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Inside best practice: Blending performance appraisal and peer review

HCPro's Weekly Update on the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®*, November 18, 2008

Many healthcare organizations link the peer review process with the annual performance appraisal. This is acceptable as long as some basic ground rules are defined. Some examples of these may be:

• Peer review may be completed in unison with the annual performance appraisal as long as the focus is on professional development.
• Peer review and performance appraisal are two separate tools for providing feedback and defining acceptable practice—they should be acknowledged as independent and not influence one another directly.
• Wage incentives (increases or decreases) should never be determined from the information disclosed in peer review.

The peer review process results in bedside nurses understanding how their performance is perceived by their coworkers. Peer review and performance appraisal should be goal oriented. These goals can then be incorporated into the nurse’s plan for the upcoming year. While independent of one another to deter negative reinforcement, peer review and performance appraisal are interdependent in that the peer review feedback can contribute to the goals and professional focus for the year ahead.

Source: Gina Boring, MSN, RN, ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® project director for Aultman Hospital in Canton, OH.

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