“”Mentoring isn’t about guiding every step-it’s about lighting the path, believing in the journey, and walking beside someone until they believe in themselves.”-Antonia Pushparaj
The Calling That Changed Everything
The first time I held a premature newborn in my arms, something shifted inside me. Those tiny fingers, barely the size of my pinky nail, curled around my gloved hand with surprising strength. In that moment, amid the beeping monitors and the sterile scent of the neonatal intensive care unit of a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Bangalore, I understood what it meant to be truly needed. This wasn’t just a profession I had chosen-it was a calling that had chosen me.
My journey into neonatal nursing began with equal parts wonder and terror. Each tiny patient represented both incredible vulnerability and remarkable resilience. Their lives, so new and fragile, were partially entrusted to my care. The weight of this responsibility often kept me awake at night, reviewing procedures and questioning decisions. But it also filled me with purpose in a way nothing else had before.
What I didn’t realize then was how this path would transform not just my career, but my entire understanding of leadership and human connection.
When Rejection Becomes Redirection
The early years were far from glamorous. For every triumph-a premature infant finally breathing independently or a grateful parent’s tearful embrace-there were moments of crushing self-doubt and humiliation.
I still remember the day a senior doctor publicly criticized my technique during a difficult IV insertion. “If you can’t handle basic procedures, perhaps this isn’t the right department for you,” she said, as colleagues and parents looked on. My cheeks burned with shame as I excused myself to the supply closet, where tears fell freely among boxes of gauze and syringes.
There were supervisors who dismissed my suggestions without consideration, senior nurses who seemed to take pleasure in pointing out my mistakes, and days when I questioned whether I was cut out for this demanding profession at all.
What I couldn’t see then-what none of us can see when we’re in the valley of rejection-is that these painful moments were shaping me in essential ways. They were teaching me patience, humility, and persistence. Most importantly, they were showing me exactly what kind of leader I didn’t want to become.
In the darkest moments, I found unexpected allies. Dr. Bhat, a veteran neonatologist, caught me practicing IV insertions on a dummy during my lunch break after that humiliating incident. Instead of walking past, she sat beside me for thirty minutes, guiding my hands with gentle corrections. “Everyone struggles before they excel,” she told me. “The difference is in who keeps showing up.”
These moments of mentorship were rare gems in those early years, but they sustained me. They showed me that leadership isn’t about position or power-it’s about presence and compassion when it matters most.
The Shift: Becoming the Mentor I Needed
Seven years into my nursing career, I noticed a young nurse-barely three months on the job-hiding in the break room during a particularly chaotic shift. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she flinched when I entered. I recognized that look immediately; it was the face of someone drowning in self-doubt.
“I keep making mistakes,” she whispered when I sat beside her. “Maybe I’m not meant for this.”
The words were so familiar they could have come from my own mouth years earlier. In that moment, something crystallized for me. Perhaps the struggles I had endured weren’t just obstacles to overcome but experiences that equipped me to guide others.
That day marked a turning point. While I continued providing the best possible care to my tiny patients, I began to see my role differently. Nursing wasn’t just about medical procedures and clinical knowledge-it was about nurturing the next generation of caregivers who would carry this sacred work forward.
I started offering to mentor new nurses, creating informal learning sessions during quiet night shifts, and developing resources to help navigate common challenges. What surprised me most was how this shift in focus energized me. The burnout that had begun creeping into my professional life receded as I found new purpose in supporting others.
Leading with an Open Heart
True leadership in healthcare, I’ve learned, isn’t about having all the answers or never making mistakes. It’s about creating spaces where questions are welcomed, vulnerabilities are honored, and growth is celebrated.
As my formal responsibilities expanded to include training and supervision roles, I established several principles that guided my approach:
- Create psychological safety first. No one learns effectively when they’re afraid of judgment or ridicule. I worked to build environments where nurses could admit uncertainty and request help without fear.
- Share failures alongside successes. By openly discussing my own mistakes and what I learned from them, I normalized the reality that excellence comes through experience, not perfection.
- Listen more than you speak. Some of the most valuable insights about improving our unit came from the newest team members who hadn’t yet been conditioned to accept problematic “norms.”
- Advocate fiercely. In a healthcare system that often undervalues nursing contributions, speaking up for better conditions, continued education opportunities, and appropriate recognition became part of my responsibility.
- Celebrate small victories. In a profession where the losses can be devastating, acknowledging every step forward-however small-builds resilience and sustains motivation.
These principles translated into tangible changes: a structured mentorship program that paired experienced nurses with newcomers, monthly reflection sessions where teams could discuss challenging cases in a supportive environment, and advocacy work that ultimately improved staffing ratios in our unit.
