Clinical supervision of nurses working with patients with borderline personality disorder

• Published in: Issues in mental health nursing Vol. 26; no. 5; p. 507
• Main Authors: Bland, Ann R, Rossen, Eileen K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.06.2005
• Subjects: Attitude of Health Personnel; Borderline Personality Disorder - nursing; Borderline Personality Disorder - psychology; Clinical Competence; Conflict (Psychology); Emotions; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Services Needs and Demand; Humans; Interprofessional Relations; Job Satisfaction; Machiavellianism; Models, Educational; Models, Nursing; Models, Psychological; Nurse Clinicians - education; Nurse Clinicians - organization & administration; Nurse Clinicians - psychology; Nurse's Role; Nursing Evaluation Research; Nursing Staff - education; Nursing Staff - organization & administration; Nursing Staff - psychology; Nursing, Supervisory - organization & administration; Psychiatric Nursing - education; Psychiatric Nursing - organization & administration; Social Support; Transference (Psychology)
• ISSN: 0161-2840
• DOI: 10.1080/01612840590931957

Some nurses describe individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) as among the most challenging and difficult patients encountered in their practice. As a result, the argument has been made for nursing staff to receive clinical supervision to enhance therapeutic effectiveness and treatment outcomes for individuals with BPD. Formal clinical supervision can focus on the stresses of working in a demanding environment within the work place and enable nurses to accept accountability for their own practice and development (Pesut & Herman, 1999). A psychiatric-mental health clinical nurse specialist can provide individual and/or group supervision for the nursing staff, including education about patient dynamics, staff responses, and treatment team decisions. A clinical nurse specialist also can provide emotional support to nursing staff, which enhances job satisfaction, as they struggle to maintain professional therapeutic behavior with these individuals.