Constructing a nurse appraisal form: A Delphi technique study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Education
• Performance Appraisal

Background:

• Standardized nurse appraisal is crucial for ensuring quality and safety in patient care.
• Existing appraisal methods may vary across healthcare organizations, leading to inconsistencies.
• A unified approach can enhance the objectivity and reliability of nurse performance evaluations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a unified nurse appraisal format for hospitals in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.
• To establish a standardized tool applicable across diverse healthcare organizations.
• To improve the consistency and effectiveness of nurse performance assessments.

Main Methods:

• Hospitals from various healthcare organizations in the Eastern Province were included.
• Head nurses and nurse supervisors constituted the target population.
• Snowball sampling was utilized to select participants for the study panel.

Main Results:

• A consensus was reached on key performance dimensions for nurse appraisal.
• These dimensions include quality standards, work habits, leadership, interpersonal skills, attendance, problem-solving, communication, productivity, coordination, innovation, and record-keeping.
• The final draft of the nurse appraisal format was established.

Conclusions:

• Continuous assessment of nurse competence is essential for safe patient care.
• The developed nurse appraisal form is proposed for implementation in all Eastern Region hospitals.
• This initiative serves as a foundation for future national and international efforts to unify nursing appraisal standards for optimal health promotion.