PEARLS Debriefing - Course Sessions and Lesson Content

The course sessions and lesson content for this Overview of PEARLS Debriefing is presented below. The content is divided into five short modules. Each module includes a brief video discussion based on the course resources linked below. You can progress though the lesson content at your own pace and complete the lesson in one session or multiple sessions as you prefer. Upon completion of the lesson content, please complete the Post-Course Assessment and the Course Evaluation.


Module 1 - Introduction and Overview

Debriefing is a facilitated reflection in the cycle of experiential learning to help identify and close gaps in knowledge and skills. To maximize the contribution to learning, debriefing should include the following:

  • active participation with more than just the passive receipt of feedback
  • developmental intent focused on learning and improvement (more than a performance review)
  • discussion of specific performance events, including those done well and those needing improvement, and
  • input from multiple sources, including facilitators, learners, and reference resources where applicable.

Debriefing can take on different forms depending upon the learning objectives, the types of instruction, and the experience of the learners, This instructional program will focus on the rationale and use of the PEARLS Debriefing methodology during post-simulation debriefings.

To begin this module, please read the article, "Promoting Excellence and Reflective Learning in Simulation (PEARLS) - Development and Rationale for a Blended Approach to Health Care Simulation Debriefing" by Walter Eppich and Adam Chang. The article serves as a guide for the discussion in the accompanying video presentations and is the basis for the PEARLS Debriefing Tool reference poster graphic.

A copy of the article and graphic are both available from the PEARLS Reference Resource Links box at the bottom of this page.

After reviewing the article and graphic, please view the video PEARLS Module 1 below.

When complete, continue on to the next module. Continuing Nursing Professional Development credit is no longer awarded for this session. However, you are welcome to complete this online program for your own personal knowledge and development.


PEARLS Module 1

 

Module 2 - Why Debrief

Debriefing has not always been an integrated component of simulation-based education. What is the rationale for incorporating debriefing as a part of the scenario design and simulation session? What role does debriefing play in learning? To answer these questions and more, please view the video presentation PEARLS Module 2 below.

When complete, continue on to the next module.


PEARLS Module 2

 

Module 3 - What to Debrief

During and after a simulation scenario, it can be challenging to decide what to debrief. Ideally, planning for the debriefing starts during the scenario design and is organized in a way to connect the scenario objectives with observed actions during the simulation. Debriefing should acknowledge and reinforce correct performance and help identify and close gaps in knowledge and skills.

What is the rationale for incorporating debriefing as a part of the scenario design and simulation session? How do you decide what to focus on in the debrief? To answer these questions and more, please view the video presentation PEARLS Module 3 below.

When complete, continue on to the next module.


PEARLS Module 3

 

Module 4 - How to Debrief

How should a debrief be conducted? When, where, by whom should a debrief be conducted? How long should it last? Debriefing is hard, how can I get better at debriefing?

To answer these questions and more, please view the video presentation PEARLS Module 4 below.

When complete, continue on to the next module.


PEARLS Module 4

 

Module 5 - Summary Using PEARLS Debriefing

How can a debrief be conducted using the PEARLS guidelines and graphic tool? What are some tips and suggestions to help faculty and instructors in facilitating a debriefing? To answer these questions and more, please view the video presentation PEARLS Module 5 below.

When complete, continue on to the Post-Course Assessment.


PEARLS Module 5

 

Post-Course Assessment, Course Evaluation

When you have completed all of the course modules, click on the Post-Course Assessment tab in the left menu.
Here you will be asked to complete:

  • a short post-course assessment quiz on the knowledge you gained from the course,
  • a short course evaluation to help us improve future course offerings,
  • Continuing Nursing Professional Development credit is no longer awarded for this session. However, you are welcome to complete this online program for your own personal knowledge and development.

 

PEARLS Reference Resource Links