In this essay I will discuss the key enabling characteristics required of a mentor (Morton-Cooper & Palmer, 2005). I will analyze the different ways in which I used these enabling traits as a mentor to influence the successful mentoring of my third year student in an acute inpatient mental health service. The essay will be supported by relevant educational theory. Finally, I will reflect and evaluate my performance as a mentor. Mentoring is an important role to take on as a nurse, whether formally or informally, in a professional life. This experience will help many nurses recognize areas of development and further career options, for example nurse lecturer, practitioner and manager. The English National Council and Department of Health (2000) define mentoring as the role of the nurse, midwife or health visitor who facilitates learning and supervises and assesses students as part of their practical. Since mentors spend most of their time with students in the clinical area, they are best placed to judge students' abilities and to guide and assist them in developing and achieving their learning goals. The NMC (2006) states that approved mentors carry out a final practice assessment to judge that all skills have been acquired and the student is considered competent for registration. Morton-Cooper and Palmer (2000) identified good mentors as those with characteristic skills. These include the following: Competence – mentors must have appropriate domain knowledge as well as organizational skills. Some of the attributes of the skill include the ability to command respect from others and the ability to develop the student's strengths by providing constructive criticism and feedback. Other skills include... middle of document ...... essential role as a mentor. CONCLUSION It is necessary to recognize that once one assumes the role of mentor, he or she will need these enabling traits, thus knowing which ones best fit the student's development. Being a mentor has given me the opportunity to develop learning skills in my clinical practice that will contribute to student learning and therefore my professional development as a nurse educator in the future. The lessons I have learned as a good mentor are the ability to transfer my knowledge and enthusiasm to students and junior staff and guide them towards success. My student developed a friendly relationship with me and gained a lot of respect for the help I gave him. Finally, it is clear that as a mentor, one must have an attitude of generosity and that the qualities of commitment, confidence and competence are extremely important..