Background: It is claimed that clinical supervision contributes to clinical governance of healthcare services, but many claims for its positive effects are unsubstantiated.
Aim: To test relationships between supervision, quality of nursing care and patient outcomes.
Method: A randomised controlled trial was conducted across Queensland, Australia, supplemented by qualitative data collection.
Results: Supervision had sustainable beneficial effects for supervisors and supervisees. The individual performance of clinical supervisors was affected by the culture of the organisation. A positive relationship between supervision, quality of care and patient outcomes could not be established statistically, except in one location.
Discussion and conclusion: Proposals are made for future supervision implementation and further research is required.