The perspectives of health care professionals on the value of peer mentoring during rehabilitation

There is growing acknowledgement that individuals who experience peer support following a major health event adapt more effectively to physical and psycho-social challenges. Research indicates that patients who experience peer mentoring support during the immediate rehabilitation period appear to adapt better and perceive themselves as better adjusted post injury or illness. Despite this, there appears to be only sporadic attention paid to the value that peer mentoring could play in health care delivery. This article reveals research that explored the beliefs, values, and experiences of five health care professionals about peer mentoring at a major urban rehabilitation centre. Three broad themes emerged from the research: bio-medicine and culture, transitions, and multidisciplinary understandings of peer mentoring. The research found that the dominance of bio-medicine impacted on the effective utilisation of peer mentoring in this culture.