Show Notes
TAKE HOME POINTS
Debriefing after a clinical case in the ED is a way to have an interprofessional, reflective conversation with a focus on improving for the next patient. We can debrief routine cases, challenging cases, or even cases that go well.
Follow a structure when leading a debrief.
The prebrief sets ground rules and informs the team that the debrief is optional and will only take 3-5 minutes.
Introduce names and roles
Then give a one-liner about what happened in the case, followed by a plus/ delta: address what went well and why, then how to improve
Finally, wrap up with take home points
Pitfalls to watch out for in clinical debriefing include:
Avoid siloing or alienating any learners. Learn from all your colleagues on your team- it’s less about medicine and more about interprofessional and systems issues
Don’t pick on individual performance. It’s not about shaming- it’s about improving patient care
Avoid “guess what I’m thinking” questions; ask real questions
Proceed with caution in order to dampen or avoid psychological trauma and second victim syndrome. The learner may ask “was this my fault?”; we never want a learner to feel this way. Ask, what systems supported or did not support you today? Talk about what happened. Avoid shame and blame.
Have the right values and do it for the right reasons.
ADDITIONAL TOOLS
PEARLS Debriefing Tool
INFO Model: