Clinical Debriefing Template for Healthcare Teams
Updated: Sep 30
Use this clinical debriefing template to guide a brief, structured conversation after patient care. The one-page form uses PLUS-DELTA framework prompts to help available team members identify what worked, what could improve, and what needs follow-up. A second page gives unit and organizational leaders practical guidance for adapting, routing, and reviewing the form.
Download the template below in your preferred format:
Editable Word document or PDF.
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What is a clinical debriefing?
A clinical debriefing is a structured team discussion that occurs shortly after a patient care event to identify what went well, what could be improved, and what changes could make care safer. AHRQ’s TeamSTEPPS curriculum encourages teams to debrief after critical events to review performance and apply lessons learned. Debriefings can be conducted after any type of clinical event or shift. This form can be used for events such as codes, behavioral emergencies, procedures, surgeries, and an “other” category for any other type of event. A debriefing does not replace clinical documentation, required reporting, formal investigation, or professional emotional support.
When should your team debrief after a clinical event?
Use the form after a locally defined event when immediate care needs are met, and most team members are available to participate. If competing patient care issues or staff support needs take priority, wait until a more opportune time to debrief. Waiting until every team member is free can prevent a debrief altogether, so consider debriefing if at least multiple people are free.
How do you run a clinical debriefing with this template?
Prepare locally. Decide which events prompt a debriefing, who can facilitate, who receives completed forms, how they are securely routed and retained, and who reviews findings and updates the team. Obtain local review before patient-related use.
Invite the available team. Once immediate care needs are covered, invite any available staff to voluntarily join the debriefing. It’s better to do a debriefing with half of the team members than to skip the debriefing. Use the optional opening script, a locally adapted version, or an improvised version that covers the same concepts. Keep participation respectful and focused on learning, not blame. If a team member needs immediate support, shift to providing support and delay the debriefing to another time. Many times, the debriefing documenter was part of the clinical team for the event and is adding to the discussion as well.
Capture concise learning. Use the PLUS, DELTA, and NOW prompts on the debrief tool. Record brief observations and agreed actions, not a verbatim transcript. Route the form through your organization’s approved secure process.
The guide on page two covers customization, documentation, confidentiality, follow-up, and re-use. It is for the organization adopting the template, not a bedside checklist for the debriefing team. For additional facilitation guidance, see the published practical guide to debriefing after clinical events.
What questions should a clinical debriefing cover?
The form organizes discussion around three prompts. PLUS-DELTA questions reflect the approach used in the DISCERN debriefing research publication. Use the open writing areas on the form to briefly record insights from the debriefing team.
PLUS: What went well?
DELTA: What could we do differently next time?
NOW: What actions are needed for our patient, team, or system?
The following examples are examples of responses from the debriefing teams:
PLUS:
ER and ICU teams coordinated a rapid transfer without delaying treatment.
Updates to parents prompted sharing information that helped guide care.
Reading back medication dose helped to prevent a medication error.
DELTA:
Two docs gave conflicting orders, leaving staff unsure of the next step.
The online policy and a recent staff email give conflicting recommendations.
Difficulty scheduling in the patient’s language delayed access to care.
NOW:
The trauma bay lacks a Miller size 2 blade. Charge nurse will investigate.
The team needs to summarize findings after the primary survey in trauma cases.
The charge nurse will report the broken panic button for repair.
Assign owners to current team members for anything that must be done immediately, and pass off less time-sensitive tasks to unit leadership to manage when they review the completed debrief form. The form also asks an open-ended question for anything else that anyone wants to add, as well as an optional check-in to see how everyone is doing. These prompts are not a substitute for a separate support conversation when someone is distressed.
What happens after a clinical debriefing?
Route completed forms to the locally designated reviewer(s) through an approved secure channel. Establish a system for these designated people to review issues, address concerns, and communicate back to the team what actions have been taken. The form’s reviewer is not automatically responsible for completing every action. They should coordinate with others to triage and distribute the work. A common failure is not closing the loop with the team after addressing issues.
Why debrief after a clinical event?
Debriefing gives teams a structured opportunity to learn from experience and improve future performance. A meta-analysis of debriefing healthcare teams found an average improvement in effectiveness of about 25% compared with control groups. Improved quality metrics for patients, teams, and healthcare systems have been reported in a variety of healthcare settings including emergency departments, intensive care units, surgery, obstetrics, outpatient clinics, behavioral health, anesthesia, inpatient units, and more. For resuscitations specifically, the 2025 American Heart Association guidelines recommend immediate (“hot”) debriefing as an evidence-based method to improve future team performance and identify opportunities for system improvement.
For a broader review of clinical debriefing evidence and program design, read the Clinical Debriefing Guide. For teams building measurement and follow-up, see Clinical Debriefing Metrics.
Download the template below in your preferred format: Editable Word document or PDF.
This page describes StatDebrief’s Clinical Event Debriefing Template.
Obtain local approval before use.
Use is subject to statdebrief.com/terms.
About the Author
Paul C. Mullan, MD, MPH, is a pediatric emergency physician, healthcare quality improvement leader, and founder of StatDebrief. He implemented the first civilian clinical hot debriefing program and several programs since, and has coached more than 100 healthcare teams in designing their debriefing programs. This template reflects that experience: learning what works and balancing essential components with the simplicity needed for busy clinical settings. No template will be perfect for every team; the editable version supports local adaptation to each organization’s workflow, priorities, and debriefing practices.
