SUPERVISION

INTRODUCTION

Supervision is generally termed as an educational process in which a person with

better training or more experience takes the responsibility of training a person with
less training or less experience, and in this educational process the leadership of the
supervisor and the growth of the supervised combine to achieve and maintain
progressively the highest level of performance of which the worker is capable.

DEFINITION:

Supervision is defined as -An art or a process by which designated individual or group

of individuals oversee the work of others and establish controls to improve the work
as well as the worker.

Supervision refers to the direct and immediate guidance and control of subordinates in
the performance of their work.

Supervision is guiding and directing efforts of employees and other resources to

accomplish stated work outputs.

George. [Link] and Stephen

Supervision is observation and providing feedback to ensure the quality of the

program and to enable the staff to perform to their maximum potential. Traditional
approaches to supervision emphasized on inspecting facilities and controlling
individual performance.

OBJECTIVES OF SUPERVISION

The main aim of supervision is to inspect, evaluate and improve workers'

performance. The objectives of the supervision are as follows:

1. To help subordinate to do their job skilfully and efficiently.

2. To develop subordinates capacity to the fullest extent.

3. To promote team work

4. To promote moral and motivation among workers.

5. To bridge the gap between personal goal and organizational goal

PURPOSE OF SUPERVISION

1. Supervision should aim at growth in knowledge and improvement of skill of the

person.
2. Supervision should improve the ability in thinking and adjusting to the new
situation.

3. It should help to formulate objects.

4. Good supervision stimulates their interest and effectors.

5. No undue pressure for achievement

6. Autonomy to subordinate preferred

7. Supervision should have competence

8. Supervision should have receive training

9. Decision making is encouraged

10. Free communication is required

11. No over burdening to staff

12. Good leadership by supervisor

13. Suitable climate for work

14. Give guidance

15. Supervision should encourage innovation allowing free flow of ideas and share
positive experiences of personnel.

PRINCIPLES OF SUPERVISION

1 . Supervision should not overburden any individual or group.

2. Supervision should not exert undue pressure, causing unreasonable pressure for
achievement, results in low performance and low confidence in the supervisor

3. Supervision should be general and not close.

4. Supervision should be professionally and technically competent for his/her success

in career

5. Supervision calls for good planning and organization, which ensures good
planning, organizing and co-ordination.

6. Supervision is a process of co-operation and co-ordination.

7. Supervision needs to understand the problems and situations.

8. Supervision should create suitable climate for productive work.

9. Supervisors should communicate with workers freely for their effective

supervision, i.c. good communication is essential for supervisor.

10. Supervisors should have the capacity to influence downwards depends on capacity
to influence upwards.

11 . Supervision should give autonomy to workers depending upon personalities,

expertise, capabilities, knowledge, competence, experience and characteristics.

12. Supervision should encourage innovation allowing free flow of ideas and share
positive experiences of personnel.

13. Supervision should ensure staff development, i.e. it should focus on continued and
sustained staff growth and development.

14. Supervisors are always accountable for the performance of their subordinates
under his/her sign of control..

15. Supervision should be a teaching-learning process, in which it should help

workers improve, develop and reinforce knowledge and skills according to their
individual learning need.

16. Supervisors are required to help the workers develop the right attitude, i.e. by
adapting positive and supportive attitude rather an attitude of inspection.

17. Supervision should provide necessary counselling, guidance and training to staff.

18. Supervisors are responsible for checking and guidance.

19. Supervision should encourage deserved staff and decision making.

20. Supervision should provide good leadership. The good leadership is a part of good
supervision.

COMMON SUPERVISORY METHODS

1. Individual conference

[Link] conference

3. Training sessions

4. Review of records

5. Evaluation sessions

6. Direct observation
WHO IS SUPERVISOR?

* A supervisor is a person who is primarily incharge of a section & is responsible for

both quality & quantity of production, for the efficient performance of the equipment,
& for the employees in his charge & their efficiency, training & morale

* A supervisor drives authority from the departmental head for getting work done
from the workers by using the resources of the enterprises.

* He issues instructions to the workers, directs their activities & reports to the
department head on the performance of his section

QUALITIES OF A GOOD SUPERVISOR:

 The qualities of a supervisor derived from the personality characteristics and

professional competence, will include:

 Trained person

 Understand the training background and ability of the supervised.

