Developing Unit-Focused Peer Coaches for the Clinical Setting

In teaching, nursing management, and professional development, the traditional one-to-one approach is used in the peer coach relationship. In clinical environments, the use of peer coaches is a creative way to implement practice change. Tailoring the concept of peer coaching to consider the dynamics and structure of the clinical environment is essential. This article describes the use of a change model in the preparation of peer coaches for safe patient handling in an acute care setting. Unit-focused peer coach preparation includes multiple teaching techniques, such as lecture, hands-on experience, and scripting. Unit-focused peer coaches are a helpful adjunct to nursing staff development.