Background

The WACHS Palliative Care Program (PCP) piloted a clinical supervision project for regional Nurse Coordinators over 2021-22. This innovative project was productive and has since been extended to all regional palliative care nurses, social workers, and Aboriginal Health Liaison Officers. 

Geographical locations and distance warrant specific consideration in the vastness of the WA regional districts. WA has the largest land area of any Australian state or territory covering an area of over 2.5 million square kilometres. 

The value of the pilot clinical supervision has subsequently led to a new pilot project aimed specifically at developing a peer support group for NPs. A twelve month pilot project of a monthly facilitated reflective supervision group for NPs commenced in February 2023. 

Aims

This oral presentation will outline the foundations for, and implementation of the facilitated NP reflective supervision group. The aims for establishing a facilitated NP reflective supervision group, are to implement a longer-term, secure peer support group amongst NPs, and to influence a fundamental cultural change within palliative care nursing towards viewing supervision (clinical and reflective) as a natural, acceptable and enabling facet of professional life. Overall, it is anticipated this will improve the quality of palliative care services in rural and remote WA as well as assist in sustaining NPs to remain living, working and contributing to healthy country WA communities. 

Methods

Methods used for determining, forming, and communicating with, the reflective supervision group, including identified challenges and advantages will be included. 

Results/Lessons Learnt

Evaluation of the pilot NP reflective supervision group is conducted using unidentifiable questionnaires pre-commencement, at 6 and 12 months of the NP reflective supervision group. This presentation will provide a mid-pilot review summary of data collection.

Conclusions/Next Steps

An outline for consideration of expanding the pilot beyond the initial reflective supervision group will be given. 

Themes:

Supervision - types / Nurse Practitioners / Sustaining nurses / Building healthy communities / networking / collegial support