Peer Reviews used as a tool to be malicious?

caliotter3 · Oct 4, 2009

A bad idea. Never saw anything like this used properly. They only expose the backbiting, backstabbing nature of the workforce.

Editorial Team / Admin · Oct 4, 2009

We also do peer reviews, but our supervisor does the one that counts toward raises. The peer reviews are to "facilitate" the supervisor's review. The comments made are shared, so we can see what was written, but not by whom. Surprising amount of backstabbing going on. (Guess the anonynimity brings out what they won't say to your face.)

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Oct 5, 2009

With the bad economy, people are becoming desperate to improve their own standing. A lot of people seem to be under the impression that........if they can somehow make you look bad, it improves their chances of keeping their position. Sort of a knee jerk........."The surely wont fire me if they know this/that about the other nurse." reaction. More than a little of this going on at my facility.

A nurse where I work created a list of things not done on the 3-11 shift. I/O's, incontinents left wet etc.... Well, a week later, a doctor was in the manager's office flipping a lid about uncompleted I/O's. Guess who had the pt. the night before.............uh huh. Irony, it can be beautiful. The nurse who created the list of everyone else's shortcomings.

sleepyRN2 · Oct 5, 2009

i thought peer reviews by nature ought to have both positive and negative feedbacks. it is not worth a read if it is not balanced.

DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP · Oct 5, 2009

Peer Reviews = bad idea.

They were used at my PREVIOUS place of employment, and pay increases were based on them. The management team was highly ineffective and hid in their offices. By "doing" peer reviews, they did not have to observe their employees, and they counted on everyone else to do so.

I witnessed several employees "get together" and gang up on some of the employees they did not like, for whatever reason. Those particular employees paid dearly when it came time for their performance evaluations.

I'm REALLY glad I no longer work for that hospital.

Batman24 · Oct 5, 2009

Horrible idea. We don't do them and I'm glad. They are a great way for management to tear down moral and keep it that way. If the nurses are against one another they won't be working together to better staffing ratios, increase pay, demand better benefits, etc. Sadly many nurses fall right into the trap and that's exactly what I think these peer reviews are...traps. They help to keep salaries down and nurses help to do that to one another. It's sad. We need to ban together not be torn apart.

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Oct 5, 2009

We are doing peer reviews at my facility. I haven't gotten mine yet or have been asked to do one. But, from what I'm hearing from other staff members is making me very uncomfortable. Some of the feedback is malicious. I'm concerned because I don't understand how this could be a positive thing for staff and promote good working relationships between staff members. They are suppose to be confidential. Meaning you don't know who wrote what about about a person. I also heard that they have day shift RN's reviewing nighshift RN's.And vice versa. Now, can somebody please tell me how this is fair? The shifts are seperate! I find this very disturbing. ANy thoughts? Also, I was told the reviews are taken into consideration when obtaining our raises. Pretty scary.:sofahider

I don't think peer reviews in and of themselves have to be a bad thing. It really depends upon how they are designed and implemented. The peer review tool should be designed in such a way as to provide opportunity to highlight areas of strength, and deficiencies should be pointed out in a constructive way, as areas of improvement. If the tool is designed correctly, there should be no opportunity for malicious finger pointing. If implemented correctly, raises are not based on peer evaluations; peer evaluations should be just one of many factors involved in implementing performance based raises. While I agree that in general, peer evaluations should be shift specific, I can also see how intra shift evaluation could be a useful tool. If there is a pattern of deficiencies among shifts, then maybe a redesign of work processes would be appropriate. I noticed a pattern of punting things to the next shift when I worked the floor, like bowel care and changing out IVs. If the current protocols are not working, and things are getting passed on so that, for example, if IVs stay in for 6 days and patients are not getting bowel care, then a redesign of those work processes needs to be looked at. If it is one particular person that's not paying attention to those things, then that person needs to be counseled on improvement; if it's everyone, then it's a work process issue. Peer review can be a really great tool, when used properly, to help the unit work better as a team. I think there should be safeguards built into the process so that personal vendettas and cliqueish behavior cannot taint the results.

Maybe I feel a little less threatened by peer evaluation as I am a union member, and raises are not based on these reviews, and I can't just be fired or punished because someone that doesn't like me decided to use the tool as a weapon. I can see how peer evaluation could feel threatening if you don't have those protections.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Oct 5, 2009

I used to work in a hospital that did this for a year or two, but the negative feedback was so bad they finally stopped, especially when employee satisfaction scales dropped and this was mentioned by employees as a factor. I understand the concept - that my work affects others. However, it should be mentioned that nursing is a 24 hr job - not shift work. If I don't get all the trash emptied on night shift then maybe it was because there were more pressing things to do!

Imafloat, BSN, RN · Oct 5, 2009

We have peer reviews also. It is used on our review. I am not sure what others have had show up on their review, but the section of my peer review usually has a positive comment in it. I can see where if they were trying to gather negative stuff about you they could use it that way too.

I work with people who would probably be negative to improve their standing. It drives me nuts, I work with people who use variance reports to bully others.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Oct 5, 2009

Variance reports - that's another thing I remember about my last employer. People wrote up one another at the drop of a hat. That is PROHIBITED at my current facility. If you write someone up you better have a good reason and document it carefully or YOU will be the one in the CNO's office doing some explaining. We see it as a potential act of bullying. Variance reports here are more frequently written by the nurse who actually did whatever is being reported. They are not reasons to take punitive action against the employee. Obviously there are times when the remediation is required or when the documentation puts in motion a termination, but those do not happen a lot (thank heavens!). What is more likely is that risk mgmt, quality,infection control, and education get together to talk about trends and what can be done to prevent this type of situation.

aileenve, ASN, RN · Oct 5, 2009

This is a terrible idea as in every facility there is jealousy, envy, resentment etc. We have never done that- thank God but, A lot of people on day shift have issues with midnights leaving dry IV bags, wet patients, messy rooms, so I can imagine how bad it could get the manager should be the one to review staff on job performance..this is also how managers put their responsibilites back to the staff. :argue: