Who benefits from clinical supervision and how? The association between clinical supervision and the work‐related well‐being of female hospital nurses

Aim and objectives. The aims of this study were (1) to identify which nurses benefitted most from clinical supervision and (2) to explore whether they were healthier and more satisfied with their work than their peers who did not attend clinical supervision. Background. To maintain quality nursing, there is currently a social call to improve the well‐being of nurses at work. Restoring nurses’ well‐being is one of the main purposes of clinical supervision. However, research evidence on the effects of clinical supervision is scarce. Design. Survey. Methods. Questionnaires were distributed to female hospital nurses (n = 304), about a half of whom (48·7%) had attended clinical supervision. Perceptions of work and health among the nurses who gave the best evaluations of clinical supervision (n = 74) were compared with those of their peers who gave the worst evaluations (n = 74) or who had not attended clinical supervision (n = 156). Results. The nurses who received efficient clinical supervision reported more job and personal resources and were more motivated and committed to the organisation than their peers. However, professional inefficacy was the only burnout dimension on which they scored lower than other nurses. Conclusions. Clinical supervision can be conceptualised as an additional job resource associated with other job and personal resources, which mutually reinforce each other, promoting well‐being at work. Efficient clinical supervision is probably both an antecedent as well as a consequence of well‐being at work. Relevance to clinical practice. The results of this study advocate management planning to provide formal support for health care providers. Medical–surgical nurses are interested in clinical supervision. Reflecting on practice in clinical supervision generates new ideas about how to improve the quality of care and the psychosocial work environment. However, clinical supervision may be viewed as a preventive method rather than a treatment for burnout.