Clinical Supervision and Positive Practice Environments: A Scoping Review

The purpose of clinical supervision (CS) is to assist healthcare providers in performing effective professional activities and providing the best care for patients, which has been described as associated with improved performance and quality indicators. Additionally, CS was found to be beneficial for the mental health of healthcare professionals in terms of their job satisfaction, levels of stress, and burnout.

The aim of the study was to map and synthesize existing evidence on how CS has been associated with positive practice environments for healthcare teams.

Scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. Searches were conducted in July 2024 using CINAHL, MEDLINE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Scopus, and Web of Science. Both primary research and review studies were considered, as well as relevant gray literature. Studies were included if they addressed CS in relation to positive practice environments, well-being, or work conditions among healthcare teams. Data were analyzed thematically and through content analysis.

This review included 37 studies, highlighting eight key categories: (i) mental health promotion; (ii) organizational culture; (iii) supervisor qualities; (iv) performance; (v) professional development; (vi) leadership/management; (vii) job satisfaction; and (viii) communication.

The findings indicate that CS is frequently described in the literature in relation to professional competencies, workplace well-being, psychological safety, job satisfaction, and communication within healthcare teams.