Background: Simulation is effective in resuscitation training. Debriefing after simulation training is important. However, who suitable for leading the debriefing process is unknown. Through this study, we try to explore the differences of learning outcomes between teacher-leading and students-leading debriefing.
Methods: On Monday, 3-4 students in each small group were introduced the conduct of whole picture of course. Two days later, we performed the simulation, including briefing, first one-by-one simulation, first debriefing (teacher or students leading), second one-by-one simulation, and final discussion. The students received knowledge and self-efficacy and confidence retention tests on next Friday. The evaluation forms or questionnaires included knowledge multiple question test, self-efficacy and confidence (pre, post- and retention tests), skill checklist, experience and satisfaction.
Results: All 139 students participated this project, including male 77% and female 23%. Teacher-leading debriefing group were 60 students and students-leading debriefing group were 79 students. Satisfaction questionnaires in Likert Scale among teacher-leading group and student-leading group were 4.66 ± 0.45 and 4.62 ± 0.47, respectively, without statistical difference. All items except the test pressure among questionnaires were post-test in highest score and declined in retention tests. In self-efficacy of performance, we found that the decline from post-test to retention-test was significant in teacher-leading group (p=0.000), but not in students-leading group (p=0.053). Interestingly, in knowledge tests, the scores in retention-test were higher than that of pre-test in student-leading group with statistical difference (p=0.005). But the scores in retention-test were lower than that of pre-test in student-leading group without statistical difference (p=0.341).
Conclusions: Simulation training can increase the learning motivation, performance self-efficacy and knowledge. Most of the learning outcomes in students-leading debriefing were non-inferior than in teacher-leading debriefing. Most importantly, the retention of learning outcomes in knowledge and self-efficacy were better when students lead the process of debriefing.