What does guided reflection during debriefing aim to achieve?

Guided reflection during debriefing aims to reinforce critical aspects of the experience and encourage insightful learning by actively engaging learners in thoughtful discussion about their performance and decisions made during the simulation. This process enables participants to analyze their experiences, identify key learning points, and understand how the simulation relates to real-world applications.

Through guided reflection, facilitators encourage learners to think critically about what they experienced, what went well, and what could be improved. This fosters deeper understanding, retention of knowledge, and application of skills in future situations, which is essential in healthcare training where practical skills and decision-making are vital.

In this context, guided reflection is not about criticizing the learner's performance; rather, it is about fostering a safe learning environment where they can explore their thoughts and feelings surrounding their actions. Likewise, while evaluating the facilitator's effectiveness and providing a summary of the session may be components of debriefing, they do not capture the primary goal of promoting critical thinking and personal growth in the learners. Guided reflection is ultimately about enhancing the learning experience and supporting ongoing professional development.