Development of Nurse Self-Concept in Nursing Students: The Effects of a Peer-Mentoring Experience.

Background: Positive nurse self-concept has been shown to increase job productivity, retention, and job satisfaction. Student participation in peer-mentoring experiences has been shown to increase self-confidence and understanding of the role of the nurse leader.

Method: The Nurse Self-Concept Questionnaire (NSCQ) was used to measure the nurse self-concept of senior baccalaureate nursing students before and after completion of a peer-mentoring experience.

Results: Female students scored significantly higher on two subscales of the NSCQ than male students prior to the peer-mentoring experience. This difference was not seen after the experience. Mean changes in scores on all six dimensions of self-concept measured by the NSCQ were significantly higher after the mentoring experience.

Conclusion: Further investigation of male students' experiences in clinical settings may be warranted. The experience of mentoring lower-level students offers practice for upper-level nursing students in providing direction, exercising leadership and management skills, and working as a member of the health care team.