 Good knowledge, the local practice

 Good in health, skills in T.G & have pleasing manner

 Good listener.

 Creative enthusiasm

 Just impartial human, tolerant and tactful

 Helpful

 Forcefulness, integrity and firmness.

 Full awareness of the job and the rules and regulation.

 Full awareness of existing situations.

 Intelligence and willingness to grow.

 Good power of judgement, impartial understanding of others', emotions, attitudes

and feelings and quickness in recognizing achievements of subordinates.

 Ability to delegate duties and responsibilities; the right job to right person.

 Continuous guidance, cooperation and coordination.

 Sympathetic attitude and good listening.

 Willingness to adopt new policies and accept changes if necessary.

 Maintain good health, possess self-confidence, self control, enthusiasm for work
and human interests, human relations.

 Ability to communicate information skilfully and tactfully, maintain two-way

communications

 Ability to work with others and establish a climate of rapport.

 Ability to inspire and take immediate action.

 Update professional knowledge of the activities, techniques and procedures.

 Objectivity, impartiality, approach ability fair discipline, loyalty and fairness in

dealing.

 Trustworthy and trust others and respect members.

 Command respect from members and support member's ideas.

FUNCTIONS OF SUPERVISOR:

A. Administrative:

 Assignment of the work loads of individual and groups according to the level of
physical and mental competence (or) preparing the duty roaster.

 Identify the needs for supplies and equipment and providing materials and
supplies to facilitate the staff performance.

 Identify the problem and helps to solve.

B. Educative:

 Orientation

 Teaching subordinates.

 Plan and conduct in service education program.

 Ensuring staff developments

C. Communicative

 The supervision act as a communicator between the staff and authorities and
other health team members.
 She facilitates communication

 She should encourage free communication among persons between worker and
community representatives and members of health team.

D. Evaluative:

 Supervisor is supposed to carryout performance appraisal of all the staff this

include identify the cause of difficulty.

OTHER FUNCTIONS ARE:

Co-ordinates there of subordinates and agents and promote team worker.

* Promote social contact with in the team to bring staff together and increases group
cohesiveness.

* Develops mutual confidence

* Raises level of motivation

* Develops good IPR

* Maintains R & R

* Establish control over the subordinates

STEPS IN SUPERVISION:

When supervision is needed the suprvisor has to make plan for supervision by using
certain steps to follow.

1. Defining of the job to be done

2. Selection and organization of supervisor activities based on available resources.

3. Anticipation of difficulties

4. Establishment of criterion for evaluation determining what extent the programme

has met problem/objectives according to plan.

1 Definition of the job refers to that supervisor should know his position clearly
whether he/she is in line or staff position. The line position is administrative character
and the staff position is advisory and consultative. Usually the definition of job
requires an understanding of the general and specific objectives of his job, and extent
and limits of authority inherent in his/her position and the supervisor also should be
aware of problems and needs of the community as well as qualifications, qualities and
problems of the personnel..

2. Selection and organization of activities refers to the activities chosen should be

compatible with the objectives of the supervision and also should be based on the
available facilities and personnel relating to service (nursing) and improvement in the
service, which is expected by the agency and the community.

3 Anticipating difficulties according to the type of job. i.e. service problem.

administrative difficulties, personal factor (e.g resource to change, poor relation) and
other related problems.

4. Establishment of criteria for evaluation Evaluation refers to determining as to

what extent the programme has met problems or objectives according to plan. This
can be done by objective measurement subjective comparison of service indices and
opinion or judgement of the staff supervisor

TYPES OF SUPERVISION:

(1) Direct supervision- Face to face talk with worker

Points to be considered:

- Do not loose temper

- Use democratic approach and avoid autographic

- Give workers chance to reply

- Do not talk too much and too fast

- Be human in behavior

- Do not give instructions haphazard way.

(2) Indirect supervision: With the help of record and reports of the worker and
through written instructions. This includes:

- Ensuring-carrying out allotted work

- Analysis of monthly progress input efforts and achievement

- Analyzing amount of work allotted

- Support and guidance,

METHODS OF SUPERVISION:

(1) Technical vs. creative supervision

(2) Co-operative vs. authoritarian

(3) Scientific vs, institutive

(4) Task oriented vs. employee oriented

I. Technical - These are basic supervisory skills and which need to be trained-group
discussion and conference

For example: techniques of service study, record construction, time study etc.

