Ethical dilemmas in clinical supervision 1: need for guidelines

Abstract

In this article, the first of two parts, the authors focus on ethical dilemmas in clinical supervision. Given that there may be several factors that contribute to the limited uptake of clinical supervision, the authors suggest that one reason might be the clinician's concern and confusion regarding the potential ethical dilemmas that could arise when providing clinical supervision. Most issues do not produce ethical dilemmas, but some do. Therefore, this article offers a brief description of the purpose and alleged benefits of supervision, and examines the current position of the law in regard to ethical dilemmas within supervision. It then provides six vignettes where supervisors are faced with ethical dilemmas. These will be discussed in the second part of this article.

Clinical Supervision of Nurses Working With Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder

“…Looking at one's own behavior is not easy and it can be threatening to nursing staff, particularly if they are concerned about being analyzed or think disciplinary actions might be taken against them for their behavior. To allay these concerns, nurses need emotional support within individual and/or group clinical supervision, without the threat of administrative disciplinary actions (Bonnivier, 1992;Cutcliffe, Epling, Cassedy, McGregor, Plant, & Butterworth, 1998a, 1998b.…”

Evaluation of the concept of supervision related to public health nurses in Norway

“…What is going on, according to the papers’ analysis, can be labelled ‘pedagogic’. Concepts used that might be labelled pedagogic are: educative (Cutcliffe et al. 1998a*,b*), learning (Fowler 1996*), help to understand (Jones 1998*), development (Severinsson 1996*, Playle & Mullarkey 1998*), enabling (Porter 1997*), didactic (Severinsson & Borgenhammar 1997*, Severinsson 2001*), facilitating (Todd & Freshwater 1999*), transforming (Williamson & Dodds 1999*), professional growth (Yegdich 1999*).…”

“…When the boundaries are unclear, it is difficult to use the concepts correctly and it is difficult to identify and recognize the behaviour related to the concept. Cutcliffe et al. (1998a*,b*) state that supervision differs from management, while Goorapah (1997)* states that supervision is intended to replace traditional support systems and thus connects the concept of supervision to leadership.…”

Clinical ethics protocols in the clinical ethics committees of Madrid

“…These data suggest that CECs in Madrid during the current era are more likely to engage in CEP development, perhaps indicating a trend of growing awareness of the need to establish protocolised procedures21 22 that help navigate the frequently encountered and heretofore nebulous territory of ethical conflict in the healthcare institutions 23 24…”