Exemplary Professional Practice Through Nurse Peer Review

The development and execution of a nurse peer review program to evaluate nursing practice associated with significant adverse events has resulted in systemic changes. Descriptive analyses were conducted for 23 peer-reviewed cases involving 41 RNs and 2 advanced practice nurses from 14 specialties over a 4-year period. Thematic analysis revealed four common event categories: assessment and monitoring, team communication, skin integrity, and vascular access. This approach demonstrates the impact of professional nurse accountability for improving the quality of care and may serve as an exemplar for professional practice. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.