The Association of Genetic Nurses and Counsellors (AGNC) is the professional organisation which represents genetic counsellors and genetic nurses in the United Kingdom (UK) and Eire. The AGNC recognises that genetic counselling supervision is instrumental to the practice, training and registration of genetic counsellors in the UK. The AGNC formed a Supervision Working Group, whose terms of reference were to collate information on supervision and create a list of ‘best practice’ recommendations for its genetic counsellor members. This report delivers the findings from the Supervision Working Group and has been peer reviewed by the AGNC membership in the UK and Eire and ratified by the AGNC Committee. It offers a working definition of genetic counselling supervision, gives an overview of some of the literature on supervision and concludes with practice recommendations.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Alberts, G., & Edelstein, B. (1990). The therapist training: A critical review of skill training studies. Clin Psychol Rev, 10, 497–511.
Andrews, M. (1996). Using reflection to develop to develop clinical expertise. Br J Nurs, 5(8), 503–513.
BACP (2002). British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. Ethical framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy. In-house publication Code 384, www.bacp.co.uk
BACP (2004). British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. How much supervision should you have? In-house publication Code S1, www.bacp.co.uk
Benner, P. (1984). From novice to expert. Menlo Park, California: Addison-Wesley.
Binder, J. L. (1993). Is it time to improve psychotherapy training? Clin Psychol Rev, 13, 301–318.
Bishop, V. (1998). Clinical supervision in practice: some questions, answers and guidelines. London: Macmillan /Nursing Times Research Publications.
Bond, T. (1993). Standards and ethics for counselling in action. London: Sage.
Bond, M., & Holland, S. (1998). Skills of clinical supervision for nurses. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Bowles, N., & Young, C. (1999). An evaluative study of clinical supervision based on proctor’s three function interactive model. J Adv Nurs, 30(4), 958–964.
Butterworth, T. (1992). Clinical supervision is an emerging idea in nursing. In T. Butterworth, J. Faugier, & P. Burnard (Eds.), (1998) Clinical Supervision and Mentorship in Nursing (second edn.). Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes.
Carroll, M. (1996). Counselling Supervision. Theory, Skills and Practice. Cassell.
Casement, P. (1985). On learning from the patient. London: Tavistock.
Clarke, B., James, C., & Kelly, J. (1996). Reflective practice: Reviewing the issues and refocusing the debate. Int J Nurs Stud, 33(2), 171–180.
Clarke, A. (2001). A Descriptive and exploratory study regarding the provision of clinical supervision in genetic counselling in the United Kingdom and Ireland. MSc thesis. Manchester University.
Copeland, S. (2000). New Challenges for supervising in organisational contexts. In B. Lawton & C. Feltham (Eds.), Taking supervision forward (pp. 162–173). London: Sage.
Darley, M. (1996). Clinical supervision: it relevance to managers. Nursing Times, Feb, p 5.
Dewey, J. (1929). Experience and nature. New York: Grave Press.
Dolley, J., Davies, C., & Murray, P. (1998). Clinical Supervision: A development pack for nurses (K509). London: Open University Press.
Driscoll, J. (1994). Reflective practice for practice-a framework of structured reflection for clinical areas. Senior Nurse, 14(1), 47–50.
Driscoll, J. (2000). Practising Clinical Supervision. A Reflective Approach. Balliere Tindall in Association with the RCN.
Ellis, M. V., Ladanay, N., Krengel, M., & Schult, D. (1996). Clinical supervision research from 1981 to 1993: A methodological critique. J Counsel Psychol, 43, 35–50.
Elwyn, G., Gray, J., & Clarke, A. (2000). Shared decision making and non-directiveness in genetic counselling. J Med Genet, 37, 135–138.
Eunpu, D. L. (1997). Systematically-based psychotherapeutic techniques in genetic counseling. J Genet Counsel 6(1), 1–20.
Fowler, J. (Ed.) (1998). The handbook of clinical supervision — your questions answered. Salisbury: Quay Books.
Ghaye, T., & Lillyman, S. (1997). Learning journals and critical incidents: Reflective practice for health care professionals. Salisbury: Quay Books
Goff, A. (1995a). Reflection—What is it? A literature review. Assignment, 1(1), 7–14.
Goff, A. (1995b). Reflection—What is it? A literature review. Assignment, 1(2), 24–28.
Hawkins, P., & Shohet, R. (1989). Supervision in the helping professions. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Hiller, E., & Rosenfield, J. M. (2000). The Experience of Leader-Led Supervision: Genetic Counselors’ Perspectives. J Genet Counsel, 9(5), 399–410.
JCHMT (1999). Curriculum: Clinical Genetics November 1999 (www.jchmt.org.uk/clingen)
Johns, C. (1992). Reflective practice and nursing. Nurse Educ Today, (12), 174–181.
Johns, C. (1995). Framing learning through reflection within Carper’s fundamental ways of knowing in nursing. J Adv Nurs, 22, 226–234.
Johns, C. (1996). Visualising and realising caring in practice through guided reflection. Adv J Nurs, 24, 1135–1143.
Johns, C. (1997). Becoming a reflective practitioner. PhD thesis. Open University, Milton Keynes.
Kenen, R. H., & Smith, A. C. M. (1995). Genetic counselling for the next 25 years: Models for the future. J Genet Counsel, 4(2), 115–124.
Kennedy, A. L. (2000a). Supervision for practising genetic counselors: An overview of models. J Genet Counsel, 9(5), 379–390.
Kennedy, A. L. (2000b). A leader-led supervision group as a model for practicing genetic counselors. J Genet Counsel, 9(5), 391–398.
