Question: In staff in trauma-facing services (e.g. the NHS), how effective is staff debriefing and/or support following critical incidents, compared to no staff debriefing, in improving staff outcomes (e.g. reducing trauma and staff burnout and improving or maintaining staff well-being)?

Answer:

Clinical and research implications

No definite clinical implications may be made based on the evidence included in this BEST summary. Despite the lack of evidence, and the lack of evidence of effectiveness, there was some consensus among the study authors that debriefing may be beneficial in ways that were not measured in the studies. It was consistently suggested that further studies, with larger sample sizes, and with longer term follow-up, are required. In addition, these studies should evaluate a range of outcomes, and not be entirely based on self-reported data.

To view the full summary, click the Download Document link to the right.