Clinical Peer Supervision in the Integration of Nurses into an Orthopedic Service

Abstract

The process of integrating nurses into a department is crucial for their personal and professional development. A smooth adaptation is essential to feel capable of providing quality care and contributing to the continuous improvement of services. Objective: To understand the process of integrating nurses into the orthopedics department of a hospital in Northern Portugal, from the perspective of the nurses themselves. Methodology: Qualitative approach, exploratory and descriptive in nature. An open-ended questionnaire, applied during february 2024, was used as the data collection tool. The data was analyzed using Bardin's(2011) content analysis method, applied to 12 nurses who were integrated during the past year(2023). Results and Discussion: The results were presented in six categories: 1.Integration conducted by different nurses, 2.Support materials: not all nurses received them, but all valued them, 3.Short Integration Period, 4.Prevalence of negative emotions in the integration process, 5.Relational, organizational, and technical skills of the supervising nurse, 6.Previous professional experience as the most important facilitating factor in integration. The nurses' perspectives allowed for an analysis and reflection on peer clinical supervision, identifying factors and strategies for more effective integration. Conclusion: The study highlighted negative aspects that could be avoided, as well as positive aspects that should be reinforced during the integration process. The importance of a well-prepared clinical supervisor and a structured integration program tailored to the needs of new nurses are emphasized as key elements in the integration process, supporting both personal and professional development and the building of professional identity.