Clinical supervision and Project 2000: The identification of some substantive issues

This exploratory two-stage study, funded for two years by the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, sought to reveal the prevailing circumstance of teaching, support, supervision and role modelling for students in clinical areas, within the context of Project 2000 courses, in three centres in England. Evidential data collection methods were developed which included personal interviews, non-participant observation and the scrutiny of documents. Findings revealed confusion and misunderstanding between students, practitioners and tutors about clinical supervision arrangements and competing explanations were reported. Further controlled research is required to assess and cost the comparative impact clinical supervision may make to student learning experience and to the well-being and skill base of qualified nurses, and the effect of both on the quality of patient care. NT Research 1996; 1:2, 102-111