Professional supervision
Professional supervision can assist nurses and other professionals to grow and develop in their role and reduce burnout. Te Pou's professional supervision project is designed to increase the use of professional supervision in mental health nursing.
On this page
About the project
In 2008 Te Pou contracted the University of Auckland's Centre for Mental Health Research (CMHR) to survey what current approaches were in existence related to professional supervision in mental health services within DHBs and NGOs in New Zealand. The report, Professional Supervision for Mental Health and Addiction Nurses, was completed in June 2008. The survey results indicated there is great variation within the models and adherence to professional supervision in the country.
The results of the survey guided the development of Professional Supervision Guidelines for Mental Health and Addiction Nurses, published in January 2009. These guidelines form the basis of a national training structure for professional supervision, which aligns with Let's get real and is accredited by professional bodies.
Expressions of interest for piloting the training were sought from DHBs, with Northland DHB selected as the pilot site in April 2009. The pilot involved delivering an initial training package with follow-up training for selected supervisors and supervisees from Northland DHB, over a period of approximately seven months. Through the contract between Te Pou and NDHB, the DHB made clinical nurse specialist Bernie Cameron available to act as site coordinator for the project. Nurse leader Jane Simperingham acted as project sponsor.
An evaluation of the pilot has now been completed and the report is available for download.
Why Te Pou is involved
Mental Health Nursing and its Future: A Discussion Framework (Ministry of Health, 2006) prioritises professional supervision as one of its nine recommendations and goes on to suggest that district health boards and non-government organisations implement three key actions to ensure professional supervision takes place, and has a national approach.
- A well researched and nationally-agreed model of supervision training for supervisors and supervisees. The model(s) will allow for supervision to be delivered individually, in a group or as peer supervision.
- All nurses engaged in supervision will have a nationally standardised supervision contract.
- There will be a commitment from employers that supervision takes place during work hours and, as a minimum requirement, occurs monthly.
In 2008 Te Pou contracted the University of Auckland’s Centre for Mental Health Research to survey what was actually happening with regards to professional supervision in New Zealand. The survey results indicated that there is great variation within the models and adherence to professional supervision in the country. The results of this survey guided the development of Professional Supervision Guidelines for Mental Health and Addiction Nurses.
Key documents
The following documents are available to download in PDF format.
Professional Supervision Training: A Pilot Evaluation in Northland DHB PDF (565kb)
Professional Supervision for Mental Health and Addiction Nurses PDF (515kb)
National Guidelines for the Professional Supervision of Mental Health and Addiction Nurses PDF (337kb)
Further information
For more information, contact Anne McDonald, clinical lead - nursing.
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Page last updated: 29 April 2010