Creative provides maximum adaptation to the situ Ex. Instead of orientation period of
two week for each new staff member, a variable plan in both contents and time
according to the needs of each individual should formulated.

II. Cooperative full participation of each member of the group in planning, action and
decision.

Authorization: supervision responsibility centers entirely on the supervisor, with the

staff following his/her orders.

Both are needed all to situation.

III. Scientific supervision - Relics on objective study and measurement than personal
judgment/opinion.

Intitutive supervision :It needs to maintain IPR

IV. Task oriented supervision emphasize the task more than performer. Employee
oriented: Supervisors are more concerned about worker staff their needs and welfare
than assigned tasks.

TOOLS FOR SUPERVISION

 Checklist

 Rating scales

 Nurses reports

 Nursing rounds

 Job descriptions

 Personnel policies

 Staff educations

 Problem solving approach

TECHNIQUES OF SUPERVISION

A technique is a way of doing something. Techniques vary with the personality and
ability of the individuals who are being supervised, the activities that are being
performed under supervision and the immediate circumstances.

Any technique used for supervision must be based on sound democratic psychological
principles which takes account the nurse's individuality.

Techniques of Supervision includes:

1. Group conference

2. Individual conference

3. Anectotal records.

4. Initial conference

5. Control of early experience

6. Assistance with bedside care

7. Reassurance

8. Supervision of nursing procedure

9. [Link]

10. Incidental teaching

 Example as a method of teaching

 Answering and asking questions

 Demonstrationof desirable performance

 Positive suggestions

 Making an opportunity for observation of unusual symptoms.

THE PROCESS OF SUPERVISION:

Stage 1: Preparation for supervision

1. A supervisor should focus on specific issue.

- Efficacy of service provided to the relevant problems

- Efficacy problem utilization & management of limited resources.

2. Study of document

3. Identification of priorities

4. Preparation of a supervision schedule

Stage 2:
Supervision use tools:- job description- task description- weekly timetable- rating for
each work
As a supervisor the following duties has to be performed

 Establish contact

 Review the objectives, targets and norms

 Review job descriptions

 Note actual/potential conflict.

 Observe the actual performance.

 Observe the individual nursing staff carries out his/her tasks.

 Identify the gaps & needs for follow up action based on feed back data attained
through the observation.

Stage 3:

Follow up of supervision Unless actions to follow-up the gaps and needs identified
during stage are taken, supervision remains incomplete. Each supervisor must prepare
a report on the observations made during supervision. The follow-up action may
include:

Organizing in-service training programmes/continuing education programmes for the

nursing personnel.

 Reorganization of time table/work plan/ duty roaster.

 Initiating changes in logistic support or supply system.

 Initiating actions for organizing staff welfare activities.

 Counselling and guidance regarding career development and professional growth

FACTORS OF EFFECTIVE SUPERVISION

1. Human relations skill:

Supervision is mainly concerned with instructing, guiding and inspiring human beings
towards greater performance. For purpose of direction, the supervisor has to rely on
leadership, counselling, communication and other determinants of human relations
2. Technical and Managerial knowledge:
Guidance implies a complete understanding of all work problems, for which
supervisor should have good knowledge about technical aspect of job and also the
managerial aspect

3. Leadership position
The authority of supervisor must be made commensurate with their duty so as to make
the job of supervision a satisfying, rewarding and challenging one

4. Improved upward relations

To ensure good quality of supervisors, the supervisor's should be regularly allowed to
present their views and suggestions to top executive in regard to the personnel and
their works performance.

5. Relief from non-supervisory duties

To make the supervisory duties purposeful, supervisors are to be relieved of many
routine activities that divert their attention from the real job. Such as submission of
numerous reports, training of subordinates etc.
6. Nature of supervision: General and close supervision
According to some experience, the general and close supervision is more productive
than close supervision. Here the leader must allow freedom and initiative to his
followers for pursuing a common course of action.
[Link] cohesiveness

Group cohesiveness is characterised by the degree of attraction that cach member has
for the group or the stick togetherness of the group. Group with high cohesiveness
produce better results because each member of the group work towards the attainment
of common goals. An effective supervisor attempts for group cohesiveness by
infusing confidence and trust in employees.

