Whether immediate or sometime afterwards, debriefings are opportunities to learn from challenging situations

Whether debriefing happens immediately after an incident or some days later, it can be an invaluable source of learning. Debriefings give healthcare staff the chance to discuss unanticipated or difficult events. Typically, the goal is to improve clinical outcomes through discussion and reflection, translating what has been learned into clinical practice, say researchers who investigated well-being and emotional outcomes for staff in a study published in 2023 (tinyurl.com/debrief-wellbeing).