Kelly O'Connell

Clinical Supervision

Clinical supervision provides an environment in which staff can:

• explore their own personal and emotional reactions to their work;
• reflect on and challenge their own practice in a safe and confidential environment as well as receive feedback on their skills;

engage in professional development.

Milne (2007) defined clinical supervision as:

“The formal provision, by approved supervisors, of a relationship-based education and training that is work-focused and which manages, supports, develops and evaluates the work of supervisees.”

Clinical supervision sessions can run a variety of topics, but you can expect them to cover one or more of the following:

• Issues regarding current clients.
• Overall development of nursing/social work/counselling skills.
• Development of professional self.

Supervision is a positive and enabling process that offers the opportunity to bring an employee and a skilled supervisor together to reflect on work practice.

Dependant on the supervisee I use either the Development Model (Hayes, Corey & Moulten 2003). This defines progress stages of supervisee development from novice to expert, or Proctors (Proctor 2010) Model of supervision this focuses on reflective practice.