Supervised practice: a midwife's reflective journey.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2007) defines supervised practice as a structured and formal programme, devised to provide a midwife whose practice falls short of the required professional standards, with learning opportunities to enrich his/her clinical experience and improve practice. The primary aim is to ensure that the period of development agreed by the Local Supervising Authority Midwifery Officer (LSAMO) in supporting the midwife to improve their knowledge and skills, is subject to scrutiny through assessment, evaluation and reflection. The importance of reflective learning in midwifery practice is well recognised.