Gaining the most from your tutor.

The transition to university education can prove a difficult one for nursing students, especially if they are unsure of how best to work with an academic tutor. Tutors' roles are not the same as those of school teachers or college nurse education teachers. As well as teach, they aid learning and the development of individual thought. That can pose problems for nurse students who want to get the best help from their tutor, yet are anxious that what they say or do might seem inadequate or stupid. Drawing on a five-year doctoral research programme into help-seeking among distance learners, this article describes the challenges associated with getting in touch with tutors, and recommends useful ways of building a constructive relationship.