REFLECT: An Innovative Framework to Lead an Effective Psychosocial Debriefing Program

Debriefing is often used in the clinical setting to address the impact of an acute medical event or trauma on team members. We recognize that residents have limited time, face even higher levels of stress and social isolation due to the pandemic, and may lack skills to process stressful clinical and non-clinical encounters. We also recognize that residency program directors and supervising faculty may not feel equipped to address the emotional impact that residents experience when faced with challenging situations during training. In effort to help trainees process complex situations, encourage a culture of support, and create psychological safety via peer group discussions, we created the REFLECT framework to offer regularly scheduled (monthly to quarterly) facilitated one-hour psychosocial debriefing sessions for residents at all levels of their training. REFLECT outlines the necessary ingredients for an effective debrief and reflection session: Regularly schedule sessions; Establish ground rules for the group discussion. Identify two faculty and/or residents for Facilitation; engage in active Listening, acknowledge the Emotions of the group, maintain Confidentiality and Teach back at conclusion of the session. This setting is often a forum to disseminate key mental health resources available to residents.

In this workshop, we will teach concepts of reflection, debriefing, review the REFLECT framework, share our experiences using this model in three different residencies, and teach participants the skills to lead successful debriefing programs in their home institution.