Debriefing and Feedback in the Current Healthcare Environment

Over the past several decades, simulation-based learning and postsimulation debriefing have become a mainstay of clinical education in healthcare. With origins in both the military and aviation industries, debriefing in particular has been used across multiple nursing and medicine disciplines to promote team training and reflective learning. Self-reflection and improvement in practice are at the core of effective debriefing. Feedback and simulation experts have continued to develop more effective debriefing strategies. Several models are described in the literature, and healthcare educators now have a variety of resources at their disposal. Many of these debriefing techniques offer thoughtful guidance for providing constructive, real-time clinical feedback to students. Incorporating reflective feedback strategies in clinical learning promotes meaningful learning. This, in turn, will only strengthen the capabilities of students and better prepare them for the complexities they will face in clinical practice.