Professional Experience Placement

To keep with the theme of exploring the history of clinical supervision, I  read a literature review by Brunero and Stein-Parbury (2008) about the effectiveness of clinical supervision in nursing.  These authors  reviewed the available evidence in order to inform these efforts. The authors define clinical supervision and ascribe reflection as part of the role.  They also note that clinical supervision enables nurses to discuss patient care in a safe and supportive environment; provide feedback and facilitate an understanding about contemporary issues in nursing. Furthermore, Brunero and Stein-Parbury (2008) state that clinical supervision provides nurses an opportunity to actively support each other as professional colleagues. They encapsulate their findings of clinical supervision as consistent with Proctor’s functions of:

• Formative function which is an educative activity
• Normative function, which enables consistency of approach to patient care
• Restorative function which promotes validation and support for colleagues through peer feedback.

The authors found 32 papers, of which 22  met the selection criteria. The authors discuss these within Proctor’s framework. They begin the discussion with the restorative approach as they indicate that although formative function comes first, it is the restorative function that provides the debrief and peer support that is central to clinical supervision. Developing a stronger sense of professional identity and job satisfaction may lead to improved patient safety and better patient outcomes, albeit further research in this area is required. Lastly formative function is discussed.  Brunero and Stein-Parbury (2008) indicate knowledge, self-awareness, creation and innovation are associated with years of nursing experience. In conclusion, these authors state that peer support, promotion of professional accountability, knowledge and skills development are core functions of clinical supervision.

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