Current practices in clinical supervision in psychosocial oncology

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: Clinical supervision is a common pedagogical practice, but one that has received little scrutiny. This descriptive study examined the state of supervision in psycho-oncology in the United States. We were interested in learning more about how supervision is being conducted to better understand how training and clinical supervision can be improved in psycho-oncology. Design/Sample: Fifty-three psychosocial oncology mental health professionals completed an electronic survey. Methods: Participants were asked about their training in supervision, how they practice, what is unique about supervising in an oncology setting, and whether participants viewed their training as sufficient. Findings: Most respondents (50; 94.3%) had received some training in supervision; however, about half (28, 52.8%) reported that they had not received enough training to be an effective supervisor of trainees working with cancer patients. The majority (49, 92.5%) believed it is necessary to gain specific training to be an effective supervisor in oncology settings. In open-ended responses, participants shared what they found unique about supervising in psychosocial oncology; 4 themes emerged. These were the considerations of working in a medical setting, differences in the process and structure of therapy, deeper relationships with colleagues and patients, and the effect of clinical work on the therapist/supervisee. Conclusions/Implications: More than half of our sample of psychosocial oncology practitioners in the United States felt that they were inadequately prepared to supervise and believed it is necessary to pursue specific training in this area. Enhanced training in supervision should be offered because of the specialized demands of practicing in oncology settings.