The Importance of Mentorship through your Nursing Degree and Career

Whether you are looking to jumpstart your nursing career or are well into your nursing career, mentorship is key to your success, says Dr. Danielle McCamey, Assistant Dean for Strategic Partnerships. With the vast career opportunities available within nursing, discussing your passions and goals with a mentor can help align your next steps into an academic program, professional role, or even involvement in professional organizations.

Dr. McCamey reminisces on her first mentor, Dr. Sandra Davis, mentioning them to be paramount to her success. She continues to discuss how they taught her about balance within their professional and personal lives. Mentors play an active role in one’s daily success; coaching is provided through a lens and perspective of “what’s next.”

You may find yourself wondering where to start looking for a mentor. Dr. McCamey mentions a few tips in our Admissions Workshop: The Importance of Mentorship through your Nursing Degree and Career to navigating this process. Start by looking at what’s next and consider individuals who may have an interest in this specific specialty/population or have completed an academic program similar to the one you are considering. Or you may look into individuals who are actively leading within departments or professional organizations you may have a future interest in. You may even consider alignment to the impact and legacy you aspire to leave on your patient population through your professional work. Dr. McCamey and Alexander Murphy, Assistant Director for Diversity Initiatives and Healthcare Organizational Leadership Recruitment, discuss the importance of connecting with individuals who have similar lived experiences, such as being a first-generation college student. Dr. McCamey mentions craving a space where she saw individuals who had a similar interest in becoming a doctoral prepared nurse and also looked like her. This was the igniting passion for founding DNPs of Color, which focuses on serving DNPs of Color through networking, mentorship and advocacy to increase diversity in doctoral studies, clinical practice and leadership.

As you meet with your mentor and contemplate your “what’s next,” advancement in your nursing career through academia may very well be the next step. Be intentional about your goals and how you envision yourself advancing the nursing profession through scholarly work or clinical practice. Continue to challenge yourself through academic progression to impact how healthcare is equitably delivered to patients.

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Admissions Talks is a series by the admissions team at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. Hopkins nurses are full partners and leaders in the health care process, and their role in patient care is unmatched. The admissions team is here to offer advice and guidance on how to be a competitive applicant.

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About The Author: Laura Panozzo

Laura Panozzo is the Assistant Director for DNP Executive, PhD, and DNP/PHD Recruitment at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. She can help you take the next step in your nursing career, contact her at 443-287-7430 or [email protected].