Objective

The objective was to describe registered nurse anesthetists’ reflections and strategies in relation to supervision of specialist nursing students in anesthetic care.

Background

In anesthesiology care, registered nurse anesthetists work with advanced care in a high-technology environment. The complexity of working with production requirements, time pressure and patient safety creates great challenges. Registered nurse anesthetists have a unique position and are responsible for the patient’s life during surgery. At the same time, they must supervise students without risking patient safety. Little research to date has focused on the clinical supervisory role in this context.

Design

A qualitative design was used.

Methods

The data were collected in 2018 from qualitative interviews with a purposive sample of twelve student registered nurse anesthetists from a large hospital in Sweden. The data were analyzed using content analysis.

Results

The results demonstrated that the dual role of registered nurse anesthetist and supervisor was experienced as satisfying, important and promoting development, although it also involved several challenges. Creating opportunities for supervision and learning in perioperative care improved supervisors’ prerequisites for supporting students and helping them develop. Being a supervisor was also rewarding, and given the interplay with students, supervision was viewed as a process of mutual growth.

Conclusion

By focusing on students and their learning, we can help produce well-qualified registered nurse anesthetists who have positive experiences of the workplace and who want to stay in their profession.