Debrief and its Quality Influence Team Culture

Abstract

Tul Laosakul, Sein Son, Jo Derry, Laura Mitchell, Arianna Ceretta and Mat Daniel

Background: Theatre debrief is a key aspect of WHO surgical checklist. It promotes safety, communication, and teamwork. We aimed to establish the impact of debrief on work culture and engagement.

Materials and Methods: A questionnaire-based study examining the impact of debrief on Culture of Care Barometer, team / hospital promoter scores, and engagement at work questionnaires.

Results: Fifty staff from a variety of professions, based in ENT and Ophthalmology, including theatre, clinic and administration areas took part. Being exposed to debrief led to higher scores on the Culture of Care Barometer. Additionally, our staff found structured, coaching and manager-led meetings to be more effective, useful and engaging than debriefs consisting of quick comments or informal discussion only.

Conclusion: Debrief could foster positive culture and engagement changes. Future focus should be on effective debrief implementation and high quality debrief styles.

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