Open - HETI - NSW Government

The administrative roleOrientationOrientation is the key to effectively introducing a new supervisee into the clinical area or facility andsetting up the supervisory relationship. Supervisors are often responsible for organising or participating in orientationfor new supervisees, even if they delegate parts of the orientation to other staff. Where appropriate, multidisciplinaryorientation should be considered as it immediately begins to meld the supervisee into the clinical team.Oral health professionals highly value a formal orientation. Not orienting a supervisee sends some strong negativemessages about the professionalism of the team they are joining. Lack of orientation is often a root cause of laterproblems that supervisees may experience as they settle into their new role.It is useful to have a checklist to ensure that orientation is comprehensive (see next page).Wherever possible, include a face-to-face handover to a new supervisee. A succinct (written or digital) orientationpackage is an excellent welcome gift. Such packages need regular updating.Orientation provides the supervisor with the opportunity to review the supervisee’s current level of knowledgeand experience and to develop a plan to meet their particular learning goals.Benefits of a successful orientation extend to the whole clinical team. With a multidisciplinary, interprofessionalcollaborative practice approach, teamwork and collaborative relationships are promoted and staff can be bettersupported. In addition, patients will receive better care when all members of the team use standard proceduresand protocols.72 HETI The Superguide FIRST EDITION