Running Head: FAMILY NURSE PRACTICE
Family Nurse Practice
Discussion Question 2
Consultation is a core competence of a graduate nurse
Differentiate consultation from supervision?
In consultation, clinical supervisors have the legal responsibility for all the actions that
their supervisees will undertake. It is the duty of the clinical offices to insist on the cause of
action and review files of the supervisee. Basically, clinical supervisors are obliged to document
their supervision since they possess the fiduciary responsibility in addition to bearing the liability
of their supervisees’ actions. On the other hand, consultation is where a clinician approaches a
colleague and discusses a case with the aim of getting feedback (Thompson, Kirkman, Watson &
Stewart, 2005). In extension, consultation tends to necessitate mutual and non-hierarchical
interactions while supervision focuses much on hierarchical arrangement or interaction.
Are consultation and collaboration synonymous? Defend your response.
It is important to note that consultation and collaboration are two dissimilar terms in
clinical medicine that yield different clinical and legal implications. Consultation encourages and
ensures that interdisciplinary connections between clinicians grow while collaboration is an
interpersonal process where two or more healthcare professionals commit to have an authentic
and constructive form of interaction aimed at solving problems (Sandstrom, 2006). In
collaboration, the involved parties learn from each other so as to achieve specified goals or
purposes.
Give an example on how you have seen the consultation competency practiced in your current
nursing area. Explain if the practice followed the graduate competency criteria.
