2019/02/27 by Hannah North, Michelle Kennedy, Jane Wray
Nursing · Psychology · #Mentoring and Academic Development #Nursing Education, Practice, and Leadership #Nursing education and management
paper · doi:10.12968/bjon.2019.28.4.250
openalex publication_date 2019/02/27 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/15
AIM:: this review aimed to identify and review primary research to address the question: 'Is there evidence that mentors are failing to fail underperforming student nurses?' Design: this was an integrative literature review. METHODS:: online databases (Medline, Scopus, PsycINFO, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL)) were searched using specified inclusion and exclusion criteria to focus the review. Critical appraisal was undertaken and key findings, outcomes and emergent concepts were identified from each study. These were then collated and synthesised into themes. RESULTS:: five articles met the criteria and review aim. Three main themes were identified. These were the mentors' relationship with the university, documentation when failing a student, and psychological and emotional impacts. CONCLUSION:: the phenomenon of failing to fail continues to concern the nursing profession but there is limited primary research evidence to inform contemporary discussions in the UK regarding the management of this in practice.