Abstract
Introduction
Clinical supervision (CS) has been recognised as a reflective mechanism in inpatient mental health nursing practice, however it remains unclear what adequate and effective supervision entails for inpatient mental health nurses.
Aim
To explore factors which influence adequate and effective clinical supervision for inpatient mental health nurses’ personal and professional development.
Method
Whittemore and Knafl’s model for ensuring rigour was utilised. This included stages to address problem identification, literature searching, data evaluation, data analysis and presentation. Seven electronic databases were searched with hand searching/internet searching. 14 retrieved articles were selected and appraised using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT). The data extracted from the papers were analysed thematically.
Results
The review synthesis resulted in identifying six themes (1) what makes CS effective; (2) reflection; (3) the facilitation of professional identity and knowledge through CS (4) participation (5) knowledge and understanding of CS (6) the facilitation of personal awareness and coping.
Discussion
This review adds further knowledge on the identification of effective CS for inpatient mental health nurses as a defined occupational healthcare group.
Implications for Practice
A suggested needs analysis is presented to improve access to CS options with the aim of promoting effective CS and increased engagement.