Question
When does the most learning occur during a clinical simulation?
Answer
When does the most learning occur during a simulation experience? You might assume it happens during pre-work preparation or while students are immersed in the scenario itself. However, evidence tells a different story: the majority of learning occurs after the simulation—during structured debriefing. The simulation itself is essential because it creates an immersive experience and sets the stage for meaningful learning. But it's the post-event where structured reflection transforms experience into expertise, helping students develop both clinical skills and sound judgment.
Why Reflection is Key
Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle: Learning is a cycle where concrete experience is followed by reflection, which leads to conceptualization and application. Without this deliberate space to reflect, the experience rarely crystallizes into durable behavioral change.
Research Consensus: Scholars such as Fanning and Gaba (2007) argue that the experience itself isn't learning; rather, it is the sense-making that follows the experience that deepens understanding.
Standard of Best Practice: In 2021, the INACSL (International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning) affirmed that debriefing is not optional—it is the expected standard and the central driver of high-quality simulation education.
Debrief is the engine of learning in simulation. It takes the raw, intense experience and translates it into transferable knowledge and skill.
This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the course, Practical Approaches for Engaging Learners During Simulation Debriefing, presented by Erica Ligon, MEd, CCC-SLP, and Farzana Vela, MS, CCC-SLP, BSRC, RRT-NPS.
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