The role of supervision and professional efficacy in enhancing the professional competency of mental health professionals

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Lee Gyungjoo, Kim Soung Nam, Kim Gyung Hee, Lee Sung Nam, Kim Suk Ja and Kim Sun Mi

Catholic University of Korea, Republic of Korea
Primary Mental Health Welfare Center, Republic of Korea
Seoul Women’s College of Nursing, Republic of Korea
Seoul Metropolitan Government, Republic of Korea
St. Andrew&rsquo

: Int J Ment Health Psychiatry

Abstract

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Advanced nurse practitioners play an important role in the improvement of mental health of the global population. Therefore, it is important to train quality mental health professionals and to improve their clinical competency through effective training programs. This study aimed to identify the role of supervision and professional efficacy in enhancing the professional competency of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNP) in South Korea. It used a cross-sectional exploratory survey to establish a structural equation model of the role of quality supervision and professional efficacy in the relationship between quality of training institutions, the learned knowledge and skills, and professional competency. Study participants were 297 PMHNP working in hospitals and community mental health centers nationwide. They were conveniently recruited from 17 regions covering all of South Korea. They received a one-year training program and national license as mental health professionals based on mental health acts in South Korea. Participants were administered questionnaires that measured the quality of training, the quality of supervision, satisfaction with the overall training course, knowledge and skills learned in the training, professional efficacy, and professional competency. All measures were reliable with Cronbach’s alphas between 0.91 and 0.97. A structural equation model was conducted using AMOS 23.0. Overall model fits were good, with chi-square=133.53 (p<0.001), NFI=0.91, TLI =0.88, CFI=0.92, and RMSEA=0.12. The quality of supervision significantly improved the acquisition of knowledge and skills among PMHNP. Professional efficacy significantly mediated the relationship between knowledge and skills and professional competency. In order to train well-qualified mental health professionals with high competency, specific strategies to enhance the quality of supervision are needed. Effective educational contents and methods for improving not only professional knowledge and skills but also professional efficacy of mental health professionals should also be developed.

Biography

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Lee Gyungjoo has her expertise in teaching, research and counseling for improving the mental health of clients and their families. She is a passionate Professor who teaches nursing students about psychiatric mental health nursing at the Catholic University of Korea. She is also interested in the development of a training program for enhancing the quality of psychiatric-mental health nurse professionals in South Korea. Her research field is family counseling for improving children’s mental health. She has been contributing to the community as an educator, researcher and child and family counselor.

E-mail: kjdooly@catholic.ac.kr