How to Get a Better Performance Evaluation as a Nurse

Whether you're a brand-new grad getting started with your first nursing position, an experienced RN who has been in the same department for a while, or a nurse transitioning into a new area - odds are you have a performance evaluation on the horizon. 

Performance evaluations typically occur on an annual basis at most healthcare organizations. This is your opportunity to sit down with your leader and receive feedback on how you’re doing, your strengths, and where you could improve. Your performance evaluation may be tied to an annual raise in pay, which is a good incentive to try and achieve a strong performance rating. 💸💸💸

How performance evaluations are created and conducted can vary widely depending on where you work. You may not think you have much control over how you are perceived, but you have more power over your evaluation than you may think!

A big part of having a successful performance evaluation is doing prep work on your end first. As a nurse manager who has delivered performance evaluation to my direct reports over the past 9 years, I’m going to tell you the inside dets on how to accomplish this.

Let me start off by setting the scene here for performance evaluations in nursing.

Nurse managers often have large spans of control, supervising numerous direct reports. Particularly in the hospital setting, it’s not uncommon for nurse managers to have 50 -150 direct reports. That is a lot of evaluations to give. Nurse managers generally work a ‘normal’ schedule, your typical 9-5, while the people they manage are all over the place with their schedules. Nurses may work widely varying schedules, including weekends, nights, and limited hours.

This means your manager isn’t regularly having the opportunity to observe your day-to-day work. Nurse managers are often spread thin with their own responsibilities that pull them away from the unit. So even if you work dayshift and interact with your manager more often, they aren’t (thankfully) following you around to see the care you provide firsthand or remember everything you’ve contributed to the unit.

If you’re a night shift RN, you may have a night shift supervisor who you report to. They may be the one delivering your evaluation.

Here are my top tips for achieving a BETTER performance evaluation as a nurse ⤵️⤵️⤵️

🙋Tip #1 Ask About Performance Evaluations When You’re Hired (Or Shortly After) 

Get ahead of the game and ask your upline about performance evaluations. Meeting up with you manager shortly after orientation is a good time to learn more about this.

When and how often do performance evaluations take place?
How is performance measured?
Are there formal categories that you are rated on? What does this look like?
What does a ‘high performer’ look like to this manager?

Understanding these factors ahead of time is like knowing the answers to the test—it helps you focus your efforts and tailor your preparation. For example, if the manager shares that a ‘top performer’ category is reserved for those who ‘go above a beyond’ – what specifically does that look like? Precepting nurses, being a charge RN, participating on unit committees? Armed with this information allows you to know what you need to do and not waste your time doing tasks the manager doesn’t value.

✍️Tip #2 Prep Beforehand and Document What You’ve Done

Here are ideas of things that would be worth sharing. Keep a running list throughout the year! Sometimes it’s easy to forget everything you’ve done. Highlight areas where you have gone above and beyond your job description.

Some key areas to consider include:

• Good Attendance: Consistently showing up on time and minimizing absences demonstrates your reliability and commitment.
• Patient Recognition: Mention any DAISY nominations or awards, patient thank-you notes, or verbal recognition for your excellent care.
• Awards and Recognition from Coworkers: If your peers or supervisors have acknowledged your hard work, bring this up during your evaluation.
• Certifications: Did you earn a new certification? This showcases your dedication to the patient specialty you serve and your professional growth 

Highlight Your Leadership and Team Contributions: Nurses often take on leadership roles, whether formally or informally. Showcasing these contributions demonstrates your value as a team player and leader.

Examples include

• Project Involvement: Discuss any projects you’ve contributed to, such as quality improvement initiatives or implementing new protocols.
• Committee Participation: Highlight your membership or leadership roles in committees. For instance, if you served as the chair, emphasize your impact on outcomes or team morale.
• Precepting: If you’ve mentored nursing students or new nurses, share the numbers to quantify your impact. For example, "I precepted six new nurses this year, helping them transition successfully into their roles."
• Charge Nurse Responsibilities: If you’ve stepped into the charge nurse role, even occasionally, this is a key demonstration of leadership and accountability.
• Champion Roles and Superuser: Mention any champion roles (e.g., safety champion, infection control champion) or superuser positions where you’ve assisted with new technology or process rollouts.
• Skills Fairs: If you’ve helped coordinate or teach at skills fairs, this showcases your dedication to fostering education and competency among your peers.

Showcase Your Community and Unit Engagement

Your dedication to fostering a positive work environment and contributing to your community should not go unnoticed.

Be sure to mention

• Hospital-Sponsored Volunteer Work: Any participation in community events or initiatives sponsored by your hospital.
• Unit Initiatives: If you’ve helped organize events like holiday parties, Secret Santa exchanges, or potlucks, these efforts highlight your commitment to team morale.

Another tip: Tie Your Accomplishments to Unit Goals

When possible, align your achievements with the goals of your unit or organization. For instance:

Did your involvement in a project lead to improved patient outcomes or workflow efficiency?

Did your participation in committees address specific unit challenges or meet organizational benchmarks?
 

🤍Tip #3. Be Honest About Areas for Growth

A strong evaluation doesn’t mean you’re perfect. Being honest about areas for improvement and your plan to address them shows self-awareness and a commitment to professional growth. I also think it shows maturity and vulnerability. Share where you feel you can improve, and how you've been working on it, or plan to work on it over the coming year. 

For example, if you’d like to improve your skills in handling difficult conversations, mention that you’re exploring communication workshops or seeking mentorship.

Preparing for your performance evaluation doesn’t have to be super stressful. By documenting your accomplishments, highlighting your leadership and teamwork, and showing your commitment to growth, you can turn your evaluation into a powerful opportunity to showcase your value as a nurse. Your contributions matter, and your evaluation is your time to ensure they’re recognized.

⭐Just like you advocate for your patients, you need to advocate for yourself and be sure your direct upline understands everything you've contributed to the department so far. If you don't tell them, you can't expect them to remember. Right or wrong, the bottom line is they are the ones creating your evaluation that lives in your employment record and may influence your raise - so take it upon yourself to ensure its accurate and reflective of who are you. ⭐