peer evaluatons

[lil-hosp.usa]

have been working in a 25 bed facility since I became a nurse and our yearly evaluation is done by 3 anouymous nurses which isn't very secret since there are only 10 nurses for all shifts. Our supervisor reads these and puts the information she wants onto a single sheet and goes over her findings with us. It seems like there is always comments stating poor nursing judgement along with other comments that state effective work performance on everyones eval. How does your facility handle evals? Do they explain all comments whether good or bad with examples. All of us agree that we seldom get a pat on the back and we are always told what we can do better. Help!!!!

[caliotter3]

At least you are getting evaluations. I have been with employers where evaluations were given sporadically, if at all. I received my first evaluation at one facility by someone who worked on another shift. My contemporary bragged that she had not received an evaluation at all in more than 8 yrs. (She was the person who was supposed to be fired d/t poor performance.)

When I was downsized, I approached the supervisor myself, and requested an evaluation to be put in my file (I was due one anyway) to prove that I had done a good job and that they were laying off the wrong person. I kept a copy of the evaluation.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

typically it's easier for folks to find something negative to comment about than something positive, so evals are often like that -- especially if your evaluator is new to doing evaluations or uncomfortable doing so. get a copy of your evaluation form and fill out a self-evaluation before you even go into your evaluation. think of all the positive comments you've gotten from doctors, co-workers, patients and families and document them. keep track of all the special projects you've done, classes you've taught, classes you've attended that weren't mandatory, etc. then when you discuss your evaluation, make sure that stuff goes in there, too. often, a copy of your self evaluation will be included with the evaluation form in your file. if this problem with negative evaluations is endemic to your workplace, start a peer review committee to improve the situation!

[GardenDove]

I think sometimes these are popularity contests.

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

Isnt it sad that between "popularity contests" and it being easier to find something negative to talk about on an eval we nurses who aspire to be seen as "professional" cant act more professional?

[gitterbug]

At my last job I was told I was too nice to do a proper eval of some fellow employees. Seems I was not negative enough, gave too many examples of a job well done and gave understaffing and lack of supplies as a reason why some things were not always completed as ordered. Being a good employee and a good nurse is not the same thing. I keep remembering that everyday.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

it seems like there is always comments stating poor nursing judgment along with other comments

lil-hosp.usa. . .here's how you handle this situation intelligently. on your written evaluation is a section at the bottom for your written comments. you merely state the following: "no specific incidents of my poor nursing judgment (or any other subject area that this was done in) were provided. therefore, i have to disagree with that assessment. i feel it is biased, unfair and grounded in subjective statements of coworkers rather than based upon any solid evidence. not only that, but this is the first i am being told of this. if any specific performance of mine is lacking in some way i expect to be told about it at the time it occurs, not at my yearly evaluation when i cannot recall or remember specific details." if your manager is able to come up with detailed information, insist that he/she discuss it separately from the yearly assessment. make them prove every word they are saying. if you disagree with the facts of an incident, state that. if you want time to compose a longer answer, don't sign the form right then, or sign the form but make a notation in the comment section at the bottom of the evaluation that a letter detailing your objections will be submitted in a day or two and you expect it to be attached to the evaluation. that way anyone reading the evalution later on will be looking for the letter. keep copies of it. get a copy of your evaluation. you are entitled to it.

the yearly eval is not the time when specific incidents should be discussed anyway other than to mention that they occurred and were addressed previously. nothing of a negative nature on a yearly evaluation should ever be a surprise. praises and accolades should be the only surprises. employees should come away from evaluations with thoughtful nods of agreement and/or big smiles on their faces.

any negative comments on evaluations should be supported with evidence or documentation of the person's less than stellar performance. if that can't be provided by the manager then it is due to his/her failure to document such. make them prove every single analysis they make of your behavior on the job. these evaluations, while they never go outside the company, are looked at by other managers within the company when it comes to making decisions about transfers and promotions. ten years down the road a crappy and unfair evaluation being viewed by another manager with crappy evaluation skills will get the wrong idea about you if you don't point out the inconsistencies in what you are being accused of!

we make nursing judgments based on objective assessment data. the same applies to employee evaluations. make them stick to that. as a manager i had to write many staff evaluations. i became acutely aware of how i needed to beef up my written documentation of those employees who were doing things wrong in order to get it on their yearly evals. i would attach copies of the written disciplinary report (that had been discussed and dealt with the employee previously) that applied to any section on the yearly eval that the employee got dinged on to proved the reason for the low mark they were getting. this is one of the "headaches" that managers have to deal with. unfortunately, yours doesn't seem to have figured out how wrong she is. it's going to be up to you and other brave souls to explain it to her. depending heavily on the judgment of coworkers to write something as important as a yearly evaluation is absolutely incompetent. managers should be getting this kind of feedback throughout the year as an information tool to help them do their management job, not to write their yearly evaluations. i would be curious to know if the director of nursing permits this or is even aware that this manager is doing this. if so, then there is an even bigger problem at this place.