Peer Reviews used as a tool to be malicious?

[mamason]

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

[MassED, BSN, RN]

I'm posting to bump this thread.

I just had my peer evaluation, which was all great minus a few nursing flow related points (not to get too specific, but doctor-nurse issues and communication issues) from one nurse. First, her name was on her evaluation of me. Secondly, she made ridiculous points based on her skewed nursing practice and her less than stellar nursing judgment. Her name was on her evaluation. I have to say, I would never place my name on a peer evaluation, because first, there's no way you cannot take offense. Secondly, when this nurse is up for evaluation, I will be always professional, but will provide her a nice thorough evaluation.... without my name, of course.

[MassED, BSN, RN]

I do have to say, when evaluations are done ANONYMOUSLY, it can be a great tool. Once I pointed out to my manager that actually putting a name on an evaluation WILL lead to resentment, animosity, retribution and all of those other things that come about, she agreed that a name should be removed if those issues could arise. Of course they can and will. As professionals, we should be able to accept constructive criticism, but evaluations should be expected to be professional and evaluated based on certain criteria. There are interpretations within nursing and each nurse has a way of going about the same thing in a different way. One would think that maturity is innate in nursing and thus evaluations, but it is not always. This is the issue with peer evaluations. I think for nurses to truly evaluate, they need to take ego out of the equation and point out positives and things that need to be worked on for that individual.

[Sue Damonas, BSN]

When I worked in the hospital we had to do the peer reviews and we all realized what BS they were, we all gave one another good reviews. I remember this one time that I was asked to say something negative about one of my coworkers and I wrote that I honestly could not think of anything negative.I was given grief but told them that I could not lie and would not.