Developing a Trauma-Informed Psychologically Safe Debriefing Framework for Emotionally Stressful Simulation Events

• Published in: Clinical simulation in nursing 2021-02, Vol.51, p.1-9
• Main Authors: Harder, Nicole, Lemoine, Jocelyne, Chernomas, Wanda, Osachuk, Tim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: debriefing; patient death; psychological safety; psychological stress; simulation
• ISSN: 1876-1399; 1876-1402
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecns.2020.11.007

As simulation experiences evolve to become more realistic and include events that extend beyond clinical skills performance, the debriefing models that are used also must evolve. There is much discussion regarding the psychological safety of participants during simulation and the debriefing period; however, the discussions generally revolve around the tone and the environment and less on the actual debriefing process. The majority of debriefing models in simulation are based on education frameworks with the intent to address learning objectives and learning outcome stemming from the simulation. They are not explicitly intended to process the feelings and emotions experienced during emotionally or psychologically stressful simulation events. Based on an extensive scoping review, this article reports on the development of a Trauma-informed Psychologically Safe debriefing framework that has been piloted with undergraduate nursing students who experience expected patient death in a simulation experience. •Simulation that includes patient death has the potential to evoke a strong emotional or psychological stress response.•Current simulation debriefing models are not explicitly intended to process strong feelings and emotions.•We developed a Trauma-informed Psychologically Safe debriefing framework for nursing students who experience patient death in simulation.•Just as simulation as an educational approach has evolved, so must the debriefing methods adapt to these experiences.