Personal Experience of Statutory Supervision of Midwives - Essay Example

?A Personal ment to Support Application to Pursue Midwifery Supervision Personal Experience of Sta y Supervision of Midwives One is aware that the statutory supervision of midwives is governed by The Act of Parliament under the Local Supervising Authorities (LSA). All interested applicants for midwifery are under this authority’s jurisdiction, which, according to their official website, supervision’s main objective is “to maintain the highest standards of care for mothers and babies through evidence based practice. The LSA appoints supervisors at a local level to provide professional leadership in facilitating up-to-date, confident and competent practitioners in a culture of life long learning. The LSA maintains a database of supervisors and monitors effectiveness of the function through regular audit of standards. Critical incidents are fully investigated and lessons learned applied to practice” (Local Supervising Authorities N.D., par. 5). Encouraged by the vision to belong to a professional breed of supervisors in the field of midwifery, I am committed to use the skills developed during my practice. I share the LSA’s mission of ensuring the protection and safety of the public by honing appropriate leadership skills that promote the high quality standards expected of the profession. My experience as a midwife has brought great joys in terms of assisting in the delivery of babies, from the prenatal to postnatal stages. At the onset, I was made to recognize the crucial role that midwifes play in diverse work settings, of which I got to familiarize myself. My personal training enabled me to experience working in the local community setting where I got to offer my services to women’s homes by attending to various stages of pregnancy of specifically identified women who required my assistance. I also experienced further training and both personal and professional development in the hospital setting, which I considered more dynamic and multidimensional. The wealth of experience provided by the interaction and collaboration with other healthcare practitioners enable midwives, like me, to gain increasing expertise and competence, not only in undertaking expected responsibilities and duties, but more so, in being exposed to supervision and leadership roles. A brief stint as leading a small team of midwifes to oversee respective responsibilities by delegating tasks to specific patients provided the impetus for my enthusiasm to pursue the midwifery supervisor’s course. I have acknowledged that there is still the need to hone leadership skills through the development of strengths and by addressing eminent weaknesses, not only on a personal capacity, but more so, in carrying out duties of increasing accountabilities. There is a sense of personal achievement and satisfaction gained from leading the small group of midwifes and taking control of the situation. I have full knowledge that the position and authority given me would prepare me for a future career as a supervisor of midwifes. The challenges I expect to encounter include addressing conflict in the workplace, managing change, decision making and problem solving, and risk management, in addition to the basis responsibilities expected of the career. It has therefore been ingrained in one’s future plan to pursue the midwifery supervisor’s course as the best course of action towards personal and professional growth. Though deemed more challenging in terms of finding resources, efforts and time to address the requirements of delving through the course, I am determined to pursue that path to ensure that the customers under our care are most protected through my governance, leadership and supervision. The Strengths and Weaknesses of Supervision In the Workplace The Home Care Referral Registry (HCRR) of Washington State identified what a supervisor does. According to its published report, effective supervision emphasizes four major advantages, to wit: “(1) keeps employees longer (retention); diffuses conflict (better working environment); (3) improves problem solving (better working relationship); and (4) improves the likelihood that the needs of both the employer and the employee will be met (empowerment and satisfaction)” (Home Care Referral Registry (HCRR) N.D., 7). In this regard, through effective supervision, the strengths of supervision in the workplace were identified as follows: employees’ tenure or length of stay is prolonged; higher productivity; maintenance of a conducive working environment; and accomplishment of personal and organizational goals. The ability to create a holistic working environment enables employees to increase productivity and performance through regular monitoring of performance of employees being governed by the supervisor. Further, the supervisor’s role in linking higher management with the rank and file is crucial in maintaining smooth communication between the two. The HCRR emphasizes that the roles that supervisors assume are varied, ranging from goal setting, motivator, mentor, listener, enforcer, disciplinarians, promoter of rules and policies, provider of feedback, an observer, problem solver, and an inspiration, among others (Home Care Referral Registry (HCRR) N.D., 8). In the assumption of various tasks, although some could see this as a strength in terms of the power of authority given to supervisors; these diversity of roles expected to be undertaken could likewise be a weakness in the workplace. The ability to assume each role effectively requires appropriate training and development of skills. These require time and resources, as well as the genuine desire to lead. Further, as a supervisor, one assumes the middleman’s role between management and personnel. Therefore, all the more increasing degrees and levels accountabilities and expectations need to be addressed. Supervisors are concerned with the creation of an environment for performance. They integrate tasks, structure, technology, resources and people into a productive configuration. Included among their functions are planning, organizing and control. In the end, however, they are expected to achieve goals through the efforts of other people. They have to influence the behavior of other people in order to get things done. This requires commitment, determination, and leadership. The supervisor in the workplace is expected to use power to back up influence attempts. Generally, the more power the supervisor has, the more effective his influence attempts will be. There is actually some danger in using power without due discernment of its limits. Thus, an order from someone with higher authority is much more likely to be followed than one emanating from someone without it. In this capacity, the supervisor’s middleman role