Clinical Supervision Handbook - CAMH Knowledge Exchange ..

Clinical Supervision Handbook
isolated staff member. On the floor it can be seen that clinicians shine with a simple
gesture of thanks, “great work on capturing near-misses,” “what a tremendous work
on that eIPCC” or “great job on assisting that client with transition.”
In addition to the support and guidance provided to staff, the supervisor responding
to these spontaneous requests is modelling clinical skills and techniques important
to the development of therapeutic relationships with clients, such as flexibility, availability
and support. Being flexible and available to staff demonstrates an approach
that clinicians can translate into their relationships with clients. The challenge for
the supervisor is knowing when to back off or redirect staff to scheduled sessions.
If staff are only using these spontaneous opportunities and not engaging in more
formal supervision, then the supervisor may want to explore with the staff the possibility
of setting time aside in advance to discuss clinical practice issues.
Spontaneous clinical supervision is not a brief “quick-fix, give-me-the-answer-now”
interaction. It involves critical educational, emotional and clinical support, which
can open the door for follow-up sessions, in which fuller discussions of clinical
scenarios and dilemmas contribute to the growth of the staff member. Spontaneous
supervision does not replace a more traditional model of supervision but offers a
starting point by engaging staff, is flexible and responsive to the needs of staff working
in a busy program, and can also provide an adjunct to traditional supervision.
CASE EXAMPLE: SPONTANEOUS SUPERVISION
A clinical supervisor on a long-term care inpatient unit was
approached by the charge nurse, who wanted to take time from
her busy day to visit a patient who had been transferred to a general
hospital for medical investigation. She understood that it
would mean turning the charge nurse responsibilities over to
another nurse for that time, but felt that it was important to
respond to the perceived needs of the individual patient. She did
not have a regular clinical supervision time scheduled for that
morning but showed up at the clinical supervisor’s door to
discuss her plan and its implications. The clinical supervisor
provided support and assisted her in developing and following
through on the plan.
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