Journal of Patient Care

Abstract

Teaching Tools for the Mentor “Trainer” of Professionals Working in Primary Health Care Improving and Growing with Every Challenge

Jose LT

The effectiveness of mentor derives mainly from his role of “enabler”. While experts in the content can be useful, training skills are essential. The main role of the mentor, “trainer” in teaching professionals working in Primary Health Care (nurses, family doctors) is encouraging improvements in the performance of tasks by facilitating the learning process. The mentor does not need to teach a lot, but he has to know how to help them to learn. We present a systematization of trainer teaching tools: 1. Medium environment of learning (“safe”, “non-evaluative”); 2. Self-esteem and self-capacity (start with strengths; the attitude that the other person is able to solve his problems); 3. Individual interviews in depth: the cycle reflection-action; 4. Meta-learning (learning to learn); 5. Interview that helps she or he to get to be able (it helps the person to determine what his problem is, why there is a problem, and what solutions exist); and 6. Self-Assessment (the learner becomes more mature, autonomous and responsible).