ‘This was a good role. I had a good role in this.’”
— Sherri Kinsman, RN
The lack of structured mentorship has real consequences. New nurses are expected to manage heavy workloads and complex care situations without the guidance that experienced colleagues once provided. Many leave the profession before they’ve even had the chance to grow into it.
“One of the biggest things I want to see changed in the workplace is the mentorship program for young nurses coming in — or new nurses. They should be buddied up with someone who’s been there for years, who knows the ropes, who’s been through it. Because every one of us has, you know, the fear of change. And when you come into a new workplace and it’s an unfamiliar environment, how nice is it to know that you’ve got somebody to lean on. I’d like to see the mentorship program really pushed”
— Sarah Stratton RN
RNUNL supports mentorship as a vital tool for retention, well-being, and professional growth — but insists it must be supported by employers, not dropped onto the shoulders of already burnt-out senior staff.
“Retention is the solution,” said Yvette Coffey. “We must protect the nurses we have, provide them with the support they require, and give them the career they deserve.”
Structured mentorship programs — with protected time, recognition, and compensation — are a win-win for patients, new nurses, and the healthcare system.
Despite the challenges nurses face daily, RN Jennifer Hiscock knows nursing remains a great career opportunity.
“The only thing I would say is: if I had a young person here with me who was considering the nursing profession — do it!”
— Jennifer Hiscock, RN
📩 Have you had a mentorship experience that shaped your career — or felt the absence of one?
Email communications@rnunl.ca to share your story.
You could be part of the next phase of this campaign.