Hospitals may tell their nursing staff that peer review is just part of the way in which they aim to improve the standard of care. They may frame it as an opportunity for learning rather than anything to worry about.
Yet, time has shown that this is not how things always play out. Nurses sometimes find themselves facing disciplinary issues, and perhaps even challenges to their license to practice, thanks in part to a damaging peer review. Note that in California, certain things discovered during peer reviews require mandatory reporting to the state’s licensing board.
A poor review could be given for many reasons
An honest peer review should certainly say if there are any areas of concern with a nurse. However, some nurses have found themselves on the end of negative peer reviews that they believe are not justified. In a recent case in another state, a nurse sought to overturn her license suspension, saying that the peer reviewer had not actually reviewed a single case of hers.
Others may believe that a negative review given to them is down to personal animosity. It could also be down to discrimination. Perhaps the person giving the peer review has a thing about a particular nationality, so they take the opportunity given to them to try and make sure the person of that nationality they are reviewing is sidelined by the employer, so they don’t have to work with them again.
If you are concerned about a negative peer review and the motives behind it, consider seeking experienced legal guidance sooner rather than later. If you wait too long, you may need that same legal guidance to deal with a chain of events that the review sets in place, such as a licensing board hearing and perhaps a suspension.