could be a potential weakness, especially when top management does not give full support to the supervisors. Further, supervisors have to undergo continuous training and development to keep oneself abreast with developments in their specific fields of endeavor. The way they undertake roles and responsibilities are under close scrutiny of both management and the personnel they oversee. There is a world of difference between doing the right thing and doing things right. The difference is one between effectiveness and efficiency. Effectiveness is doing the right things. Efficiency is doing things right. Both are crucial. Supervisors, as leaders, are people who do the right things; managers are people who do things right. Supervisors are therefore challenged to discern a balance between the two. What One Would Like to Bring to Supervision After identification of strengths and weaknesses of supervision in the workplace, one would like to bring increased professionalism of the role of a supervisor by enhancing the strengths and addressing the weaknesses. This is only possible with the support of both top management and of the rank and file. The strengths identified above could be more enhanced through an evaluation and assessment of the particular needs of the organization and of the personnel being governed. The ability of the supervisor to determine specific needs and to address these needs require experience and regular training. More importantly, supervisors must not forget that they also have personal and professional needs that have to be satisfied and achieved. The HCRR advised that “remember to keep your priorities at the forefront – be careful about falling in the trap of always meeting the needs of your workers because this puts your own needs behind theirs” (Home Care Referral Registry (HCRR) N.D., 11). In addition, supervisors need to improve skills in communication. As indicated by HRCRR, “the relational approach to working with employees uses effective communication skills to build positive supervisor – worker relationships and stronger problem-solving skills” (Home Care Referral Registry (HCRR) N.D., 15). As supervision aims to provide the link between top management and personnel, supervisors must be competent and equipped with effective communication skill, both in oral and writing, to ensure that messages are appropriately relayed to the proper channels. A relational approach is contrasted to the traditional approach where supervisors solely identify issues that need to be resolved; explain the rules, regulations, and policies clearly; explain the consequences and penalties for violations of policies and codes of discipline; offer or recommend solutions and order workers to comply with rules ( (Home Care Referral Registry (HCRR) N.D., 16). In contrast, the relational approach to supervision acknowledges the important participation and contribution of workers in problem-solving and in working at appropriate solution based on experiences with the clientele. In terms of addressing the weaknesses and challenges of supervisors, the assumption of diverse roles could only be sustained through regular training, mentorship, and experience. The problem today is that many institutions are underled. These institutions excel in the ability to handle each day all the routine inputs; yet may never ask whether the routine should be done at all. Leaders have tendencies not to pay enough attention to doing the right thing, while they pay too much attention to doing things right. In these institutions, technicians and staff people thrive while supervisors, as leaders are scarce. The importance of gaining top management support through the design and implementation of leadership training and development must be incorporated in policies that address career paths. As a supervisor who acknowledges the need for training, development and maintenance of personnel, one should be instrumental in developing their own personal and professional competencies and qualifications in this field by looking for further career opportunities in the future. Finally, one would aim to emphasize the crucial role of supervisors who are made to assume diverse tasks and responsibilities and bridge the relationship between management and the personnel. Through proper training and development that could be accorded through the midwifery supervisor’s course, I expect to gain the knowledge, abilities and skills that would equip me with the theoretical and practical tools needed for the supervisory position. Choice of the Higher Educational Institute and the Rationale for One’s Choice To provide one with the essential theoretical and practical background and multidimensional approach for the midwifery supervisor’s course, one opts to choose the Edinburgh Napier University located at Craiglockhart Campus, Edinburgh. A brief review of its official website revealed that the institution is “a dynamic, innovative and forward-looking institution dedicated to supplying educational services which are relevant to the needs of today's students and employers” (Edinburgh Napier University N.D., par. 1). Its Midwifery Supervisor’s Course was reported to be structured using the theory and practice module; where the practice module promises to “prepare you for the complex statutory role of a supervisor of midwives in accordance to Nursing and Midwifery Council (2006) Standards for preparation. This module will enhance your skills in critical analysis, decision making and demonstrate leadership skills in supervision” (Edinburgh Napier University N.D.) and the theory module “will explore the impact of this professional role in relation to leadership, promoting best practice and supporting women and their families” (Edinburgh Napier University N.D.). In this regard, through the thrust and use of theoretical and practical frameworks for developing supervisory skills as clearly indentified in their course modules, I have chosen the Edinburgh Napier University due to its holistic and multidimensional approach which is supportive of the needs of their diverse student population. Their promotion of equality and diversity, freedom of information, provision of diverse study options and according students to take responsibility for one’s personal and professional development with due guidance and mentorship from the institution make the institution my personal choice. Reference List Edinburgh Napier University. About Us. N.D. http://www.napier.ac.uk/aboutus/Pages/AboutUs.aspx (accessed July 15, 2011). Home Care Referral Registry (HCRR). Effective Supervision. N.D. http://www.tescjanewood.com/EffectiveSupervisionEmployersManual.pdf (accessed July 15, 2011). Local Supervising Authorities. Statutory Supervision Overview. N.D. http://www.midwife.org.uk/statsuper/ (accessed July 15, 2011). Read More