Clinical Nurses’ Perceptions of a “Brain-Friendly” Peer Feedback Program

Abstract

Background: While clinicians routinely observe issues with safety and quality, they may not always speak up and intervene. Peer feedback supports nurses to speak up about errors or near misses and actively improve nursing care quality. Effective peer feedback requires addressing barriers to speaking up. Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods study was to evaluate a‘brain-friendly‘peer feedback program´s effect on clinical nurses´ perceptions of peer review. Methods: Nurses were surveyed before and after the implementation of a peer feedback program that integrated social cognitive neuroscience principles. Open comments were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Responses to nearly half of survey questions improved. Thematic analysis identified institutional and personal barriers to peer feedback use, revealing the personal and social complexity of speaking up. Conclusions: Social cognitive neuroscience may enhance peer feedback programs. Research using immersive qualitative methods is needed to better understand factors supporting or impeding peer feedback.