Clinical Supervision
Clinical Supervision is dedicated time to reflect on clinical practice and situations in the work environment (HETI 2013, p.64).
- Clinical Supervision is a therapeutic encounter where the supervisor assumes the primary role of ‘wise guide’ to support the supervisee in the role of ‘willing explorer’
- The common goal of Clinical Supervision is to support the supervisee in the provision of safe person-centred care
- The aim of Clinical Supervision is to enable the supervisee to gain new understandings and move forward in their professional practice with a restored sense of purpose
- Clinical Supervision provides a framework for skill development and reflection, resulting in improved resilience and professional well-being.
The following quotes, primarily from ‘Clinical Supervision for Role Development’ training participants, outline benefits of Clinical Supervision. Clinical Supervision facilitates:
Reflection as the clinician brings his or her practice under scrutiny in order to more fully appreciate the meaning of their experience, to develop their abilities, to maintain standards of practice and to provide a more therapeutic service to the client
Regulation preventing people from frustration, burnout and ultimately eventuating in safer practices, better client outcomes and perhaps a more creative nation
Self-care facilitating the opportunity for an individual to address their responsibility to self-care and reflect on practice, as they care for others. It allows them to understand self in the context of their relationship with others in order to maintain clarity and integrity, maximise their contribution to the workplace and thus enhance the quality of Healthcare from the individual through to the corporate level.
Clarity through the spring cleaning of your workspace in your headspace
*Note: Additional definitions and information about reflective Clinical Supervision can be found in ‘The Superguide: A Supervision Continuum for Nurses and Midwives’ (Health Education & Training Institute, 2013)