Abstract
A lack of proper monitoring and supervision of clinics in the King William's Town Health District (Eastern Cape) was highlighted by members of the public in the local newspaper, The Daily Dispatch, during 1999. A clinic audit conducted by the Health Information Unit of the King William's Town Health District further revealed the inadequacies of clinic supervision in this district. This article describes the qualitative study that was conducted with the aim of optimising clinic supervision in this health district. The study brought to light two issues that appear to be paramount in ensuring optimal clinic supervision. These are: The importance of formal and informal preparation of clinic supervisors for the supervisory role The support system that the clinic supervisors require to perform their duties effectively. The focus of this article will be on the discussion of the research findings as well as guidelines that were developed to optimise clinic supervision.
Highlights
Introduction and backgroundThree groups o f supervisors are involved in the supervision of clinics in the King W illiam ’s Town Health District
The supervisory functions of the first and second level supervisors are complementary and very similar, the area supervisor is expected to sup port the nurse in charge of the clinic in many ways, e.g. by updating her/him on changes and developments regarding policies and practices, assisting her/him with problem solving, facilitating the acquisition of the necessary skills and provid ing her/him with a written report after every visit
The complaints forwarded by the public as well as the findings of the audit created the im pression that nurses in charge o f clinics in the King W illiam’s Town Health District were not performing their supervisory function effectively
Summary
Three groups o f supervisors are involved in the supervision of clinics in the King W illiam ’s Town Health District. The supervisory functions of the first and second level supervisors are complementary and very similar, the area supervisor is expected to sup port the nurse in charge of the clinic in many ways, e.g. by updating her/him on changes and developments regarding policies and practices, assisting her/him with problem solving, facilitating the acquisition of the necessary skills and provid ing her/him with a written report after every visit Such a report functions as feedback on the performance of the clinic staff and highlights issues that need to be rectified in order to improve quality care. The complaints forwarded by the public as well as the findings of the audit created the im pression that nurses in charge o f clinics in the King W illiam’s Town Health District were not performing their supervisory function effectively. This prompted the researcher to question how first level clinic supervisors in the King W illiam ’s Town Health District experience their supervisory functions
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
