An exploration of the experiences of mental health and addictions nurses providing clinical supervision in a New Zealand District Health Board

Abstract

Clinical supervision is recognised as valuable due to the stressful nature of mental health nursing. For mental health and addictions nurses, clinical supervision has become an important strategy aimed at providing support and on-going professional development to enable nurses to improve their practice and the quality of client care. In New Zealand, clinical supervisors offer this service but there is little research on their experiences of providing clinical supervision. The present study aims to address this gap and to contribute vital information that will support policy development and management of supervision processes. The aim of this study was to illuminate the experiences of mental health and addictions nurses who provide clinical supervision in a New Zealand DHB. A qualitative descriptive methodology was used. Data was collected via individual semi-structured interviews from 15 clinical supervisors and was analysed using a thematic analysis. Analysis of the data revealed four over-arching themes. These are; „Acquiring and maintaining the nuts and bolts of clinical supervision,‟ „Practicing flexibly within supervision frameworks,‟ Integrating clinical supervision with nursing practice‟ and „Working within organisational frameworks‟. The findings show how providing clinical supervision is a rewarding as well as a challenging experience. It requires motivated and well-prepared individuals who are willing to support others‟ professional development while reflecting on and developing their own practice. Organisational systems can be either supportive or constraining to the effective implementation of clinical supervision. The implications of the findings highlight the need for employers and organisations to provide adequate resources, clear policies and procedures that support and enable all mental health nurses to access clinical supervision. Investing in clinical supervision brings out the best in motivated and committed supervisors and in their supervisees.