AHRQ Patient Safety Primer Promotes Learning Through Debriefing

Debriefing, a key component in healthcare simulation, can be equally as valuable when implemented following real-life emergencies or adverse events. According to a new patient safety primer available on the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality’s Patient Safety Network, debriefing is defined as a “dialogue between two or more people; its goals are to discuss the actions and thought processes involved in a particular patient care situation, encourage reflection on those actions and thought processes and incorporate improvement into future performance.”

Debriefing helps teams evaluate what went wrong in a given situation as well as what the team did well. Then, the team can use this information to drive improvement at the individual, team and system levels.

To learn more, read AHRQ’s patient safety primer, Learning Through Debriefing, by clicking here.