Table 5 Debriefing myths
No | Debriefing myths | Content | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Debriefing only when disaster strikes | Belief that particularly negative events or major errors call for debriefings. No reported routines for debriefing successful performance episodes. | “In case of overload, when something went wrong […]” “Mostly after stressful situations […]” |
2 | Debriefing is a luxury which may not improve team performance. | Belief that debriefings require extra effort that overshadows their benefits: conducting debriefings takes time, and their benefits might not be obvious immediately. | “[…] the temporal aspect, when and how long will it take place and will everybody be there […]” “[…] due to shift work, it is problematic to bring all participants together.” “[…] we do not have time to discuss different points in detail […].” |
3 | The senior clinician should determine debriefing content. | Experienced and powerful staff members determine what is talked about in debriefings. | “[…] it is structured by hierarchy, I think it is rather the attending physician […]” “Basically, I would say that experienced staff have more influence, because they feel more confident in their roles.” “[…] we attending physicians have most influence on what is talked about because nurses and residents automatically listen to us […]” |
4 | Debriefers must be neutral. | Debriefers are supposed to be neutral and nonjudgmental. | “[…] it requires a person that is neutral and does not polarize […]” “What he or she must not do is take sides or judge […]” “He/she must be neutral […]” |