Evidence-Based Debriefing

Ongoing shifts in the healthcare system require practitioners who possess metacognitive skills to evaluate their decisions and the thinking and rationale guiding those decisions. In an effort to design learning activities that support metacognition in nursing education, undergraduate and graduate faculty, are embracing simulation-based education (SBE) as an effective teaching and learning strategy. SBE includes prebriefing, the simulation scenario, and debriefing, all of which are supported by psychological safety. Prebriefing precedes the entire learning process and is integral to engagement in the simulation and to the effectiveness of the debriefing. Debriefing provides educators with the opportunity to explore and develop those metacognitive skills with learners. In this chapter on evidence-based debriefing, the authors will explore the evidence and theories surrounding best practices in SBE, specifically the prebriefing and debriefing components of the learning experience. The chapter explores the theoretical foundation of SBE and theory-based debriefing; educational best practices of prebriefing as an integral part of an effective debriefing; theory-based debriefing models; research evidence of debriefing outcomes; evaluation of the prebriefing and debriefing process; and finally, provides recommendations on the priorities for further research in debriefing. Within this chapter, the term educator is inclusive of undergraduate, graduate, and professional development nurse educators and reflects the educator role in SBE.