Nurse simulation facilitator experiences learning open dialogue techniques to encourage self-reflection in debriefing

Objectives Simulation debriefing skills are inadequate. Barriers to effective debriefing include a lack of understanding of the meaning of debriefing and time to learn necessary skills. In nursing, students have reported simulation debriefs are used for assessment purposes, with little opportunity or time for reflection, affecting their learning. This study reports on an intervention to support nursing simulation facilitators to develop and learn self-reflective learning skills to use when facilitating simulation debriefs. Design The authors designed and developed a six-hour workshop. The published simulation literature and Open Dialogue techniques informed the skill set included in the workshop. Open Dialogue is a therapeutic approach used in mental health care. Participants Twelve (N = 16, n = 12) female nurses who regularly facilitate simulations for nursing students were purposively recruited to the study. Methods This evaluation study utilised a modified version of a previously validated self-reported reflective learning questionnaire for participants to rate their experiences of the workshop. The modified questionnaire comprised 17 items across four subsets and utilised a five point Likert scale. Open-ended questions were also included. Results Eight questionnaires were returned. High scores indicated the participant's positive evaluation of the workshop in developing a skill set to promote self-reflective learning, together with analysing emotions in everyday professional situations and in communication skills. Conclusions Participants reported the intervention was beneficial to their professional development and in helping them to develop their own self-reflective learning skills. The skill set included in the workshop was helpful to nursing simulation facilitators and could be one way to enhance nursing simulation facilitators debriefing skill set.