In search of a national approach to professional supervision for mental health and addiction nurses: The New Zealand experience

A competent nursing workforce is crucial for recovery of mental health and addiction service users. Professional supervision is central to facilitating this competency. This article reports on research that scoped the current provision of professional supervision then explores possibilities for developing a standardised national approach to professional supervision for mental health and addiction nurses in New Zealand. The study involved telephone and mail surveys with nurse leaders and current supervisors from district health boards and non-government organisations. The findings indicated that the majority of those canvassed were supportive of a nationally endorsed approach. Standardisation was seen as a means of assisting in the monitoring and quality refinement of the content and provision of professional supervision, and the training of supervisors. It was also recommended that to be successful, a national approach must incorporate partnerships with significant stakeholders in the sector, including service users and Maori.