P80 Development of a debriefing pro-forma for novice debriefers of medical and nursing student simulation education

Background Simulation training is an increasingly utilised tool in medical and nursing student education, leading to demand for skilled faculty to assist in scenarios and run debriefs. At our centre, a large pool of junior doctors are enthusiastic contributors to the faculty of regular training sessions. However, this group frequently has limited experience and training in debriefing, which can impact on both their levels of stress, as well as the nature of the debriefs. Summary of work The aim of this project was to construct a pro-forma which provides guidance on debriefing for novice facilitators, and a structured format for making notes during the simulation. An initial needs analysis survey of faculty showed 77% had led fewer than 5 debriefs, and a similar number felt somewhat or not-so confident at debriefing. Two thirds were extremely, or very interested in a debriefing proforma to assist them. An iterative design process was established to produce the document. An initial draft was constructed utilising a short synopsis of the Promoting Excellence And Reflective Learning in Simulation (PEARLS) model for debriefing, and a structured area for notes to be written during the scenario. Other features included space for participants names, a summary of learning outcomes, and extra unstructured space for notes. The form was used and assessed by the target audience, and verbal feedback was sought from a variety of local experts. Feedback from these assessments led to the construction of a second pro-forma with several key changes; alteration of the notes section from chronological- to issues-based, increased unstructured space for note taking, and the addition of The Basic Assumption. Summary of results A formal survey of the facilitators showed that all respondents found the pro-forma very or extremely useful, and all were likely or very likely to use it again. Further analysis of debriefing quality will be completed including review of feedback from medical and nursing students pre- and post- the intervention Discussion and conclusions The use of a debriefing pro-forma can help junior facilitators in the process of debriefing. Ongoing research is required to formally assess its effect on the quality of the debrief, and its utility in a wider audience of debriefers. References Eppich W, Cheng A. Promoting Excellence and Reflective Learning in Simulation (PEARLS). Simulation in Healthcare: The Journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare 2015;10(2):106–115. The Basic Assumption | Center for Medical Simulation [Internet]. Center for Medical Simulation. 2019 [cited 16 May 2019]. Available from: https://harvardmedsim.org/resources/the-basic-assumption/