Principles and Practice of Supervision

Clinical supervision and managerial supervision: some historical and conceptual considerations

“…In the 1930s, a programme of nursing clinical supervision was endorsed in text by North American authors ( Burton 1930) following a conference on clinical supervision in 1925 held by the annual Institute of New York State League of Nurse Education at Mt Sinai, New York ( Schmidt 1926). The conference attracted 367 nurses from 61 hospitals in North America, an event that surely reflected the level of interest then shown in supervision at a time also ready for changes in nursing practice.…”

“…The conference attracted 367 nurses from 61 hospitals in North America, an event that surely reflected the level of interest then shown in supervision at a time also ready for changes in nursing practice. Early authors defined the ‘new’ idea of clinical supervision as a democratic process focused on professional growth ( Day 1925, Schmidt 1926, Newton 1952), and its potentialities ( Schmidt 1926) in a ‘wholesome atmosphere’ of informality ( Wolf 1941), partnership ( Florence 1953), permissiveness and support ( Freeman 1952). Supervision was based on participatory discussion ( Hollis 1938) with no authoritative ‘shoulds’ or ‘musts’ ( Perrodin 1954).…”

“…Authors were influenced by ‘modern’ ( Burton 1930) supervisory practices in industry ( Day 1925, Schmidt 1926, Taylor 1941, Karabasz 1952, Perrodin 1954), education ( Schmidt 1926, Burton 1930, Wolf 1927, Taylor 1940, Smith 1950), or both. Some were also guided by psychoanalysis ( Tucker 1924, Hollis 1938, Wolf 1941) when Freud became ‘world famous’ ( Ekstein 1962).…”