Debriefing Theories and Philosophies in Medical Simulation

The learning that takes place in medical simulation settings is mainly experiential. Participants experience a novel situation in a simulated scenario and subsequently reflect on it, deepening their understanding of the relevant aspects of healthcare and (it is to be hoped) modifying their future behavior in the real world. One important factor affecting this post-experience reflection is the associated debriefing and analysis quality. Debriefing is reviewing critical actions that unfold during a simulation scenario. The process of debriefing and its timing can take on many forms and techniques; regardless, the process should be learner-focused. The process of debriefing and feedback are sometimes used interchangeably; however, they are distinguishable. Debriefing is conversational, bidirectional, interactive, and reflective, while feedback is unidirectional and informational, providing a learner with crucial information about aspects of performance.