Peer Reviews

Abstract

This study investigated nurses’ reactions to a peer rating system. Their level of system acceptance was assessed with both quantitative and qualitative measures. In addition, participants were asked, in an open response format, what issues and concerns they had regarding peer appraisals. The results indicate that those who perceived the system to be more for developmental feedback purposes, who had positive experiences as raters or as recipients of peer feedback, and who felt the system gave them a chance to voice concerns about performance reported higher levels of acceptance. Content analysis of the participants’ comments revealed four main concerns: the need for additional training, biases believed to influence peer ratings, the time required to perform the ratings, and the criteria used for those ratings. Acceptance, perceived purpose, recipient outcomes, and voice were related to the specific concerns participants mentioned. The theoretical and practical implications of this research are discussed.