Clinical supervision in a challenging behaviour unit.
OBJECTIVE
As part of an ongoing service development programme at St Andrew's Hospital, Northampton, it was identified that it would be beneficial to explore whether qualified nursing staff in the hospital's five clinical divisions were satisfied with the clinical supervision they received. Also, the survey examined whether supervision was of good quality, was suitable for different specialist environments and if it affected motivation, skills, confidence and stress levels. The survey also explored if there was a difference between D or E-grade nurses and nurses who are F grade and above regarding their perception of clinical supervision.


METHODS
This included a Likert scaled questionnaire (Ladany et al, 1996); and a retrospective (ex-post-facto) cross-sectional survey design. A questionnaire and information sheet was dispatched to 50 qualified nursing staff. Ten nurses from each of the five divisions were invited to participate. After one month, 35 (70 per cent) had returned the questionnaires.


RESULTS
Senior staff benefit more and are more satisfied with regular supervision than junior staff. The survey shows that clinical supervision is in quite good shape, with most nurses receiving regular supervision within a limited time span.


CONCLUSIONS
Large numbers of qualified nurses receive supervision in the hospital and this is extremely positive. However, there are a number of discrepancies regarding who receives supervision, and within what time frame, and why so many qualified nurses feel the supervision is not helping them work more effectively.
Carney
Stewart
S
St Andrew's Hospital, Northampton.
D003625:Data Collection; D004739:England; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D010557:Personnel Administration, Hospital; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*