The significance of nurse supervisors’ different ethical decision‐making styles

Background  The role of the nurse supervisor is very important, because of his/her ability to influence the atmosphere within the clinical nursing supervision group. Aim  To present and interpret nurse supervisors’ different ethical decision‐making styles. Method  A hermeneutic interpretation of three studies on nurse supervisors’ different ethical decision‐making styles. Results  The significance of the nurse supervisor's ethical decision‐making style is reflected in the awareness of their responsibility for creating a relationship with the supervisee. The supervisors focus on ensuring safety, integrating theoretical knowledge and clinical practice, willingness and preparedness to supervise on the substance of nursing, sharing the supervisees’ feelings and challenging them, reflecting on the content of clinical nursing supervision as well as promoting justice and integrity in clinical nursing supervision. Conclusions  The interpretation highlights the importance of the nurse supervisor's style for the outcome of clinical nursing supervision, as they are role models for the supervisees. There is a need for further research to explore the advantages and disadvantages of nurse supervisors’ different ethical decision‐making styles, especially in relation to the influence of clinical nursing supervision on the quality of care and various support systems.