Peer Eval

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Specializes in ICU.

I have to do a peer evaluation of another nurse that I work with almost every shift. In the room for improvement section, I need help finding a professional way of saying to let the charge nurse do their job without that person butting in all the time. I just don’t want to make it sound like it’s coming from me so I’m struggling.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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6 minutes ago, ICU.RN23 said:

I have to do a peer evaluation of another nurse that I work with almost every shift. In the room for improvement section, I need help finding a professional way of saying to let the charge nurse do their job without that person butting in all the time. I just don’t want to make it sound like it’s coming from me so I’m struggling.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

"Butting in" in what way? And what do you mean by not wanting it to sound like it's coming from you? Is this some sort of anonymous critique?

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While always a good team member, employee could benefit from an increased focus on "staying in (his/her) own lane"

P.S. I dread every May when we as a company have to do these d*mn things, I hate peer evaluations.

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Specializes in ICU.
43 minutes ago, Sour Lemon said:

"Butting in" in what way? And what do you mean by not wanting it to sound like it's coming from you? Is this some sort of anonymous critique?

There was a day where the charge and the nursing supervisor had a plan in place for when the 8-hour nurses left at 3 pm, but this nurse (and another one that normally doesn't get involved) decided to micromanage the charge nurse without his knowledge. This caused so much confusing and frustration, but this individual thinks that they are being so helpful. I work the same weekend as this individual and we work the same shifts and FTE, along with the charge that they like to micromanage, so it's hard to try and make it sound like it's not coming from either one of us. Outside of work, this person is my friend, but when it comes to work, I just get so much anxiety because this person is so bossy and tries to be in everyone's business.

1 hour ago, CharleeFoxtrot said:

While always a good team member, employee could benefit from an increased focus on "staying in (his/her) own lane"

P.S. I dread every May when we as a company have to do these d*mn things, I hate peer evaluations.

I really like the staying in their own lane!

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1 hour ago, ICU.RN23 said:

I just don’t want to make it sound like it’s coming from me so I’m struggling.

That's the problem with the whole process. If it's worthy of being put into writing on someone's official evaluation, it's something that should have already been discussed in person, professionally. Anonymous critiquing eliminates the usual balances important in any relationships, namely the part where the one critiquing decides how important something really is (or isn't). It also doesn't really try to solve anything because there is no effort do discover why someone does something.

Since you have to write something, phrase it along the lines of "develop confidence in others' abilities to perform their roles."

But the goal shouldn't be for the person to not find out that you wrote something.

I don't know why nurses don't get together and talk through these things, then write down the useful things you have talked about. Choose not to participate in hen-pecking games that are unlikely to help.

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Specializes in ICU.
2 minutes ago, JKL33 said:

That's the problem with the whole process. If it's worthy of being put into writing on someone's official evaluation, it's something that should have already been discussed in person, professionally. Anonymous critiquing eliminates the usual balances important in any relationships, namely the part where the one critiquing decides how important something really is (or isn't). It also doesn't really try to solve anything because there is no effort do discover why someone does something.

Since you have to write something, phrase it along the lines of "develop confidence in others' abilities to perform their roles."

But the goal shouldn't be for the person to not find out that you wrote something.

I don't know why nurses don't get together and talk through these things, then write down the useful things you have talked about. Choose not to participate in hen-pecking games that are unlikely to help.

I do try and talk to them as much as I can and ever since they came back from leave, its been worse. They don't think that they're causing any problems and deflect what they did onto something else. We had a very long discussion about everything. I'm not sure if it's just their personality, but I feel like our weekend is very passive and we need to do better at talking to each other, which the charge nurse and I have done and I feel like our work relationship is that much stronger. It's like whatever I say doesn't really matter because we're friends outside of work and its okay that they can do these things to me, but it's really not.

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Specializes in NICU/Mother-Baby/Peds/Mgmt.

And this is why peer evaluations are stupid. What other profession (outside healthcare) evaluates they're peers and then that information is used for evaluations, counseling etc?

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Specializes in OB.

Why does this feedback have to come from you and not your manager?

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Specializes in Mental Health.

Sounds like something to bring up using your interpersonal skills and not necessarily for a peer eval, unless you've discussed it with them multiple times in person already. It sounds pretty passive aggressive this way, which I think there is enough of among some coworkers.

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20 hours ago, ICU.RN23 said:

There was a day where the charge and the nursing supervisor had a plan in place for when the 8-hour nurses left at 3 pm, but this nurse (and another one that normally doesn't get involved) decided to micromanage the charge nurse without his knowledge.

How does one micro-manage a charge nurse without their knowledge? And does this charge nurse even want you speaking on their behalf? The charge nurse should be able to speak for himself- and to the offending nurse directly.

I think peer evaluations are a horrible idea. If I absolutely had to do one, I think I'd say something like, "Hey, Jill. I have to come up with an area that needs improvement for this stupid peer evaluation. What do you need to improve in?" Then we'd dream up something non-offensive together and everyone would know what to expect.

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Specializes in Travel, Home Health, Med-Surg.
8 hours ago, Sour Lemon said:

How does one micro-manage a charge nurse without their knowledge? And does this charge nurse even want you speaking on their behalf? The charge nurse should be able to speak for himself- and to the offending nurse directly.

I think peer evaluations are a horrible idea. If I absolutely had to do one, I think I'd say something like, "Hey, Jill. I have to come up with an area that needs improvement for this stupid peer evaluation. What do you need to improve in?" Then we'd dream up something non-offensive together and everyone would know what to expect.

HaHa, this is exactly what a few units i have worked on did, we asked the coworker first and then stated only what was pre agreed upon for area of improvement, one NM knew and didnt care, everyone wins.

OP, Re: your situation, it sounds like there is more to this story than you are aware and I would not say anything about the CN either way. If you absolutely need to find something benign to say (pre approved) and leave it at that.

Agree with other poster that these peer reviews are stupid, and can cause a decrease in morale from either those who are really trying to do good, or from those who just like to stir it up!

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Do not fall into this trap!! Peer evaluations have the potential to cause hurt feelings and a very ugly work atmosphere.

I'm assuming that these evaluations are intended to be anonymous. Best case scenario this person who is a friend outside of work assumes that the criticism came from another nurse who is not a friend and chooses a likely suspect to blame, that won't be pleasant as its bound to be someone on your shift pattern. Worst case scenario they find out it was you. You have probably now lost a friend and working with them will most likely be considerably more unpleasant for you than it was when they were micromanaging the Charge Nurse.

Managers should be more than capable of writing evaluations on their staff. Asking staff on the same level to critique each other is pointless as it opens the door for cliques and biased evaluations. Follow the advice of other posters and ask the nurse for a room for improvement suggestion and use it!

The Charge Nurse who is being micromanaged needs to handle that issue. If there are miss communications and confusion that they are somehow unaware of you need to report that directly to them so they can address it. If that fails report the poor communication/ confusion to a manager as soon as possible after it happens and let them address it.

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