Download Download
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Official Journal of the College of Medicine, Ekiti State University; Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, and the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) EKSUTH Branch [email protected] e-ISSN: 2714-4305 p-ISSN: 2714-3635 Perception and Attitude of House Officers about Mentoring at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti. Babatola AO 1,4, Olatunya OS, 1,4 Ogundare EO 1,4 Ojo TO2, Ajite AB1,4, Fadare JO3,5, Olaotan TO4, Fatunla OA4 1 Department of Paediatrics, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. 2Department of Community Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. 3 Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. 4 Department of Paediatrics, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti 5 Department of Medicine, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti Corresponding Author’s E-mail: [email protected] Received: May 22, 2019 Accepted for publication: January 19, 2020 Published online: May 20, 2020 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Abstract Introduction: Mentoring is an established means of providing support for young inexperienced individuals such as house officers who are just starting their medical career and it is meant to assist them to cope with stress and maintain a satisfying work-life balance. The study assessed the attitude and perception of house officers about mentoring at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti. Methods: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey. Self-administered questionnaires were used for data collection. The questionnaire consisted of sections on the general characteristics of respondents, their knowledge and attitude toward mentoring. Results: Out of the 29 house officers invited to participate in the study, 24 (83%) returned the completed questionnaire. The mean age of respondents was 26.6±2.81 years. Seventeen (70.8%) and 7(29.2%) were males and females respectively. Almost all (95.8%) of the respondents were aware of mentoring. However, only 9(37.5%) of them had mentors. The reasons given for not having mentors included not seeing a need for one, not having opportunity to have one and fear of choosing wrongly (24.0%, 20.8%, 4.2% respectively). All responded that having a mentor was beneficial and 23(95.8%) desired to have a mentor. Twenty (83.3%) stated that the management of their institution should have a role in developing mentoring programs. Time constraints on the part of mentor (91.7%), lack of confidentiality on the part of both mentor and mentee (45.6%), fear of being emotionally abused (20.8%) and being misled (37.5%) on the part of the mentee were identified challenges to a mentoring relationship. Majority (95.8%) believed that a mentee should be allowed to choose his/her mentor and only 9(37.5%) believed in formal matching of mentor to mentee. Sixty–one percent believed that mentor and mentee should hold formal monthly meetings. Possession of good interpersonal skills on the part of the mentors (91.7%) and formal training on mentorship for mentee (66.7%) were some identified factors that could enhance successful mentoring relationship Conclusions This study observed that house officers are desirous of a mentoring relationship with their senior colleagues. There is a need for the hospital management to institute a formal mentoring program for this young cadre of workers. Keywords: House officers, Perceptions, Mentoring, Mentee, Mentor Nigerian Stethoscope Vol.2 (1) 24 The Nigerian Stethoscope Babatola et al between mentor and mentee, misunderstanding regarding roles, boundaries and goals, communication gaps, lack of 1.Introduction. time, and personality clashes,11. House officers (interns) are newly qualified medical doctors Formal mentoring programs have been introduced in practicing under supervision in hospitals during the first year medicine with emphasis on under- graduate medical education after graduation. They undergo a structured training to enable especially in the western world12-16. Some medical specialties them to consolidate and extend theoretical and clinical also have formal mentoring program in place during residency knowledge and technical skills into practice under supervision training,10,17-19 However, there is paucity of works on during their internship. House officers are just starting their mentoring amongst house officers or interns. One of the few medical career and like many other professions, this may be studies on mentoring amongst intern was done in Korea by daunting and demanding. Mentoring has been established to Han et al 20 which reported 42% prevalence rate of mentoring provide support for young inexperienced individual (mentee) relationship amongst medical interns in a teaching hospital in in the mentoring relationship for personal development, to 2011. The study also found that medical interns who had cope with stress and to establish a satisfying work-life mentors had increased job satisfaction when compared with balance1,2. The benefits of mentoring are not negligible their counterparts who do not have mentors. Han and co- especially to young professionals who are just starting up. It is workers then concluded that mentoring programs during well recognized as a key to successful and satisfying careers internship should be expanded and supported20. in medicine, business and many other professions3. The advantages of mentoring also include development of Because of the obvious benefits of mentoring especially to negotiation skills, conflict management, academic writing and young inexperienced professionals, House officers being one presentation skills, team-working skills and networking4. of such, should be engaged in mentoring relationships. This Lack of mentorship was reported to be one of the challenges study therefore seeks to assess the perception and attitude of facing young African scientists in their efforts towards house officers in Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital on contributing to the development of Africa continent through Mentoring. research and it has been documented that the most important form of support they needed was mentorship from senior 2. Method 5 researchers . Study design: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was Mentoring involves the process whereby an experienced, conducted using self-administered questionnaires. The study highly regarded, empathetic person (the mentor) guides was conducted between February and May 2018. another (usually younger) individual (the mentee) in the Study location: Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital development and re-examination of their own ideas, learning, (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti personal and professional development6. Mentoring is known to be a very old practice7 and everyone has been mentored one Sample size: All house officers at EKSUTH during the study way or the other8. The main focus of the mentoring period were recruited using total sampling relationship is on the development of the mentee. Mentoring can be loose (informal) or structured (formal)8. In informal Study Procedure and data collection: mentoring, there is no standardized structure, often individuals The study instrument was a self-administered questionnaire. are drawn together by mutual interests. Many times, the The first section comprised of age, sex, qualifications, monetary cost involved is not much, often bore by the mentor, designation, years of practice and department. The second mentee and minimally by the organization if at all. Most section comprised of general questions on mentoring and the mentoring relationships are informal. However, the third section comprised of questions that assessed participants drawbacks of informal mentoring include that it is more 8 knowledge on mentoring and mentoring program. difficult to monitor, standardize, advertise and evaluate . The formal mentoring relationship however is well established, there may be written guidelines for the relationship9 highly Data analysis: Data were analyzed with SPSS version 20 and structured with specific aims usually defined by the results presented as prose, tables and charts. Ethical organization. Its advantages include that it is easier to monitor consideration: Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics and evaluate. The drawbacks include that it may cost more in and Research Committee of the Ekiti State University terms of resources and time, as well as its complex and Teaching Hospital. sustainability issues8,10. There are varying mentoring styles which depends on the individuals involved, setting in which 3. Result mentoring occurs and the stage of career of both individuals9. The response rate was 83% (24/29). The mean age of To ensure successful mentoring relationship, there is the need respondents was 26.6±2.81 years. Seventeen (70.8%) and for dedication, substantial investment of time, energy and 7(29.2%) were males and females respectively. Males to resources (physical, emotional and intellectual)9. Mentoring Female ratio of 2.4: 1 Ninety-two percent of them were single can also face some challenges which includes competition (Table 1). Nigerian Stethoscope Vol. 2(1) 25 The Nigerian Stethoscope Babatola et al Table 1: Personal characteristics of the respondents 80 Numbers(n=24) Percentage (%) 60 Sex 17 70.8 Male 40 7 29.2 Female 20 Marital status: 22 91.7 Single 0 Sources of 1 4.2 Information Married 1 4.2 Divorced Figure 1: Distribution of respondents’ sources of information