Open AccessAdaptation of the US Army’s After-Action Review for Simulation Debriefing in Healthcare
Author(s) -
Taylor Sawyer,
Shad Deering
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
simulation in healthcare
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.685
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1559-713X
pISSN - 1559-2332
DOI - 10.1097/sih.0b013e31829ac85c
Subject(s) - debriefing , health care , adaptation (eye) , medical education , action (physics) , psychology , nursing , medicine , applied psychology , political science , physics , quantum mechanics , neuroscience , law
Postsimulation debriefing is a critical component of effective learning in simulation-based health care education. Numerous formats in which to conduct the debriefing have been proposed. In this report, we describe the adaptation the US Army's After-Action Review (AAR) debriefing format for postsimulation debriefing in health care. The Army's AAR format is based on sound educational theory and has been used with great success in the US Army and civilian organizations for decades. Debriefing using the health care simulation AAR process requires planning, preparation, and follow-up. Conducting a postsimulation debriefing using the health care simulation AAR debriefing format includes 7 sequential steps as follows: (1) define the rules of the debriefing, (2) explain the learning objectives of the simulation, (3) benchmark performance, (4) review what was supposed to happen during the simulation, (5) identify what actually happened, (6) examine why events occurred the way they did, and (7) formalize learning by reviewing with the group what went well, what did not go well and what they would do differently if faced with a similar situation in real life. We feel that the use of the health care simulation AAR debriefing format provides a structured and supported method to conduct an effective postsimulation debriefing, with a focus on the learning objectives and reliance on preidentified performance standards.