The Equivalence of Video Self-review Versus Debriefing After Simulation: Can Faculty Resources Be Reallocated?

Abstract

Traditional simulation debriefing is both time- and resource-intensive. Shifting the degree of primary learning responsibility from the faculty to the learner through self-guided learning has received greater attention as a means of reducing this resource intensity. The aim of the study was to determine if video-assisted self-debriefing, as a form of self-guided learning, would have equivalent learning outcomes compared to standard debriefing. This randomized cohort study consisting of 49 PGY-1 to -3 emergency medicine residents compared performance after video self-assessment utilizing an observer checklist versus standard debriefing for simulated emergency department procedural sedation (EDPS). The primary outcome measure was performance on the second EDPS scenario. Independent-samples t-test found that both control (standard debrief) and intervention (video self-assessment) groups demonstrated significantly increased scores on Scenario 2 (standard-t(40)=2.20, p<0.05; video-t(45)=3.88, p<0.05). There was a large and significant positive correlation between faculty and resident self-evaluation (r=0.70, p<0.05). There was no significant difference between faculty and residents self-assessment mean scores (t(24)=1.90, p=0.07). Residents receiving feedback on their performance via video-assisted self-debriefing improved their performance in simulated EDPS to the same degree as with standard faculty debriefing. Video-assisted self-debriefing is a promising avenue for leveraging the benefits of simulation-based training with reduced resource requirements.