NURS 325 Week 4 Nursing Mentor Outline Example

Reviewed by Rachel Stanton, MSN, RN · Liberty University · Updated

This NURS 325 Week 4 sample is a complete APA outline for the course's nursing mentor paper, prepared by an experienced medical-surgical nurse who plans to become a formal mentor to new graduates. Organized in Roman numerals with lettered and numbered subpoints, it lays out a thesis, the characteristics of effective mentors drawn from a 2026 systematic review of mentorship programs for new nurses and a study of informal mentoring, a biblical model of mentoring built on five passages, a concrete twelve-month plan and the evaluation the writer will use. Every point carries, in parentheses, the source that will back it up later. In Liberty University NURS 325, part of the RN-to-BSN, this outline is worth 100 points in Module/Week 4, four weeks before the paper it plans.

CourseNURS 325 Nursing Concepts (NURS325)
Module/Week4
AssignmentNursing Mentor Outline
Paper typeAPA outline for the mentor paper
Lengthabout 448 words, 2 double-spaced pages plus title page and references. Course guide: an outline for the Nursing Mentor Paper in current APA format, with at least 2 research article references from the last 5 years and at least 4 Scripture references
FormatAPA 7 student paper
Points100
SchoolLiberty University Online
ProgramBSN
Where it sitsModule/Week 4 in Liberty's published NURS 325 course guide; current sections can differ
UpdatedOctober 2026

Free sample paper for NURS 325 Week 4

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Outline for the Nursing Mentor Paper: Becoming a Mentor to New Graduate Nurses on a Medical-Surgical Unit

 

[Student Name]

School of Nursing, Liberty University

NURS 325: Nursing Concepts

Nursing Mentor Outline

[Instructor Name]

[Date]

 

The writer's unit and plan are composites; the textbook, Scripture and the research articles cited are real.

Why this part earns its pointsThe thesis commits to a role and a goal, which the guide requires and which gives every later section a direction.
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Outline for the Nursing Mentor Paper: Becoming a Mentor to New Graduate Nurses on a Medical-Surgical Unit

I. Introduction

A. New graduate nurses leave our unit at a high rate in their first year, and many describe feeling alone.

B. Thesis: As an experienced medical-surgical nurse, I will become a formal mentor to new graduates by developing the characteristics that research and Scripture identify in effective mentors and by following a twelve-month plan with clear steps and evaluation.

C. Benner's model frames mentoring as helping novices move toward proficiency through shared experience (Benner, 2001).

II. Characteristics of Effective Mentors

A. Availability and consistent contact

  • 1. Mentorship programs for new nurses, lasting from 8 weeks to 2 years, improved self-efficacy, confidence, stress management, job satisfaction and retention (Beke et al., 2026).
  • 2. Regular, scheduled meetings matter more than occasional advice.

B. Willingness to share practical knowledge

  • 1. Informal mentoring, not formal programs, was what most eased new nurse educators' transition (Tufano & Summers, 2025).
  • 2. Mentors explain how they think, not only what to do.

C. Psychological safety and emotional intelligence

  • 1. Weekly one-on-one meetings emphasizing mentorship, emotional intelligence and psychological safety accompanied a 32% drop in first-year turnover in one hospital program (Carlucci et al., 2026).
  • 2. Mentees must feel safe admitting mistakes.

D. Humility and servant leadership

  • 1. A mentor serves the mentee's growth rather than their own image (Philippians 2:3-4).
Why this part earns its pointsScripture is placed in its own section and also inside the characteristics, which shows integration rather than a closing verse.
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III. A Biblical Model of Mentoring

A. Passing knowledge forward: Paul tells Timothy to hand on what he learned to trustworthy people who can in turn teach others (English Standard Version Bible, 2001/2016, 2 Timothy 2:2).

B. Older teaching younger in character as well as skill (Titus 2:3-5).

C. Mutual growth: "Iron sharpens iron" (Proverbs 27:17).

D. Support in difficulty: two are better than one, because one can lift the other up (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).

E. Encouragement as a daily practice (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Why this part earns its pointsThe plan gives months and frequencies, which turns an intention into steps the paper can describe and the mentee can hold the writer to.
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IV. My Plan to Become a Mentor

A. Months 1 to 2: Complete my hospital's preceptor and mentor course; ask my manager to pair me with one new graduate.

B. Months 2 to 12: Meet my mentee for 30 minutes every other week, off the unit, with an agenda the mentee sets.

  • 1. First meeting: shared goals and expectations, including confidentiality.
  • 2. Ongoing: debrief difficult shifts using Benner's stages to name growth (Benner, 2001).

