Aim: The purpose of the study was to describe debriefing practices in nursing education programs in the United States.
Background: Despite the acknowledged importance of debriefing, little is known about debriefing practices. It is imperative that debriefing practices be examined in order to establish a baseline understanding of current practice.
Method: The study design was a cross-sectional Internet-based survey. Surveys were sent to every accredited pre-licensure nursing program in the United States. Regression analysis determined variables that were associated with the use of theory-based debriefing.
Results: Data analysis determined that most debriefers do not have training in debriefing and that their competence was not assessed. Factors associated with the use of theory-based debriefing included the presence of a designated simulation administrator, training for debriefers, and competence assessment of debriefers.
Conclusion: These results establish a baseline from which to prioritize faculty development in simulation-based education.