Debrief Facilitator
Outline the goals of the debrief.
Set the tone for a non-judgemental space.
Ensure individual/group’s understanding of confidentiality.
Key Points:
- Set the tone – think about the group you are debriefing, what are their dynamics, their culture, their learning styles etc.
- How can you incorporate these factors into the debrief you are holding?
- Ensure everyone takes part in the debrief.
Provide an opportunity for each person to describe the incident from their perspective.
Avoid interruptions
Gather information about what steps have been taken thus far to ensure immediate issues regarding safety and security have been addressed.
Key Points:
- This should include factors that led to the incident
- What behaviours were observed?
- What were the staff responses?
- Include short term or long term factors
Facilitator supports the individual/group to express their thoughts, feelings and responses to the incident.
Facilitator supports the individual/group to identify symptoms of stress.
Ensure individual/group is given non-judgemental validation for their feelings and thoughts that they have shared.
Key Points:
- Remember you are not a therapist, it is not your role as a debrief facilitator to solve or fix emotional issues or trauma.
- A facilitator should validate how people are feeling and understand that everyone takes time to process incidents differently.
- Acknowledge that people may experience short term or long term reactions to an incident.
Encourage the individual/group to identify positive aspects of the event.
Gain insight into what could have been done differently.
Identify immediate issues in relation to safety and security for all involved.
Key Points:
- Include what we do differently based on our learnings.
- For example “Next time, I will review the communication book immediately when I start my shift, instead of reviewing it later into my shift”
- This step feeds into step 5.
Facilitator to raise awareness of risks and possible symptoms of stress that the individual/group may experience in the upcoming days, weeks or months.
Facilitator to offer advice on utilising supports to cope with stress associated with the incident, including EAP services, referrals to appropriate agencies or follow-ups with manager.
Ensure staff are feeling safe and return to work.
Key Points:
- This is the ‘what now?’ aspect of the debrief.
- The facilitator will need to think about safety and wellbeing of the staff, the environment and the people we support.
- Actions should be reasonable and justifiable.
Summarise findings from debrief.
Recap the individual/group’s resources that are available to them.
Ensure individual/group feel safe to close the debrief session.
Key Points:
Use the circle, square, triangle analogy:
- Circle – what is circling around in your head? (what are you still unsure of)
- Square – what has been squared off? (what do you now understand)
- Triangle – name 3 things that you have taken from today and will put into practice.