8 . Proper understanding about subordinates

Effective supervision demands that the superior must understand his subordinates and
try to satisfy their genuine needs for promotion, recognition, and work-centred
benefits.

PROBLEMS OF SUPERVISION

PROBLEMS IN NURSING SERVICE:

There are no perfect nursing service programs/situations without any problems

1. Shortage of nursing personnel.

2. Individual differences among personnel in interests, capacities and abilities.

3. Lack of information, insight and understanding of changes and developments in the

interest of the continuance and improvement of nursing.
4. Lack of clearly defined assignments, multiple responsibility and lack of planning
on the part of those to whom personnel is responsible

5. Outdated policies, procedures and guides to workmanship which cause them to he

disregarded and unused,

6. Inadequate, unsafe, and defective equipment.

7.. Ill health in the part of personnel

8. Undesirable personnel characteristics with special attention to attitudes.

COMMON PROBLEMS IN COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING

SUPERVISION:

1. Problems inherent to budgeting, planning and timing.

2. Personnel problems including problems of poor performance.

3. Grievances

4. Lack of financial resources.

5. Lack administrative support

6. Staff members who are inflexible and resist any type of change

7. Assignment to projects other than those committed to perform

8. Lack of political support

9.. Staff members who do not accept or support the program goals.

10. Conflict within the nursing unit itself

11. Inability to proceed (for many reasons) because the timing is wrong

12. Inability to hire qualified personnel.

13. Changes in program priorities.

14. Other issues can include anything from can rental, uniform allowance, security of
the staff within the community, need for supplies and equipment, duplication of
services provided by another organization.

Responsibilities of the Nursing Supervisor

Since supervisor usually will be the middle level manager, has got upward downward
responsibilities. The upward responsibilities will include: and
 Identify the activities of the authorities either institutional setting (hospital) or
community setting (district health)

 Make arrangement to carry out identified activity.

 Always keep in touch with the higher authorities what is being done or doing

 Suggest measures to improve efficiency of health personnel or nursing personnel

and efficacy of performance.

 Act as a liaison between higher authorities and subordinates (nursing staff)

interpreting the requirements of the authorities.

 Timely refer matters to immediate officers in hierarchy which are required to

draw their attention to deal with. The downward responsibilities will include:

 Assist in selecting, orienting and training new staff and students.

 Teach them to demonstrate concern decorum, manners, tact, courtesy, in their

day-to- day dealings.

 Help them effectively humanly communicate with their clientele and all others
concerned.

 Build good interpersonal relationships among workers.

 Assign duties and responsibilities to right nurses to perform right job at right time
.
 Help nurses perform their job effectively, when needed.

 Assist the nurses to take pride in their work, urging them to do their best with
dedication, human concern and sense of involvement

 Help them develop value system that would be beneficial to clients at all levels

 Develop spirit of dedication, teamwork, cooperation among the workers.

 Take suitable steps to maintain high standard of performance at all levels.

CONCLUSION

Supervision means overseeing the employees at work. It has been defined as the
authoritative direction of the work of one's subordinates. It is a necessary concomitant
of their hierarchical organization in which each level of subordinate to the one
immediately above it and subject to its orders. Workers at the intermediate levels of
the organization supervise as well as are supervised They supervise the work of those
immediately below them and their own work is subjected to the supervision of their
superior officers. Al the lower level of the organization however supervision occurs in
its pure form over the first line workers who in their turn supervise on one else work..
It is a continuous process in which atmosphere of cordiality, mutual trust, respect and
linking is essential for the creation of positive relationship between the supervise and
supervisor. The modern concept of supervision is to guide and help the subordinates
in their work by way of training, checking, individual counselling and guidance.

BIBILIOGRAPHY

1. Jogindra Vati. Principles and practice of Nursing Administration(2013) Jaypee

publications. Pg no: 437-42

2. Anoop.N, Chetan Kumar, M.R. Deepak.K, A Text book on Nursing Management,

2011.

3. Basvanthappa BT. Nursing Administration. 2nd edition, Jaypee publications.

 Sub: nursing administration
Class presentation
on
Supervision and
management

Submitted To Submitted by
Ms. Sarita Bomzon Bishakha maity
Senior Lecturor Msc.(N) part ii
CON, NBMC&H CON,NBMC&H