SafetyInsights.org

How do you navigate psychological safety in the context of debriefs/after-action reviews? These two unrelated open access papers provide an overview.

It’s argued that:

• Debriefings “should promote reflection and help learners make sense of events”, yet “Threats to psychological safety can undermine reflective learning conversations and may inhibit transfer of key lessons from simulated cases”
• Effective debriefs are argued to require high degrees of psychological safety—” the perception that it is safe to take interpersonal risks and that one will not be embarrassed, rejected or otherwise punished for speaking their mind, not knowing or asking questions”
• One challenge, at least in certain domains like healthcare, is that preceding cultures “view mistakes as a ‘crime’ to be punished”
• They also talk about in some settings where “people may joke about the ABCs of learning (abuse, belittle, criticise)”
• Both papers provide guidance on navigating psychological safety prior to debriefs, during debriefs and post-debriefs
• One paper describes implicit vs explicit actions for psychological safety; implicit including things like arriving early to welcome learners and showing curiosity

• Some departures from ideal psychological safety principles are highlighted – and ways to navigate conversations and interactions back
• The other paper provides a detailed list of threats to psychological safety, and ways to respond

Refs:

1. Kolbe, M., Eppich, W., Rudolph, J., Meguerdichian, M., Catena, H., Cripps, A., … & Cheng, A. (2020). Managing psychological safety in debriefings: a dynamic balancing act. BMJ simulation & technology enhanced learning, 6(3), 164.

2. Dube, M., Kessler, D., Huang, L., Petrosoniak, A., & Bajaj, K. (2020). Considerations for psychological safety with system-focused debriefings. BMJ Simulation & Technology Enhanced Learning, 6(3), 132.

Study links:

1. https://doi.org/10.1136%2Fbmjstel-2019-000470

2. https://doi.org/10.1136%2Fbmjstel-2019-000579

3. My site with more reviews: https://safety177496371.wordpress.com

LinkedIn post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/benhutchinson2_how-do-you-navigate-psychological-safety-activity-7206038900719439873-0vya?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop