Peer reviews: what is your experience with them?

[BluegrassRN]

Hello again, I have another, related topic to my previous post, regarding peer reviews. I have been tasked with researching and developing some sort of peer review program.

Quite some time ago, when we had our annual performance reviews, part of the review included some peer reviews, in which the coworkers filled out an evaluation and had the opportunity to write specific comments. There would be 2-3 reviewers chosen by the employee being reviewed, and 2-3 reviewers chosen by the director. The director would compile all the data and comments onto one sheet and destroy the originals, to make this a somewhat anonymous exercise. This sort of review has gone by the wayside over the past decade in our facility.

We would like to institute some sort of peer review. This would start as something to pilot on our unit; if it ends up being a positive, helpful activity, then we would like write up a policy and present it to HR, with the ultimate goal that EVERY EMPLOYEE (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, aides, housekeeping, everyone) must have this sort of peer review.

Again, does anyone work at a facility that incorporates some sort of annual peer evaluation? How exactly do you do this? If you could provide me with a policy and/or an example of a peer evaluation, that would be most helpful.

Thank you!

[bugya90, ASN, BSN, LVN, RN]

Our facility does peer reviews on the management annually. We get an emailed anonymous survey for our immediate charge nurse and also one for general how do you think facility is being ran? It has helped management better understand what roles we need them to play and how far they can go before crossing the line. I really like it and thinks it helps with the checks and balances so to speak

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Popularity contest. If you're lucky enough to have yours sent to people you get along with, you get a decent review. If they go to people who really don't like you, you're screwed, especially if you work a shift where management (who does the official review that determines amount of the raise) isn't around. Considering raises are based on it, I'd rather have a set raise for everyone, minus x% for each disciplinary action and plus x% for things such as going above and beyond, having a certification, etc. I see the clinical ladder as the same thing.