According to Lyth, some authors argue that a balance between roles should be maintained in order to optimize both clinical practice and theoretical knowledge.
Generally, it appears to be agreed among theorists that the focus of clinical supervision should be professional development and self-actualization. In addition, an inter-disciplinary approach to supervisory practice will also provide a platform for emerging best practice among the various professions, and ultimately benefit the practice in nursing. Although it appears that the theory on clinical supervision is often arbitrary and little researched, it is also true that the phenomenon has been in effect of many years, decades, and even centuries. For midwives, for example, supervision has been part of their profession since 1902, being a statutory requirement.
One problem with clinical supervision, according to Lyth (2000, p. 276), is the fact that it is often linked to a hierarchical process within the nursing profession, rather than with a practical and necessary application of teaching and learning. Indeed, this connects with a relatively negative perception of supervision among nursing professionals.
Ideally, supervision should be an integrated relationship among professionals, where the person with superior knowledge and experience makes him- or herself available for a reciprocal learning and teaching process. Indeed, Todd and O'Connor (2005, p. 4) note that the supervision process entails a collaboration between two or more practitioners, of which one is more experienced than the others in the group. In this relationship, the supervises is allowed to conduct practical work with clients, which is then assessed in a regular, systematic and detailed way. The main purpose of this type of supervision is to make suggestions regarding best practice for emerging professionals. As such, the main aims include to improve clinical practice, to enhance the ability of the supervisee to meet professioanl standards, the support of encouragement from the supervisor. In a high-stress environment such as nursing, this could have the ultimate effect of providing support in times of stress.
Like McLean, Todd and O'Connor recognize the varying nature of supervising situations, just like there is a great variety of clinical...
The authors suggest that supervision can involve aims such as counseling, teaching and consultation. The supervisor can provide the supervisee with both support and education. This support and development can occur on both the persona and professional level. Finally, skills building is also included in the suggested aims. In general, it should be a positive learning experience rather than something to be avoided because of its hierarchical connotations.
In conclusion, clinical supervision has many associated theories and ideals. The main purpose is to provide young clinicians with a platform for self-development and learning. It can also provide a platform from which the medical and caring professions can interconnect with each other to meet the needs of patients optimally. On the intra-professional level, clinical supervision provides a guideline for inexperienced nurses to develop their profession optimally, and also to uphold and maintain the standard of their respective organizations, and the ethics of the profession as a whole. Despite its somewhat maligned status in some circles, cynical supervision is indeed an essential part of cynical practice. It provides a springboard for learning and the opportunity for growth.
References
Lyth, Gordon M. (2000). Clinical supervision: a concept analysis. Jounral of Advanced Nursing, Vol 31, No. 3.
Macdonald, Joanna. (2002, Feb). Clinical Supervision: a review of underlying concepts and developments. Australian and New Aealand Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 35, Iss 1. Retrieved from http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a772090191
McLean, Duncan (1996). Clinical Supervision. Psychiatric Bulletin, Vol. 20. Retrieved from http://pb.rcpsych.org/cgi/reprint/20/1/1.pdf
Todd, C. & O'Connor, J. (2005). Clinical Supervision. In N. Skinner, a.M. Roche, J. O'Connor, Y. Pollard, & C. Todd (Eds.), Workforce Development TIPS (Theory Into Practice Strategies): A Resource Kit for the Alcohol and Other Drugs Field. National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA), Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia. Retrieved from http://www.unodc.org/ddt-training/treatment/VOLUME%20D/Topic%202/8.Workforce%20Development%20TIPS.pdf
