Supervision Experience: Interviews and Reflection

This article discusses the supervision experience of an occupational therapist assistant and supervisor at Bronx Occupational Therapy Services. It covers their communication styles, supervisory needs, and differences in management style. The article emphasizes the importance of effective collaboration and rapport building for effective service delivery.

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THE SUPERVISION EXPERIENCE: INTERVIEWS AND REFLECTION
Supervisor/ supervisee pair: Glen an Occupation therapist’s officer and Mike
Occupation therapist assistant at Bronx Occupational therapy services
Supervisee
When asked on the supervisory needs, the occupational therapist assistant, stated that,
he prefer to always get refresher courses and training on the current management, in order to
practice and be effective employees in the health facility.
When OTA was asked on the level of experience and years worked the supervisee
states that he is an advanced level employee in the organization. He has rendered his services
close to 10 years of service. The supervisee holds the position of assistant occupational
therapy assistance at the Bronx occupational therapy unit. He is responsible for coordination
of various activities in the health clinic.
As a supervisee, his goal is to ensure that work and tasks are done carefully without any
hitches. Further he is careful in ensuring that work is done as expected in the organization.
When asked about the current supervisory needs, he states he likes free space where he can
make decision freely.
When asked about his communication style, the OTA stated that he utilizes verbal
communication. Further he states that he always values others and respects the rest. He is
enthusiastic about his work, and shows self confidence on his work. He motivates his juniors
on in service total quality management aspects when dealing with clients.
OTA is less satisfied with the current supervisory style of his superior, for him he likes
laisezz faire style where he can make decisions by himself. The current supervision style he
receives does not offer him an opportunity for service improvement and improved service
delivery for the clients.
Supervisor
The OT Supervisor works as hand therapist, states that he prefers authoritative
leadership supervisory style in the service. He is tasked with providing the critical direction
and exercise of good leadership which builds great interpersonal relationships with his staff
which gives high structure and support.
The supervisor expects that the supervisees perform their duties as expected and take
personal responsibility for their actions with clients. In this way, he states that builds self
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responsibility and self responsiveness among the clients and the overall health care staff.
The OT supports his employees in seeking support and providing the necessary
platform for goal achievement. The supervisor is giving them off to attend conferences and
lectures to improve their skills and services in order to serve the clients visiting the clinic
with high standards of service. Further it is aimed at improving their goals and attaining
higher objectives of work in the clinic service. The supervisor states that he usually support
his employees in ensuring that they get the necessary support and providing guidance on
employee self initiated support which ensures that they feel appreciated and recognized staff
in the health care organization.
He expects the staff to be able to develop and improve their skills throughout the course
of their career in overall attainment of skills and improving service delivery at the work
place. He expects that his supervisee would have gotten the necessary skill upgrade through
refresher courses currently being encouraged for the supervisees to adopt and enroll.
Currently in the occupational therapy department, with the functioning as a private
clinic, there is close association of OT and OTA working in cordial relationship with PT and
PTA.
As a supervisor, he manages the supervisee problematic behaviors through aspects of
negotiation and taking disciplinary measures when the issue is beyond any further warning or
redress aspects. Because of the facility being a private clinic, it is not affected by associations
such as workers union.
To improve performances of employees, appraisals are done on a monthly basis to
assess their competencies and ensure that they provide effective service delivery.
The supervisor currently faces no staffing needs as the ration of supervisee and the staff
he has is proportional with his needs. Further his communication style as provided by him
suggest that he uses verbal communication style with his employees, where he provides
sufficient personal support in the health care organization towards occupation therapy
department aspects. His mode of communication is through regular morning briefs meeting
with the staff.
Learning aspect
Over ally the scope of occupational therapy process entails adequate care of ensuring
that there is safe and effective delivery of service so as to get and promote professional
competence and development. Supervision is geared on mutual understanding of between the
supervisor and supervisee. However the differences of favorite management style by both the
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supervisor and supervisee hinders high work satisfaction. The supervisor use authoritarian
style while the supervisee prefers laisezz fair where he can make decision at any time.
Thus lack of collaboration between these two persons is an issue in ensuring that there
is effective service delivery to clients in occupation therapy settings; however this has been
enhanced by the continuous verbal communication. Building a rapport beyond the age,
religious and social difference is essential in provision of effective therapeutically services.
The supervisor is middle aged and thus likes providing the direction for the clinic. Thus
working with different levels of both the occupational therapy and assistant, need to be
bridged so as to build an effective rapport and effective collaboration framework between
these two groups. The supervisor is utilizing authoritative style of leadership, where he offers
key direction to the staff. Adoption of effective supervisory style is key towards ensuring that
there is a mutual work progress in providing services which meet the needs of the clients.
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