doctors participating in nurse performance evaluations

mother/babyRN, RN · Aug 5, 2003

Not right especially without notification or a conference with the nurses....Only way I would allow it would be if there were co evaluations..That is, they may say something in the eval against you as long as you could say something concerning their overall performance..I would grieve that big time or, failing that, talk to the labor relations board if anything was said that might impact upon whether or not you continue working, have ANY documented changes in your performance appraisal or suffer any repercussions..I would also question the wimpiness of any "nurse" manager who allows this period, but specifically without true or accurate knowledge or consent of her staff...Doctors evaluate nurses and participate in nursing decisions ONLY in soap operas..And that is exactly where it should remain. No doctor could ever accurately assess any nurse or his or her job performance because they are not trained to do so.....Otherwise, nurses should be the primary evaluators of the doctors they work with. If this were so, patients would be much better off and infinitely better taken care of. I wouldn't allow this to continue without a fight or letter to the powers that be...A united front would be the best route. They need the nurses more than you need them...Good luck...

ainz · Aug 5, 2003

I have never heard of this but not surprised. Many people advocate peer evaluations and peer interviews. I think it is good to get feedback from any and every source you can so you have an accurate picture of how you are preceived in regard to your job performance. However I think some thought should be put into how the input from physicians would be used in regard to your employment and merit pay raises, etc.

Since they are not your employer their information should be handled differently. Because of the physician's ability to make money for the hospital, their input may carry undue weight. I would insist that human resources give everyone some clarification on how it is to be used. But I think it is a good idea. Physicians base much of their opinion on how good a hospital is on the quality for the nursing care and nursing staff.

SmilingBluEyes · Aug 5, 2003

I think it could be both enlightening and helpful....if done fairly and correctly.

I would love our doc's to give an honest assessment of my skills and performance where I work. Criticism (both good and bad) can be so helpful to me.

zambezi, BSN, RN · Aug 5, 2003

I agree with Smiling...I think that if done fairly and correctly, it would be a great benefit...doctors and nurses are a team, after all. We do not work for them, we work togeter, we have different jobs but we are one, we can't do our job without docs (most of them anyway :) ) and they certainly can't do their job without us. So really, we are peers, thats my philosophy anyway. As with any peer eval, it should be taken so you can improve upon your performance because there is always room for improvement. Both constructive criticism and encouragement/strong points should be given the opportunity to be expressed. Just as docs should have the chance to evaluate us, I feel we should be able to evaluate them. We don't do this in my unit, but I think it could work and be useful if done correctly and openly.

ragingmomster, BSN, MSN, RN · Aug 6, 2003

Harrruuuumph! Why not put doctors back on the BORN? IMHO, this plan of action does nothing but undercut the autonomy of nursing as a profession.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Aug 6, 2003

If the docotrs can have their say about nursing evaluations, how about some nursing observations on physician evaluations . It's only fair .

fireball · Aug 6, 2003

Originally posted by LPN2Be2004
If the docotrs can have their say about nursing evaluations, how about some nursing observations on physician evaluations . It's only fair .

On this we agree!

rockymtrn · Aug 6, 2003

I disagree on the comments stating that doctors are our peers. A more accurate word would be "team-members. " Peer would imply tht we do the same job , have the same pay and have the same administration,etc. which is certainly not the case. Also, I am all for peer review and even physician feedback, if it is done in a professional and constructive manner. My question is, how would this be done in a satisfactory manner, since my manager is a wimp when it comes to supporting us here. Thanks.

SteelTownRN · Aug 6, 2003

I disagree that MD's should ahve anythign to do with nursing performance evaluations. They didn't go to nursing school and they do not know what performance standards are. Just like I didn't go to med school, so I can't speak for their job evaluations. Both MD's and nurses have different performance expectations, even though we do cross paths a bit. What's next? MD's wanting to teach nursing students in nursing school? They simply aren't qualified.

kids · Aug 6, 2003

I work in a Pediatricians office.

Every employee: MD, MA or RN/LPN participates in every evaluation.

gwenith, BSN, RN · Aug 6, 2003

Circumstances are not always equal in the case of a physician's office evaluation by the physician, as an employer would be almost mandatory but I have a story............

Small remote area hospital had just lost it's director of nursing a nurse who was immanently qualified applied for the job but the MD - who was, let us say not completely honest in claims for payment from the goverment, was on the interview panel - she was turned down. One week later they interviewed again and this time a kid 18 months out of university with no other qulifications got the job.

How? Why? Because the young kid would be depended on to not raise a fuss about the financial double dealing.

18 months later that hospital was under audit the young kid was under review by the nursing council and the doctor had decamped with all the files.

Moral of the story - make sure that any system you set up is not open to abuse.