Training for Change: Developing Clinical Debriefing Champions in a Maternity Unit

Clinical debriefing (CD) is a structured reflective conversation that supports experiential learning, enhances teamwork and contributes to patient safety. Despite established evidence for its benefits, implementation of CD within clinical environments remains challenging, with cultural barriers frequently cited as problematic. As part of a wider programme to embed CD within a busy maternity unit, a 1-day course in CD facilitation was delivered to an interprofessional group to develop debriefing skills and empower a group of staff to commit to CD practice.

Course design was informed by self-determination theory (SDT) and relational coordination theory (RCT), integrating principles of motivation, psychological safety and interprofessional learning into teaching and learning activities. Sessions combined didactic teaching, small-group discussion, scaffolded skills practice using structured debriefing tools, clinical and nonclinical scenarios and immersive simulation.

Fifteen staff members from the maternity unit participated. Participants represented a diverse interprofessional group, many of whom held formal leadership roles. Feedback indicated an improved perceived ability of participants to undertake aspects of CD. Free-text feedback highlighted the value of psychological safety, interactive methods and opportunities to practise facilitation skills. Participants expressed strong intentions to implement CD within their teams.

This theory-driven, interactive course showed promise for building capability and motivation for CD facilitation while supporting the cultural conditions required for sustained implementation. The design is transferable to other specialties and settings: Educators can adapt the theoretical mapping and scaffolded skills practice to develop local 'champions' to accelerate cultural change in healthcare contexts.