Use of prebriefing in nursing simulation: a literature review

Simulation has gained much attention in the literature for its contributions to nursing education; however, the simulation process itself and how each of the components-prebriefing, scenario, and debriefing-are effective for learning are understudied. Specifically, how prebriefing may enrich simulation for learners without adequate prior clinical experience or how it may develop complex thinking skills and clinical judgment is not well understood. This article comprehensively reviews the available nursing simulation literature about the phenomenon of prebriefing and critically evaluates its current role as a component of nursing simulation. Gaps in the reviewed literature regarding the definition and purpose of prebriefing, alternate learning structures used in prebriefing, and use in relation to learner outcomes were identified. Implications for undergraduate nursing education and recommendations for further research are discussed.