Debriefing Styles and Clinical Judgment in Nursing Students

Several studies suggest a general preference for a Learner-Centered (LCT) style during simulation debriefing. However, existing literature and expert opinion often recommend an Instructor-Centered (ICT) style for novice learners or in time-limited situations. It is critical to note that these recommendations are not consistently based on robust scientific evidence, highlighting a significant gap in nursing education research. This study is designed to address this gap by systematically evaluating the impact of ICT versus LCT debriefing on the acquisition of clinical judgment in undergraduate nursing students-a cornerstone competency for professional practice. The study's central hypothesis is: "The debriefing style, whether instructor-centered (ICT) or learner-centered (LCT), differently impacts students' learning process in clinical judgment." To test this hypothesis, the study employs a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design. The initial quantitative phase consists of a randomized controlled trial to determine the effect of the two debriefing styles. This will be followed by a qualitative phase, utilizing focus groups, to explore the students' perceptions and experiences, thereby providing a deeper, contextual explanation for the quantitative findings. To ensure the integrity of the intervention, methodological fidelity will be rigorously monitored. The distinction between the ICT and LCT styles will be verified through objective measures, including the analysis of faculty-to-student talk-time ratios and the mapping of conversation patterns (sociograms) during debriefing sessions. This ensures that the observed differences in learning can be confidently attributed to the assigned debriefing style. The integration of both quantitative and qualitative data will yield a comprehensive understanding of how different pedagogical approaches in simulation debriefing influence the complex process of clinical judgment development.