(105) Impact of Multidisciplinary Peer Evaluations in a Cardiothoracic ICU

Introduction: Evaluations can serve as a tool for improvement when conducted in a supportive environment. 360 degree evaluations are given by colleagues working directly with a person. There is a scarcity of research on their impact in critical care. We created a multidisciplinary and anonymous peer evaluation tool for advanced practice providers (APPs) in our cardiothoracic ICU (CTICU) as a way to provide constructive feedback from APPs, nurses, and intensivists with a goal of positively impacting a sense of shared professional investment.

Methods: Pre-intervention survey data was collected from CTICU nurses and APPs two months prior to the 360 degree evaluations. The 360 degree APP evaluations were then administered to APPs, nurses, and intensivists and assessed domains such as communication, teamwork, clinical decision making, and professionalism. The evaluation results were shared privately with each APP. A post-intervention survey was sent to CTICU nurses and APPs after three months.

Results: The pre-intervention survey was filled out by CTICU nurses (n=43) and APPs (n=9). The 360 degree APP evaluations were filled out by CTICU nurses (n=19), APPs (n=7), and physician intensivists (n=5). The post-intervention survey was filled out by CTICU nurses (n=23) and APPs (n=6). The pre- and post-intervention survey showed that nurses "agree" or "strongly agree" that their input is valued by the APP team (pre=85%, post=78%). When evaluated if there is a safe/anonymous method to provide feedback, pre-intervention showed 25% of nurses "agree" or "strongly agree" vs 78% post intervention. When the APPs were asked to respond to the statement "my attending physicians are invested in my growth" 22% agreed pre-intervention vs 66% post-intervention. Pre-intervention, 44% of APPs agreed with the statement "I know of specific ways I can improve or grow" vs 83% agreeing to the statement following intervention.

Conclusions: Implementation of a multidisciplinary 360 degree evaluation of APPs in a CTICU allows for an anonymous way to provide constructive feedback while providing a sense of investment from peers across disciplines. A supportive environment and willing participants are crucial to success. Additional research is needed to determine the impact on professional development, retention, and patient safety.