What Is Involved in Nursing Peer Review Groups?

There are many types of peer reviews in the field of nursing. A peer review may be used for yearly evaluations of performance. A peer review is also required for most articles written by nurses for nursing journals. Even for a hospital to be awarded Magnet status there is a peer review process. Setting out the differences in each area may help healthcare workers understand when to expect a peer review and the ensuing steps taken throughout each process.

What Does Having a Peer Review Mean?

• A peer is an equal or a colleague in your chosen field--someone who is familiar with the work or situation, and who comes from a similar, or perhaps who has achieved a higher, education level. When a peer review is conducted, typically there is more than one colleague or peer reviewer. This prevents personal bias from entering the decision-making process and more evenly levels the playing field. Peers must be as objective as possible in their review and are asked to opt out of giving or withholding their approval if they feel their opinion will be biased.

Peer Reviewed Journals

• Peer reviewed journals are typically nursing journals which report on research and latest innovations in nursing. A writer compiles information into an article, submits it to a nursing journal and the journal sends the article out to reviewers, some of whom have published their own works with the journal. The review is usually double-blinded with the author and reviewer not knowing who the other is. This prevents any bias from established work or personal relationships from entering the decision-making process. The reviewer reads the article, answers a number of questions about the article and recommends whether or not the article should be published in the journal.

Peer Review for Magnet Status

• Magnet status awards are given to hospitals which meet the 14 criteria for Magnet status developed by the American Nurse Credentialing Center. These 14 criteria of excellence in nursing care have become known in healthcare circles to be a mark of the best hospitals. Patients who use hospitals with Magnet status have been proven to have better outcomes in their hospital stays. In this highly regarded review process, a team of Magnet reviewers (nurses) look at patient outcomes, staffing ratios, observe nurses in their practice and make sure that nursing management supports all nurses at their hospital through available research projects, further education and career opportunities.

Peer Reviews for Performance Evaluations

• Hospitals and other healthcare agencies often solicit peer reviews for an employee's performance. These reviews are especially crucial during the initial 30- to 90-day period following an employee's hire date. These reviews are designed to pinpoint the employee's weaknesses and strengths and to identify whether or not the employee is an asset to the company. Although highly subjective these reviews are regarded by companies as future predictors of an employee's success and profitably for the healthcare agency. Generally the peer review for performance evaluation in health care is the same as any other company using this method of yearly evaluations for its employees.

Peer Review for Continuing Nurse Education

• Each State Board of Nursing evaluates education programs that wish to be an accredited school of nursing. These programs are held to strict standards of curriculum and practical application in healthcare settings for new nurses. Generally new programs of nursing do not receive accreditation until after the first class has graduated from the program and passed the State Board Examination. The number of graduates versus the number of initial enrollees and the passing rate of the graduates on their first time taking the State Boards are two of the biggest factors in whether or not a school will receive and maintain its accreditation. Schools take the pass rates very seriously as they can lose state funding if their passing rates dip too low.

Considerations

• Peer group reviews can be useful tools in honing a nurse to fit the hospital or healthcare agency model, but it may also take away some of the enthusiasm of new ideas so needed to revitalize nursing practice and keep it updated.

  Peer group reviewed articles are best for maintaining publication standards and weeding out misinformation, but can tag months onto an article's wait time before publishing. By then, the research could be dated.