Debriefing Practices in Nursing Education Programs: Results from a National Study

The purpose of the study was to describe debriefing practices in nursing education programs in the United States.

Despite the acknowledged importance of debriefing, little is known about debriefing practices. It is imperative that debriefing practices be examined in order to establish a baseline understanding of current practice.

The study design was a cross-sectional Internet-based survey. Surveys were sent to every accredited pre-licensure nursing program in the United States. Regression analysis determined variables that were associated with the use of theory-based debriefing.

Data analysis determined that most debriefers do not have training in debriefing and that their competence was not assessed. Factors associated with the use of theory-based debriefing included the presence of a designated simulation administrator, training for debriefers, and competence assessment of debriefers.

These results establish a baseline from which to prioritize faculty development in simulation-based education.