Public Health Nursing Service in Ireland-A New Competency-Based Model of Clinical Supervision

Clinical supervision is increasingly recognized as a vital feature in supporting nurses working within the public health nursing service to respond to the expanding and complex demands of child and family health nursing. Yet, despite its established benefits in other health professions, the absence of clinical supervision frameworks and models tailored to the challenges of the public health nursing service withholds opportunities to safeguard practitioner well-being while consistently providing safe levels of care. To address these concerns, we propose the INSIGHT Model, a competency-based approach to clinical supervision, grounded in the standards and educational requirements of public health nursing roles in Ireland to provide structured professional support that enhances competent, safe, person-centered, and accountable care. The model emphasizes core competencies including professional and ethical practice, holistic approaches to clinical decision-making, clinical leadership and management of care, reflective practice and psychological safety, effective communication and professional development. The authors advocate for collaboration across all nursing leadership divisions to support the development of the education requirements for the INSIGHT Model for Clinical Supervision in Public Health Nursing Services in Ireland with suitability for international contexts.