Aim: This article explains the unique role of nurse managers in facilitating nursing peer review and clarifies the issues of ownership about peer review processes and performance evaluations.
Background: The authors' review of the literature and experiences as organizational consultants, found no examples of principled peer review using the authoritative American Nurses Association (ANA) Guidelines for Peer Review.
Evaluation: The foundation for the work includes the author's recently published book, which includes a literature review, research on nursing peer review along with the ANA Guidelines for Peer Review.
Key issues: The distinction between the role of the manager in peer review and the role of the manager related to the annual performance evaluation is identified. The authors' contemporary model of peer review is used to explore development of peer review for managers and practicing nurses.
Conclusions: Key behaviours for nurse managers in facilitating peer review processes within a professional practice model are presented.
Implications for nursing management: Peer review is an essential and often missing element of practice needed to achieve sustainable quality and safety nursing outcomes. Guidelines and principles for development are presented.
© 2011 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.