This document provides tips for nurses on how to effectively provide constructive feedback to colleagues. It emphasizes that feedback is a key part of the learning process and professional development. The tips include: asking the colleague their perspective first, starting and ending with something positive, being specific with examples, focusing on behaviors that can be changed, offering suggestions for improvement, encouraging discussion, taking time to ensure understanding, being compassionate and avoiding sarcasm. Providing honest yet well-delivered feedback can help colleagues improve without being upsetting.

1. volume 30 number 48 / 27 July 2016 / 37
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Providing helpful feedback
When asked to comment on another nurse’s performance, how
comfortable are you offering a true reflection of their abilities?
By Mandy Day-Calder
others do and gain insight
into their current level
of performance.
Learning opportunity
Although praise is welcome, it
does not provide opportunities
for learning. Feedback
that also highlights areas
of weakness and combines
this with suggestions for
development offers potential
for increased self-awareness
and growth. The trick is to get
the balance right.
Before delivering feedback,
you may want to spend some
time thinking about what
stops you from being more
open. Try practising with
close family or friends and
reflect on how you managed
this. You may also want to
consider how you felt and
what you learned from another
colleague who has given you
constructive feedback.
It is important to do
some preparation before
you give someone feedback.
Although this is not always
practical, when you can
prepare, you should.
Equally, if a colleague asks
how you think they managed
a situation after a challenging
shift, you may need to give
constructive criticism there
and then.
Although you cannot
please everyone, remember
that honest feedback,
delivered well, does not
need to be upsetting for you
or your colleague.
Tips for giving written and
verbal feedback
» Ask how your colleague
perceives the situation
and/or their ability. This
I
t can be easy to get into
the habit of filtering the
truth to avoid having
difficult conversations.
But you can enhance your
skills so you are confident
your feedback is constructive
and will contribute to your
colleague’s professional growth
and development.
The Nursing and Midwifery
Council Code places great
emphasis on reflective
practice, as well as the
sharing of skills, experience
and knowledge in the
nursing team.
Nursing is a profession
that never stays still. No
matter how senior your role
is, there is always scope for
improvement, either through
formal teaching events or on
the job learning.
Giving honest and
constructive feedback is
an integral part of any
learning process. It offers
a valuable opportunity
for people to see themselves as
Feedback is
a key part of the
learning process
iStock
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2. nursingstandard.com
careers / highlights
38 / 27 July 2016 / volume 30 number 48
498
Health Education England plans to commission
498 district nurse training places by April 2017
‘Be authentic, compassionate and
encouraging when giving feedback.
Avoid inappropriate humour or
sarcasm’
See article below
OVERSEAS WORK
Nursing in the world’s
most challenging places
Nurses must develop the necessary skills to enable them to work
in developing countries and challenging conflict zones
Erin Dean
Getty
CONTINUED
Providing helpful
feedback
encourages self-reflection
and helps you gain a
clearer picture of areas
for development.
» Always start and end with
something positive.
» Use clear language and
avoid too much emotion.
Don’t hide behind lengthy
sentences which could
cause confusion.
» Be specific – give examples
and focus on specific actions
or clinical skills.
» Try to avoid commenting
on things the other person
has no control over. Focus
instead on behaviours that
can be changed.
» If highlighting areas for
development, offer evidence-
based suggestions.
» Offer solutions, but
don’t preach. Encourage
a two-way conversation
and always offer space
for discussion.
» Take your time and
check that you have
been understood.
» Be authentic, compassionate
and encouraging and
avoid inappropriate humour
or sarcasm.
» Finish by summarising the
main points and agreeing
goals and actions to
work on.
Mandy Day-Calder is a freelance writer
and life/health coach
Josie Gilday has worked in some
of the world’s most challenging
places, including Haiti after the
devastating earthquake and civil
war-plagued Ivory Coast.
The specialist HIV nurse has
been on a six-month whistle-
stop tour of Ethiopia, Myanmar
and the Democratic Republic of
Congo, helping improve medicine
management and supply. She carried
out placements and implemented a
training programme for healthcare
staff in South Sudan for charity
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
‘You see what you can do with
next to nothing,’ says Ms Gilday. ‘My
national staff team makes changes
quickly. On my first mission to South
Sudan, I ran an inpatient therapeutic
feeding centre and a centre treating
people with infectious disease kala-
azar. On arrival, I found the nursing
station was outside the centre, away
from the patients, so I changed it.’
Many nurses dream of working
in conflict zones and developing
countries, but charities stress that
applicants ensure they develop the
necessary skills. MSF’s staff must have
significant experience, and a diploma
in tropical nursing or relevant nursing
experience in a tropical environment.
Nurses’ work overseas will include:
» Providing primary health care.
» Setting up and guiding health posts.
» Operating feeding centres,
clinics and hospitals.
» Implementing vaccination
campaigns.
» Organising mother and child
health programmes.