Articles

Embracing informed learner self-assessment during debriefing: the art of plus-delta

Cheng, A.; Eppich, W.; Epps, C.; Kolbe, M.; Meguerdichian, M.; Grant, V.

The healthcare simulation field has no shortage of debriefing options. Some demand considerable skill which serves as a barrier to more widespread implementation. The plus-delta approach to debriefing offers the advantages of conceptual simplicity and ease of implementation. Importantly, plus-delta promotes learners’ capacity for a self-assessment, a skill vital for safe clinical practice and yet a notorious deficiency in professional practice. The plus-delta approach confers the benefits of promoting uptake of debriefing in time-limited settings by educators with both fundamental but also advanced skills, and enhancing essential capacity for critical self-assessment informed by objective performance feedback. In this paper, we describe the role of plus-delta in debriefing, provide guidance for incorporating informed learner self-assessment into debriefings, and highlight four opportunities for improving the art of the plus delta: (a) exploring the big picture vs. specific performance issues, (b) choosing between single vs. double-barreled questions, (c) unpacking positive performance, and (d) managing perception mismatches.

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Also Published In

Title
Advances in Simulation
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s41077-021-00173-1

More About This Work

Published Here
September 22, 2023

Notes

Debriefing, Plus-delta, Learner self-assessment, Feedback