Anne van Dalen

62 I Chapter 2 effective debriefing session were described as follows: creating the correct conditions, timing, the appropriate environment, the amount of involvement of the debriefer, and the debriefing tools. He has stated that creating the correct conditions is, in fact, the key to a successful team debriefing. Health care teams are often characterized by powerful status- and role-based hierarchies. Leadership coming from hierarchy and role might be fact of life, sometimes even considered to be a requirement for teams to function value in practicing health care optimally. However, it is important to realize that hierarchy and status may also affect group dynamics negatively in subsequent debriefing. 2,36 When reflecting on actions, it may be important that participants share the feeling of being safe and respected in their individual roles and privacy. This may help participants to open up and speak their mind freely. 21,37 An independent moderator to lead team debriefing may be key, safeguarding aforementioned conditions. When it comes to providing effective feedback, it has been emphasized in the literature that it ought to be purposeful, solution-oriented, and specific. 10,39,40,41 Cooperrider and Whitney 41 and Benammar 42 describe this as the appreciative inquiry method, in which they highlighted the importance of “focusing on the good, not on the bad.” The advocacy-inquiry method emphasizes the importance of “debriefing with good judgment.” Accordingly, the debriefer provides the feedback as neutral as possible to maintain a trusting relationship with the team. 43 Subsequently, ineffective feedback has been marked by evocative questions, giving hints, judgment, finishing other people’s sentences, and giving examples of your own experiences. 38 The Harvard Center for Medical Simulation developed a tool to assist in evaluating the debriefing: Debriefing Assessment for Simulation in Healthcare. Accordingly, the debriefer creates a positive and safe learning environment, establishes structured and organized debriefings, provokes engaging discussions and encourages reflective practice by all the team members. He or she motivates the team to close the gap between the goals and what to do to attain them in the future. 44,45 The summarized identified essential elements to be used for structured team debriefing are presented in Table 1.