Simulation can give current and future EMS providers the hands-on training opportunities they need to be ready for the realities of the high-stakes pre-hospital environment.
Debriefing has been described as the “heart and soul” of the simulation experience.1 Read these 10 tips to help you ensure your debriefings are helping you maximize the learning impact of simulation.
If you’re like many EMS educators, you likely struggle with finding time to dedicate to debriefing. But remember, the evidence is undeniable: research shows that without effective debriefing, learning won’t occur.2 It’s crucial to prioritize making the time for this critical piece of the simulation experience.
Some EMS educators think of debriefing and feedback as interchangeable terms. While both are important, they have key differences. Feedback is typically a one-way delivery of performance information intended to modify behavior. It often consists of telling the learner what went right and what went wrong. Debriefing is a bidirectional, collaborative, and reflective conversation.
Video-assisted debriefing can give learners self-awareness of their psychomotor skills, body language, and more. “To give them that ‘view from the outside’ … I think it has the potential to really change the way we do debriefing,” says Ed Biebel, Clinical Simulation Manager of the School of Paramedic Sciences at Rowan College. Read how Rowan College found success using this approach with their paramedic students.
Tried and tested, the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice®: Debriefing offers evidence-based best practices in the debriefing process. But many EMS programs aren’t taking advantage of this important resource, despite its relevance for all simulation environments – including the pre-hospital setting.3 Look to these Standards to guide you in ensuring your debriefings are solid.
“You are not the sage on the stage. You are the guide by the side as a debriefer,” advises simulation expert Adrienne Wilk, PhD, RN, CHSE, CNE, CHSOS-A. “Lectures, they’re great – but keep them in the classroom. Debriefing is meant to be a learner-led process where you help them go through the steps, but you’re not lecturing at them – and that’s hard for us as educators.”4
Using a theory-based debriefing model that is grounded in research will ensure that you’re using a “tried and true” method to guide your debriefing. Some well-known ones are Plus/Delta, GAS (Gather, Analyze, and Summarize – this is the method that the American Heart Association uses in their courses), and Debriefing with Good Judgment. Use your learning objectives, learner levels, and the amount of time you have available to debrief to help you determine the right model.5
About 45% of paramedic educators cite lack of debriefing training as a barrier to successfully implementing simulation.6 You may want to consider having your team take a course or workshop such as CORE Debriefing. Taught by a skilled educator, the course is designed to support novice or intermediate participants from protocol-driven organizations.
If you’re uncertain of how your team’s debriefing skills stack up, or if you’re unsure of what specific behaviors make a debriefing most effective, check out the DASH© tool. The Debriefing Assessment for Simulation in Healthcare© (DASH) tool is a free resource to assist in the evaluation and development of debriefing skills. Read more about how the DASH can help you.
“Make It Safe” for learners by creating an engaging, psychologically safe environment. “Make It Stick” by guiding your learners to identify areas they need to improve and come up with solutions. Finally, “Make It Last” by asking each learner to come up with a key takeaway that they’ll work on in practice.7
No simulation educator becomes an expert debriefer overnight: it’s a journey. The path to debriefing competence has even been described as a 3-stage process of discovery, growth, and maturity.8 Support your team with ongoing professional development strategies, such as peer feedback and mentorship, to meet them where they are on their journey from novice to expert debriefers.9
