B. Mccormack et E. Hopkins, THE DEVELOPMENT OF CLINICAL LEADERSHIP THROUGH SUPPORTED REFLECTIVE PRACTICE, Journal of clinical nursing, 4(3), 1995, pp. 161-168
The notion of clinical leadership is significant in current nursing pr
actice, particularly since recommendations made by the Department of H
ealth in 'The Strategy for Nursing'. However, while it is a concept th
at many nurses aspire to implement, in reality the operationalizing of
such a concept is fraught with difficulty. This paper aims to explore
the issue of clinical leadership through a collegiate model developed
in a particular practice area. The development of this collegiate rel
ationship is articulated through the mediums of reflective practice an
d clinical supervision. A model of collegiality is offered as an appro
ach to the integration of the spheres of clinical leadership. If refle
ctive practice is to be a reality then it is essential that both clini
cal leaders and practitioners engage in such processes within a suppor
tive culture.