The Ripple Effect of Mentorship
The impact of thoughtful mentorship extends far beyond individual relationships. Research consistently demonstrates that effective mentoring programs significantly improve nurse retention, job satisfaction, and ultimately, patient outcomes (Johnson & Gandhi, 2023).
In our own unit, after implementing structured mentorship initiatives, we saw turnover decrease by 28% within two years. More importantly, we witnessed a cultural shift: nurses began spontaneously teaching one another, celebrating each other’s accomplishments, and collaboratively problem-solving in ways that transformed patient care.
This ripple effect illustrates what research has long suggested-that healthcare leadership focused on empowerment and support creates environments where both providers and patients thrive (Patel & Sharma, 2024).
Navigating the Leadership Landscape
The transition from bedside nurse to healthcare leader brought unexpected challenges. Suddenly, I needed to understand budgeting constraints, navigate complex administrative policies, and balance competing priorities from multiple stakeholders.
In India’s healthcare landscape, where systemic challenges include critical nursing shortages and resource limitations, leadership often means becoming creative with solutions. When administration couldn’t fund the formal mentorship program I envisioned, we created a volunteer-based system that proved so successful it eventually received institutional backing. This was my informal preceptorship-buddy system of 90s!
What sustained me through these challenges was the fundamental belief that had guided my nursing practice from the beginning: that care-whether for patients or colleagues-must always be at the center of our work.
Lessons from Both Sides of the Journey
Looking back on this journey from trembling novice to confident leader, several truths stand out:
- Your worth isn’t measured by your worst day. The mistakes that once seemed career-ending are now the stories I share to encourage others. They didn’t define me; they refined me. This too shall pass!!
- Community creates resilience. None of us succeeds alone. The colleagues who lifted me when I stumbled made not only my survival but my success possible. Together Everyone Achieves More….TEAM up!!
- True authority comes from service. The most respected leaders I’ve known earned their influence not through titles but through consistent demonstration of care and commitment. Service to humanity is ultimate way of finding one’s purpose!
- Change happens in small moments. While policy reforms and structural improvements are crucial, transformation often begins with one conversation, one act of kindness, one person deciding to lead differently. These moments are defining ones!! Each drop counts!! Only Change is Constant….Don’t restrain it!!
- Your struggle has purpose. The challenges that seem most pointless often equip you to help others in ways nothing else could. It is about Caterpillar transforming into a Beautiful Butterfly.
The Journey Continues
Today, as I balance clinical work with broader leadership responsibilities, I remain connected to the core purpose that brought me to nursing: the desire to make a difference in moments that matter. The forms this takes have evolved-from soothing a distressed newborn to mentoring a struggling nurse to advocating for system-wide improvements-but the essence remains unchanged.
For those starting their healthcare journey now, especially in countries like India where the challenges can seem overwhelming, remember that leadership doesn’t require a title. It begins when you choose to lift someone else, share what you’ve learned, or speak up for change that matters.
And for those who find themselves in valleys of doubt or rejection, hold fast to what Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam wisely observed: “All birds find shelter during rain, but the eagle avoids rain by flying above the clouds.” Sometimes, the challenges that seem meant to defeat you are actually propelling you toward your greatest contribution.
The path from hands-on care to healthcare leadership isn’t a straight line. It’s a winding journey marked by struggles and triumphs, doubts and discoveries. But it’s a journey worth taking-not just for what you accomplish, but for who you become along the way.
And for what you help others become.…It is a Passionate Journey….the journey of lifting ourselves by lifting others…!And that’s genuine and right Leadership!!
REFERENCES
Bhattacharya, S., & Patel, R. (2023). Mentorship models in Indian healthcare systems: Outcomes and implications. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 157(3), 245-259.
Johnson, K. L., & Gandhi, M. (2023). The impact of structured mentorship on nurse retention and patient outcomes: A five-year analysis. Journal of Nursing Administration, 53(7), 382-391.
Mehta, A., & Kumar, S. (2022). Leadership strategies for healthcare professionals: Building resilient teams in challenging environments. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Patel, V., & Sharma, N. (2024). Transformational leadership in nursing: Effects on workplace culture and quality of care. International Nursing Review, 71(2), 178-192.
Raghavan, N., Verma, P., & Singh, J. (2022). Nursing workforce challenges in South Asian countries: Policy recommendations and intervention strategies. Health Policy and Planning, 37(5), 623-635.
World Health Organization. (2023). State of the world’s nursing: Investing in education, jobs and leadership. Geneva: WHO Press.
Yadav, S., & Krishnan, A. (2022). Healthcare mentorship programs and their impact on provider wellbeing: A systematic review. BMC Health Services Research, 22(1), 419-427.