Clinical Supervision in Nursing

Abstract

Clinical supervision in nursing has been largely defined by practicing nurses in the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand. In this context, it generally refers to a reflective practice on the part of a novice or new nurse (the supervisee) and the expert nurse or supervisor. It is considered a mandatory and obligatory process both in the execution and development of the clinical supervisory relationship. Clinical supervision in the U.S., however, has been defined as the relationship between faculty or preceptor and student in a clinical nursing practice setting. Reflective practice through the use of inquiry is only one tool used in the evaluation process of the student. Clinical supervision also is known in the clinical setting as the relationship between the nursing staff and an administrative clinical staff member. This relationship is primarily supportive and evaluative in function and does not meet the criteria for clinical supervision as defined in the U.K. This manuscript describes the definition and use of clinical supervision outside of the U.S. and its utility within the academic and clinical nursing community within the U.S., especially its use in the magnet hospital accreditation process. A

Key Words:

• Clinical supervision
• nursing