Meeting the at-risk challenge: empowering nursing students through mentoring.

: Wanting to improve student retention, progression, and graduation, the nursing faculty of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas developed a program for undergraduate students. Designated faculty mentors are available for academically at-risk students, or any student wanting to improve learning skills. Through mentoring sessions, students are helped to assess their learning difficulties, develop individualized prescription plans for learning, gain support during implementation of learning strategies, and evaluate results. Implemented in 2002, the program reflects positive outcomes. Of the 29 students who were referred to the program, only 3 were unsuccessful in passing their nursing courses. Student evaluations of the program reflect the value of the mentoring experience. The program has subsequently developed in the areas of advertising, diagnostic student testing, and student access to support resources.