2.2.g Team Debriefs

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In a team debrief, each member describes their impressions of the impact of people’s contributions and actions, and how it affected the team’s functioning. Team debriefs allow members to process events in a safe space.  They can acknowledge and be acknowledged for their roles, as well as the emotional, life and/or professional impact of events. According to the 6 criteria to measure the quality of the maternity care, proposed by the Institute of Medicine and applied by the Transforming Birth Vision Team Links to an external site. (5, 6) a debrief should occur around topics of safety, effectiveness, timeliness, efficiency, equity, and providing person-centered care.

When debriefing consider these aspects (5,6):

  1. Safety: avoid injuries to people from the care that is intended to help
    them.
  2. Effectiveness: provide services based on scientific knowledge to all who
    could benefit, and refraining from providing services to those not likely to benefit.
  3. Person-centered: provide care that is respectful of and responsive to individual's preferences, needs, and values, and ensuring that patient values guide all clinical decisions.
  4. Timeliness: reduce waits and harmful delays for both those who
    receive and those who give care.
  5. Efficiency: avoid waste, including waste of equipment, supplies, ideas,
    and energy.
  6. Equity: provide care that does not vary in quality because of personal
    characteristics.

 

Examples of how to frame the questions for the team debrief are:

  • How do we feel about our overall care and/or the outcomes in relation to the 6 criteria?
  • How was our communication?
  • What did we do well?
  • What could we have done better to:
    • improve outcomes?
    • meet client needs and preferences?
    • facilitate each others roles?
  • What are priority areas for ongoing care of this family following the birth and who will provide each aspect of the care plan?

 

Journal_Icon.png Personal Reflection

Identify 2 things that you would specifically like to debrief with Mee, Alang, Serena, Karen and/or Monica. Why did you choose these topics to debrief? Rehearse the way you would discuss these topics in your conversation.