‘What is it we are trying to achieve here’? Community maternal and child health nurses and clinical supervision: A qualitative descriptive study

Abstract

AimsTo explore clinical supervision practice by Victorian Maternal and Child Health nurses, identify the self‐reported supervision needs of nurses and the facilitators and barriers to meeting those needs.BackgroundCommunity‐based Maternal and Child Health nurses have responsibilities for the safety and wellbeing of children and specific clinical support needs. Clinical supervision has the potential to support nurses' clinical practice and reflective skills; however, little is known internationally about child and family health nurses' supervision practices.DesignQualitative descriptive study.MethodsTwenty‐three semi‐structured interviews were conducted between October and December 2021 with nurses, managers and supervisors across metropolitan, regional/rural areas of Victoria, Australia. Inductive thematic analysis was applied to the data. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research guided this study.ResultsThree main themes, with subthemes were generated; ‘Understand what we do’, ‘It's the gathering of the nurses’ and ‘Bringing a case’. A lack of agreed purpose, aims and varied understandings of clinical supervision contributed to suboptimal clinical supervision. Although participants agreed about the importance of clinical supervision, the perceived benefits were inconsistently realized.ConclusionsThis study points to a need for greater organizational awareness of the conditions and leadership needed to build reflective skills and culture in community‐based child and family nursing.Reporting MethodThe Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research has guided this study.No Patient or Public ContributionThere was no patient or public contribution in the conduct of this study.Impact A stronger focus is needed to build reflective culture and skill in child and family nursing. Areas for improving child and family nurses' use of clinical supervision have been identified. This study can inform nurse education, policy and service leaders, to strengthen clinical supervision in child and family nursing contexts.

Clinical supervision experience of nurses in or transitioning to advanced practice: A systematic review

“…The 16 primary research studies resulted in the extraction of 104 findings with supporting illustrations. Statements of original findings with supportive quotes were divided into two perspectives: APNs who provided supervision (Bruce et al, 2018;Jans et al, 2021;Jolstad et al, 2019;Lee et al, 2021) and APNs who received CS (Cook et al, 2020;Cross et al, 2012;Greenway et al, 2013;Hoybakk et al, 2022;Jarrett & Barlow, 2014;Kilcullen, 2007;Lee & Kim, 2022;O'Neill et al, 2023;Richardson et al, 2008;Tulleners et al, 2022;Younge et al, 2020), or both perspectives (Severinsson & Halberg, 1996) (Table 2).…”

“…All studies reflected the CS experiences of APNs as either supervisors (Bruce et al, 2018;Jans et al, 2021;Jolstad et al, 2019;Severinsson & Halberg, 1996), supervisees only (Cook et al, 2020;Greenway et al, 2013;Hoybakk et al, 2022;Jarrett & Barlow, 2014;Lee et al, 2021;Lee & Kim, 2022;Richardson et al, 2008;Tulleners et al, 2022;Younge et al, 2020), or as both supervisors and supervisees (Cross et al, 2012;Kilcullen, 2007;O'Neill et al, 2023).…”

“…Successful CS is dependent on a safe environment (O'Neill et al, 2023;Tulleners et al, 2022). Supervisors who facilitated structured peer-group CS sessions with policies, procedures and firm boundaries promoted an atmosphere of safety (O'Neill et al, 2023;Tulleners et al, 2022).…”

“…were set about what might be shared outside the group and re-visited at the start of each session for reinforcement (O'Neill et al, 2023).…”

“…Guidelines about behaviour, task delegation and participation enabled participants to be prepared and helped with time management (Hoybakk et al, 2022;O'Neill et al, 2023). Each participant learned how to lead a group, present a case and give feedback.…”