The Importance of Hand Hygiene

Nursing administration within the acute care hospital environment must support fundamental solutions that are geared toward the current and increasingly worsening decline in nursing staff collegiality, morale, and support. The resulting detrimental effects are seen in poor staff performance, and in unsatisfactory patient care outcomes. In addition, the changing demographics within the acute care hospital setting, and the rapidly changing health care environment, demand that efforts be made to support and encourage new and senior nurses in order to retain competent nursing staff. Recent literature addressing this area of nursing supports the idea that mentoring is one important strategy that can be utilized in this endeavor (Carroll, 2004; Hurst & Koplin-Baucum, 2003; Verdejo, 2002). Defining mentoring has been difficult, and it is further compounded by the use of interchanging terms such as coach, preceptor, and teacher (Butterworth, Faugier, & Burnard, 1998; Milton, 2004). Some writers maintain that mentorship is a research-based intervention that addresses the improvement of nurses ' confidence, promotes professional development, and encourages lifelong learning (Jakubik et al., 2004). The CNA (2004) states, "Mentoring involves a voluntary, mutually beneficial and usually long-term professional relationship. In this relationship, one person is an experienced and knowledgeable leader (mentor) who supports the maturation of a less-experienced person with leadership potential (mentee)" (p. 24). In addition, mentoring can be viewed as an informal or formal process. Informal mentoring is characterized by a shared agreement between the mentor and the mentee to establish a relationship in an unstructured manner, and is based on the realization of career goals for the mentee. Formal mentoring, however, involves structure, both in terms of defining purposes and in the longevity of the relationship (Tourigny & Pulich, 2005).

If one were to include

Bibliography: 1. E. Burnett, K. Lee, and P. Kydd, British Journal of Infection Control, 2008; vol. 9, 1: pp. 19-24.(2008) 2