Debriefing and supervision
Debriefing
Debriefing is an important part of any facilitator role, particularly when working in palliative care. It is a process where you and a peer assist each other to reflect on the session and discuss particular concerns. Debriefing allows you to let go of emotions and clarify your boundaries, which is important for avoiding burnout.
It is best to debrief with a peer, either with your co-facilitator or a colleague who has an interest in the program. It may be tempting to debrief with your wife or husband or even a friend, however, they may not have the emotional distance, skills or knowledge to allow you to properly debrief and might feel overburdened by the information you need to share. Breaching confidentiality is also more likely if you are debriefing with a partner or friend.
Supervision
Supervision or ‘professional guidance’ is the process of being given guidance and advice by someone who has experience or expertise in your field regarding problems and difficulties that arise in your work as an education facilitator.
Supervision can allow better understanding of your facilitator practice, by becoming more aware of your own reactions and examining alternative ways of educating the group. There are three functions of supervision – educational, management and supportive.
The educational component involves developing knowledge, skills and abilities related to your role as an education facilitator.
Management focuses on performance, such as time management and keeping boundaries.
The supportive component involves dealing with the impact of conducting the program through debriefing, the processing of emotional responses and support in dealing with program-related stress.
Effective supervision requires clear guidelines about what is expected, involves mutual trust and should be provided on a regular and ongoing basis. Receiving supervision is not having someone tell you what to do; rather it refers to the process of working with someone to enhance your overall experience as an education facilitator.
Supervision can also help co-facilitators talk more comfortably about their roles, complementary skills and ways of working cooperatively together.
If you are conducting the program, we suggest you locate someone in your facility to assist you in a supervisory role. Meeting with them once a month will provide you with the opportunity to talk about the work you do as the facilitator of the program, and the interesting aspects of it, both positive and negative.
There are some misconceptions that supervision can be punitive, especially for less experienced educators, however, this is not the case. In fact, even the most experienced educators still engage in regular supervision sessions to enhance their practice and skills.
