Caring for Each Other: A Resident-Led Peer Debriefing Skills Workshop

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychology
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Critical incidents in medicine can lead to burnout due to inadequate processing time and space.
• Emotional debriefs are not regularly utilized by residents, with a needs assessment showing only 11% participation.
• Lack of structured debriefing contributes to resident distress and burnout.

Purpose of the Study:

• To increase resident comfort in participating in peer debriefs after critical incidents.
• To enhance resident likelihood of leading debriefs and comfort in identifying emotional distress symptoms.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a resident-led peer debriefing skills workshop.

Main Methods:

• Internal medicine, pediatrics, and medicine-pediatrics residents were surveyed on debriefing participation and comfort.
• A 50-minute peer debriefing skills workshop was developed and led by trained senior residents.
• Pre- and post-workshop surveys assessed comfort and likelihood of leading debriefs, with follow-up surveys at 6 months.

Main Results:

• Post-workshop, resident comfort in leading debriefs increased from 30% to 91%, and likelihood increased from 51% to 91%.
• 95% of participants found formal debriefing training beneficial, with nearly 50% preferring peer debriefs.
• Six months post-workshop, 22% of surveyed residents had led a peer debrief.

Conclusions:

• A significant preference exists among residents for peer debriefing after emotionally distressing critical incidents.
• Resident-led workshops are an effective method for improving resident comfort and skills in peer debriefing.
• Implementing such training can mitigate burnout and improve emotional well-being among medical residents.