title: Post-event debriefings during neonatal care: why are we not doing them, and how can we start?
abstract: Post-event debriefings are a foundational behavior of high performing teams. Despite the inherent value of post-event debriefings, the frequency with which they are used in neonatal care is extremely low. If post-event debriefings are so beneficial, why aren't they conducted more frequently? The reasons are many, but solutions are available. In this report, we provide practical advice on conducting post-event debriefing in neonatal care. In addition, we examine the perceived barriers to conducting post-event debriefings, and offer strategies to overcome them. Finally, we consider opportunities to foster a culture change within neonatal care which integrates debriefing as standard daily work. By establishing a safety culture in neonatal care that encourages and facilitates effective post-event debriefings, patient safety can be enhanced and clinical outcomes can be improved.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.|Neonatal-Education and Simulation-based Training (NEST) Program, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sawyer
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loren
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA.|Center for Advanced Pediatric and Perinatal Education (CAPE), Palo Alto, CA, USA.
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Halamek
mesh_terms: D003144:Communication Barriers; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015279:Organizational Culture; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000592:standards*; D018024:Peer Review, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D058996:Quality Improvement