C. Months 6 and 12: Joint review of progress toward the mentee's goals.

D. Throughout: Pray for my mentee and model integrity in practice.

V. Evaluating the Mentoring Relationship

A. Mentee's self-rated confidence at the start, at six months and at twelve months.

B. Whether the mentee remains on the unit at one year, compared with recent unit retention (Beke et al., 2026; Carlucci et al., 2026).

C. My own reflection journal after each meeting.

VI. Conclusion

A. Restate the thesis and the plan.

B. Mentoring is how an experienced nurse hands on what Benner calls expertise, one shared story at a time.

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References

Beke, M., Kaya, H., Çonoğlu, G., & Şen, Y. (2026). Mentorship programs provided for new nurses: A systematic review. Nurse Education Today, 163, 107110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2026.107110

Benner, P. (2001). From novice to expert: Excellence and power in clinical nursing practice (Commemorative ed.). Prentice Hall.

Carlucci, A. M., Colangelo, L., & Lonzo, S. (2026). Find your best fit: An innovative orientation model cultivating connection and commitment in new graduate nurses. Nursing Management, 57(6), 27-33. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMG.0000000000000381

English Standard Version Bible. (2016). Crossway. (Original work published 2001)

Tufano, V. C., & Summers, E. J. (2025). The nurse educator mentoring dilemma: Novice nurse faculty needs and outcomes. Journal of Nursing Education, 64(3), 177-184. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20241120-03

What the NURS 325 Week 4 instructions ask

NURS 325 collects the Nursing Mentor Outline in Module/Week 4, with Benner's chapter 6, one presentation and the APA quiz on outlines. The course guide asks for an outline of the Nursing Mentor Paper that draws on two or more research articles no older than five years and on four or more passages of Scripture, in current APA format. The paper itself, due in Module/Week 8, examines nursing mentoring characteristics and formulates a plan for becoming a mentor or a mentee, so the outline should commit to one of those two roles now. A detailed outline with sources attached to each point makes the paper far easier to write.

How this NURS 325 Week 4 example is built

The outline follows a standard APA alphanumeric structure. Section I states the purpose and thesis. Section II lists the characteristics of effective mentors, each tied to a research source. Section III develops a biblical model of mentoring from five passages of Scripture. Section IV sets out the writer's twelve-month plan to become a mentor, with steps and timing. Section V describes how the mentoring relationship will be evaluated. Section VI states the conclusion. Each subpoint names its source in parentheses, so the instructor can see that the required research articles and Scripture references are already placed, and a reference list follows.

NURS 325 Week 4 grading rubric: where the points go

Outlines are typically graded on a clear thesis, logical organization in correct APA outline format, coverage of both mentoring characteristics and a personal plan, integration of at least two recent research articles and four Scripture references, correct citations and references and readiness to become a paper. Faculty look for outlines detailed enough that the instructor can give useful feedback, with sources already attached to points. An outline that lists headings without content, or that leaves Scripture for a final section only, usually draws comments to revise before the paper is due. Because this outline is the instructor's chance to steer the paper, specific points invite specific feedback, which saves time in Module/Week 8.

NURS 325 Week 4 help: mistakes that cost points

Decide first whether you will write as a future mentor or as a mentee, since the plan depends on it. Draft a thesis that names your role and your goal. Gather at least two recent studies on mentoring, ideally one systematic review and one study of a real program, and attach each to the points it will support. Choose Scripture that speaks to specific points, such as teaching others, encouragement or humility, rather than general verses. Use parallel wording within each level of the outline, and keep the plan specific, with what you will do and when. Format the Bible citation once in full and then by book and verse, following APA's current rules for religious works.

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NURS 325 Week 4 questions, answered

What is the NURS 325 Nursing Mentor Outline?

A 100-point Module/Week 4 APA outline of the course's mentor paper, with at least two research articles from the last five years and at least four Scripture references.

Where can I find a free NURS 325 Week 4 sample paper?

This page presents a full NURS 325 Week 4 APA outline for a mentor paper, with research and Scripture attached to each point, free for students to read.

How should an APA outline be formatted?

Most student outlines use Roman numerals at the top level, then capital letters, then Arabic numerals beneath them, using parallel wording and consistent levels throughout.

Should the NURS 325 mentor paper be about being a mentor or a mentee?

Either. The guide asks students to formulate a plan for becoming a mentor or a mentee, so the outline should commit to one role and build the plan around it.

What makes a nursing mentorship program effective?

A 2026 systematic review of seven studies found that mentorship programs for new nurses improved self-efficacy, confidence, stress management, job satisfaction, retention, communication and social support.

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