Kessler, S. (1979). The genetic counsellor as psychotherapist. Birth Defects: Original Articles Series. The National Foundation, 25, 187–200.
Kessler, S. (1981). Psychological aspects of genetic counselling: Analysis of a transcript. Am J Genet Med, 8, 137–153.
Kessler, S., & Jacopini, A. G. (1982). Psychological aspects of genetic counselling. 11. Quantitative analysis of a trancript of a genetic counseling session. Am J Med Genet, 12, 421–435.
Kessler, S. (1997a). Psychological aspects of genetic counseling. 1X. Teaching and Counseling. J Genet Counsel, 6(3), 287–295.
Kessler, S. (1997b). Psychological aspects of genetic counseling. X1. Nondirectiveness Revisited. Am J Med Genet, 72, 164–171.
Kohner, N. (1994). Clinical supervision in practice. London: King’s Fund Centre.
L’Aiguille, Y. (1994). Pushing back the boundaries of personal experience. In A. M. Palmer, S. Burns, & C. Bulman (Eds.), Reflective practice in nursing. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific.
McSherry, R. (2002). Clinical supervision and clinical governance. Nursing Times, 23(98), 30–32.
Meizrow, J. (1981). A critical theory of adult learning and education. Adult Educ, 32(1), 3–24.
Middleton, A., Wiles, V., Downing, S., Everest, S., Kershaw, A., Robathan, S., Burton, H., & Landy, A. (2004). Counselling supervision for a team of genetic counsellors from the UK. European Psychosocial Aspects of Genetics Conference, Munich, 12–15 June. Plenary presentation EL21. European Journal Human Genetics, 12(Suppl 1), 355.
Middleton, A., Wiles, V., Kershaw, A., Everest, S., Downing, S., Burton, H., Robathan, S., & Landy, A. (2007). Reflections on the experience of counselling supervision by a team of genetic counsellors from the UK. J Genet Couns, 16.
Michie, S., Bron, F., Bobrow, M., & Marteau, T. (1997). Non-directiveness in genetic counseling: An empirical study. Am J Hum Genet, 60, 40–47.
Miller, C., Tomlinson, A., & Jones, M. (1994). Researching professional education: Learning styles and facilitating reflection. English National Board for Nurses Midwives and Health Visitors, London.
Newell, R. (1992). Anxiety, accuracy and reflection: The limits of professional development. J Adv Nurs, 17, 1326–1333.
NHS Management Executive (1993). A vision for the future: The nursing, midwifery and health visiting contribution to health and health care. London: Department of Health.
Palmer, A., Burns, S., & Bulman, C. (1994). Reflective practice in nursing-the growth of the reflective practitioner. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific.
Perris, C. (1993). Stumbling blocks in the supervision of cognitive psychotherapy. Clin Psychol Psychother, 1, 29–43.
Platzer, H. L., Blake, D., & Ashford, D. (2000). Barriers to learning from reflection: A study of the use of groupwork with post-registration nurses. J Adv Nurs, 31(5), 1001–1008.
Powell, J. H. (1989). The reflective practitioner in nursing. J Adv Nurs, 14, 824–832.
Power, S. (1999). Nursing Supervision: A guide for clinical practice (Chapter 2 pp. 17–32). London: Sage.
Proctor, B. (1986). Supervision: A co-operative exercise in accountability. In M. Marken & M. Payne (Eds.), Enabling and ensuring-supervision in practice (pp. 21–34). Leicester: National Youth Bureau, Council for Training in Youth and Community Work.
Richardson, G., & Maltby, H. (1995). Reflection-on-practice: Enhancing student learning. J Adv Nurs, 22, 235–242.
Rolfe, G. (1996). Closing the theory-practice gap. Oxford: Butterworth Heinmann.
Rolfe, G. (1998). Beyond Expertise: Reflective and Reflexive Nursing Practice. In C. Johns & D. Freshwater (Eds.), Transforming nursing through reflective practice. Blackwell Science.
Sarangi, S., Bennet, K., Howell, L., Clarke, A., Harper, P., & Gray, J. (2004). Initiation of reflective frames in counseling for HD predictive testing. J Genet Counsel, 13(2), 135–155.
Schon, D. (1983). The reflective practitioner. New York: Basic Books.
Schon, D. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Schon, D. (1991a). The reflective practitioner (Second Edn.). San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Schon, D. (1991b). The reflective practitioner-how professionals think in action. Aldershot: Avebury.
Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (1993). Oxford University Press.
Skirton, H., Barnes, C., Curtis, G., & Walford-Moore, J. (1997). The role and practice of the genetic nurse: Report of the AGNC Working Party. J Med Genet, 34, 141–147.
Tseng, N. M. (1998). Re-examining reflection-a common issue of professional concern in social work, teacher and nursing education. J Interprof Care, 12(1), 21–31.
UKCC (1996). Position statement on clinical supervision for nursing and health visiting. United Kingdom Central Counsel for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.
Webb, A. (2000). What makes it difficult for the supervisee to speak? In B. Lawton & C. Feltham (Eds.), Taking supervision forward. Enquiries and Trends in Counselling and Psychotherapy. SAGE Publications.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Group Authorship: AGNC Supervision Working Group
Membership of the AGNC Supervision Working Group
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Clarke, A., Middleton, A., Cowley, L. et al. Report from the UK and Eire Association of Genetic Nurses and Counsellors (AGNC) Supervision Working Group on Genetic Counselling Supervision. J Genet Counsel 16, 127–142 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-006-9065-0
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-006-9065-0