title: Debriefing in the emergency department after clinical events: a practical guide.
abstract: One vital aspect of emergency medicine management is communication after episodes of care to improve future performance through group reflection on the shared experience. This reflective activity in teams is known as debriefing, and despite supportive evidence highlighting its benefits, many practitioners experience barriers to implementing debriefing in the clinical setting. The aim of this article is to review the current evidence supporting postevent debriefing and discuss practical approaches to implementing debriefing in the emergency department. We will address the who, what, when, where, why, and how of debriefing and provide a practical guide for the clinician to facilitate debriefing in the clinical environment.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University Medical Center, New York Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York, New York, NY. Electronic address: dk2592@cumc.columbia.edu.
authors.forename: David O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.affiliation: KidSIM Simulation Program, Alberta Children's Hospital, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Children's National Medical Center, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: Paul C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Mullan
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D010348:Patient Care Team; D058996:Quality Improvement