Mentoring Practice of Newly Graduated Nurses in Europe: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Abstract As previous studies have shown, mentoring practice is a strong support mechanism for newly graduated nurses during the clinical transition period. This scoping review focuses on the Euro- pean healthcare setting to aim and identify mentoring practice approaches that support confi- dence, competence, and retention of newly graduated nurses. Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines were followed. The study focused on peer-reviewed literature published in the past five years (2020-2025) and systematically identified across three databases. These databases included CINAHL, PubMed, and JBI Evidence-based practice. This review focuses on mentoring practices in the European health context. The charted data were analyzed, and the methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT, 2018). In total, four peer-reviewed sources, including primary studies and evidence syn- theses, met the inclusion criteria. Five key themes were identified in the synthesis describing current mentoring practices. These in- clude mentoring structures and models, mentor preparation, clinical and psychosocial support processes, organisational enablers and barriers, and outcomes for nurses and healthcare systems. Across studies, mentoring is associated with improved competence, professional integration, and job satisfaction among newly graduated nurses. This scoping review strongly suggests the im- portance of structured, evidence-based mentoring practices support NGNs’ transition and reten- tion in European healthcare settings. This review also supports the development of organisational mentoring standards, mentor training, and collaboration between healthcare settings and nursing schools.