Publication Date

9-4-2026

Degree Awarded Date

August 21, 2026

DOI

https://doi.org/10.48765/eg58-h631

Abstract

Background & Significance: Structured mentorship supports new CRNAs as they transition to practice, fostering confidence, job satisfaction, and professional growth. The WashU Medicine Department of Anesthesiology (WUDA) launched a CRNA Mentorship Program in 2022, but it lacked standardized mentor education, leading to inconsistent mentor preparation and variable mentoring practices.

Review of Literature Findings: Structured mentor education improves mentoring competency across healthcare settings, yet the literature specific to CRNAs remains limited. Asynchronous, self-paced formats reduce barriers to participation for busy clinicians, but no prior study has evaluated a fully asynchronous, prerecorded mentor-education format for CRNAs.

Methods: This pre-/post quality improvement (QI) project, guided by Kram’s Mentoring Theory and the PDSA framework, delivered three asynchronous, competency-based modules aligned with the six Mentoring Competency Assessment (MCA-21) domains via Qualtrics and Box. The MCA-21 was administered at baseline, two weeks, and eight weeks and analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests with effect sizes.

Results: Of 34 eligible mentors, 22 completed the baseline MCA-21 and 77.3% completed the intervention. Statistically significant improvements occurred across all six MCA-21 domains and in the total score at both two and eight weeks post-intervention (p ≤ .009), with large effect sizes (r = .64–.87).

Discussion of Findings: Asynchronous mentor education improved mentoring competency and sustained gains at eight weeks, suggesting that competency-based education can strengthen mentor skills. High completion rates, despite time and workload constraints, support the feasibility of asynchronous delivery for busy CRNAs.

Implications: Findings support requiring competency-based mentor education for all program mentors, adopting the MCA-21 for ongoing mentor evaluation, and refining the mentor agreement, offering a feasible, scalable model for CRNA and APRN mentor development.

Summary: A structured, asynchronous, competency-based mentor education program significantly improved CRNA mentoring competency across all six MCA-21 domains, supporting more consistent mentorship for newly hired CRNAs and greater workforce stability.

Language

English (en)

Document Type

Other

Advisor

Bisch, Abby DNP, CRNA (Chair) Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Associated Committee

Perez, Sarah DNP, CRNA (Committee member) Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

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