Twelve tips for facilitating and implementing clinical debriefing programmes

Abstract

Contemporary clinical practice places a high demand on healthcare workforces due to complexity and rapid evolution of guidelines. We need embedded workplace practices such as clinical debriefing (CD) to support everyday learning and patient care. Debriefing, defined as a ‘guided reflective learning conversation’, is most often undertaken in small groups following simulation-based experiences. However, emerging evidence suggests that debriefing may also enhance learning in clinical environments where facilitators need to simultaneously balance psychological safety, learning goals and emotional well-being. This twelve tips article summarises international experience collated at the recent Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE) debriefing symposium. These tips encompass the benefits of CD, as well as suggested approach to facilitation. Successful CD programmes are frequently team focussed, interdisciplinary, implemented in stages and use a clear structure.

Keywords:

• Debriefing
• continuing education
• communication skills
• work-based learning

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Andrew Coggins

Andrew Coggins, MBChB, FACEM, is an Emergency Physician in Australia.

Ramez Zaklama

Ramez Zaklama, MBBS, is a Senior Resident in Critical Care in Australia.

Rebecca A. Szabo

Rebecca A. Szabo, MBBS, MClinEd, is an Obstetrician in Australia.

Cristina Diaz-Navarro

Cristina Diaz-Navarro, LMS, FRCA, is an Anaesthetist in the UK.

Ross J. Scalese

Ross J. Scalese, MD, FACP, is an Internal Medicine Physician in the USA.

Kristian Krogh

Kristian Krogh, MD, PhD, is an Anaesthetist in Denmark.

Walter Eppich

Walter Eppich, MD, PhD, is a Paediatric Emergency Physician in the USA.