Shared Supervision in Nurse-Family Partnership (SHIP): A Case Study

In 2018, when Niagara Region Public Health joined the Canadian Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) Education (CaNE) Pilot Project, a decision was made to use a shared supervision model. In this model, two public health nurses designated as an NFP Team Lead and an NFP Program Manager, are each responsible for a set of supervisory responsibilities as outlined in the NFP core model elements. The purpose of this research study was to describe the unique model of shared supervision within the NFP program at Niagara Region Public Health. Within this case study, we also explored and documented how this model was used to integrate NFP into the existing family health programs offered by this health unit and to provide all supervisory functions, outlined in the NFP core model elements to public health nurses on the team.

The primary research questions for this single descriptive case study were as follows:

1. What are the characteristics of a shared model of NFP supervision as implemented by Niagara Region Public Health?
2. What are NFP public health nurses’ and supervisors’ experiences of implementing and delivering the NFP program within the context of this shared model of supervision.
3. How has Niagara Region Public Health integrated the NFP home visitation program with their existing Healthy Babies Healthy Children program?

Results demonstrated 1) the value of reflective supervision; 2) the importance of relational intelligence among those whose role it is to support nurses through reflective supervision, and 3) how, for the shared supervision model to be effective, the NFP team lead and manager must have an effective relationship.

Funded by Niagara Region Public Health & Emergency Services.