Implementation of an Incident-based Nurse Peer Review Program

Abstract

Nurse peer review has long been recognized as a method of ensuring competence, safety, and quality patient care. There are currently no guidelines as to how to conduct nurse peer review and many hospitals struggle to implement an effective nurse peer review program. Many parallel quality review methods exist, including Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Serious Event Review (SER), but these mechanisms allow other disciplines to review and evaluate nursing practice, something they are not trained in nor competent to do. Nurses need their own venue for reviewing and evaluating nursing practice. The literature supports the use of nurse peer review, reporting positive benefits for nurses, patients, and organizations. This quality improvement project used a pilot study and Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) model to develop an incident-based nurse peer review program. The pilot study occurred over a three-week period during which clinical nurses attended three peer review sessions to evaluate nine cases of near misses and adverse events. Evaluation and feedback were sought at the end of each session. The resulting feedback was overwhelming positive, with clinical nurses reporting increased satisfaction with the peer review process and believing that the program would lead to improved nursing practice. The pilot study also resulted in the identification of several educational opportunities which were referred to the appropriate committees and departments. Minor revisions were made over the three sessions, resulting in a program to be implemented at the organizational level.D.N.P., Nursing Practice -- Drexel University, 201