Peer to Peer Review/Feedback

[blc00]

Looking for some input

I currently work in the ICU. We are under new management and management wants to start implementing a "Peer to Peer" review/feedback process. Management implemented their version of "Peer to Peer" on a med-surg unit, and now that she is in charge of the ICU, she wants to implement it here. Only thing is... it didn't work and quickly stopped once she left.

I offered to take charge of implementing the review/feedback process but am a little stuck on what to do/change given that neither me or my co-workers have worked in a hospital that did such a thing. My hopes is that I could explain the process we had in mind and get some feedback from some creative people or people who have seen something like this implemented in their hospital.

Here it goes:

There would be a committee of four nurses, made up of day shift and night shift. No charge nurses.

There would be a locked box that nurses could submit anonymous positive comments regarding a nurse's performance, patient safety concerns directly related to a nurse's care, or any other issues. The issues will be collected once a month and evaluated by the committee. The committee would then draft a letter to the people who received complaints/positive comments. For the complaints/issues the letter would explain the issue and how to correct it. In addition to drafting the letters, the committee will make a list of all of the complaints received that month with no names and provide them to the manager. This will allow the manager to get a general idea of what is going on in the unit so they stay informed.

These complaints/issues only go to the committee and the committee CANNOT discipline any employee as it is exclusively comprised of staff members. IF a person receives the same complaint twice then the issue gets brought to management.

The idea of the "Peer to Peer" is to provide an opportunity to bring issues to employees and allow the employee to self-correct undesirable behaviors before any formal disciplinary processes ensue.

According to management: "It is the objective of the Peer 2 Peer committee to enhance and encourage pride, accountability, and self-discipline among all of the team members. The Peer 2 Peer Committee was created to cultivate a workplace that has a commitment to excellence, a focus on customer service, and to bring to light how each person's actions impact the patient and co-workers. It is the goal that each team member will take a look at themselves and evaluate the concerns of the team and self-correct their behavior without the use of the disciplinary process. We must remember that we are here for the betterment of the patient and the patient's experience. While we are providing excellent patient care, we must not forget how our behaviors impact the patient, visitors, the nursing unit, and the hospital as a whole."

And that is it... I am nervous how this will impact the unit's culture and morale in the short term. But I do believe this could bring positive change in the long term (if used correctly).

Any idea on things to change/add?

If you have been apart of something like this: How did it work? Was the process different? If so, how?

I appreciate all feedback. I like the idea but I think there might be a better way of going about this... just now sure what that better way is.

Thanks!

[lifeatthebluffs, BSN, RN]

We do a yearly peer review that is somewhat structured: at the beginning of the year, the Unit Based Practice Council selects 3 skills and 3 documentation items that each person will have reviewed. One of the assistant nurse managers sometimes offers ideas but otherwise does not influence the process. The council then finds the appropriate policies, creates a cheat sheet for each, and provides the feedback and sign off form. Management is not allowed to be involved from this point forward. Once all of the items are reviewed (one person can review one skill and one chart item per each other person) the sign off sheet, but NOT feedback form is submitted. To be signed off, the skill/chart item simply has to be reviewed and feedback provided--it is not required to have been done correctly. It's not a perfect system by any means but it works for us to help update skills without destroying morale. If this is something you really want to implement, I hope this helps give you some ideas.

[dlzk123]

We do have peer to peer review system at my work place .But we have the option to choose one peer and our supervisor chooses the other person.Most of the time supervisor knows who is in good or bad terms.So it's been working out well .

[blc00]

According to those involved it didnt start off great due to a lack of education on what the peer to peer actually was. That, and they didnt give it enough time to work out the kinks since they stopped it after new management came.

[blc00]

"Management implemented their version of "Peer to Peer" on a med-surg unit, and now that she is in charge of the ICU, she wants to implement it here. Only thing is... it didn't work and quickly stopped once she left."

If it didn't "work" on med-surg, it's REALLY not going to work in ICU. Must wonder why you would volunteer for a previously failed process.

According to those involved it didn't start off great due to a lack of education on what the peer to peer actually was. That, and they didn't give it enough time to work out the kinks since they stopped it after new management came.