Abstract
Healthcare workers are frequently exposed to critical events, which can lead to emotional stress and burnout. Burnout can significantly impact the healthcare system and healthcare workers on a physical, mental, and emotional level, which can lead to a higher level of turnover. One strategy to reduce burnout is to introduce interdisciplinary debriefing (IDD) after critical events. Debriefing may decrease burnout among healthcare workers and increase teamwork, reducing turnover intent. However, there is limited research to demonstrate a relationship between IDD, burnout, and teamwork.
Purpose: This study aimed to identify the impact that IDD after critical events has on teamwork and staff burnout in intensive care unit (ICU) teams.
Methodology: A QI project was performed with a quasi-experimental, two-group comparison study with pre-and-post-tests. The study includes full-time, multidisciplinary employees who provide direct patient care within three ICUs at a level II trauma center in Southwest Virginia. A new IDD process was introduced by offering a “hot debriefing session” within the shift after critical events. Debriefings were 10-minute, structured debriefings utilizing the Post Code Pause. Code Lavender, an innovative hospital-wide alert, was introduced to facilitate debriefings and call for supporting staff. Demographic data, burnout, and teamwork scores were collected at the start of the study and after 12 weeks. Burnout was assessed using the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT), and teamwork was measured using the Nursing Teamwork Survey (NTS). A PIN was created allowing for the data to be paired to measure a relationship between IDD, burnout, and teamwork for those who participated in debriefing.
Results: Baseline burnout and teamwork score were neutral, scored with 2.32, and 3.88, out of 5-point scale. There was a higher level of burnout in women and in nurses when compared to other non-nursing roles. After the 12-week implementation period, participants who attended a debriefing had a decrease in burnout compared to those who did not attend (p <0.05). There was an increase in teamwork (NTS score) for those who attended debriefing, without statistical significance.
Implications: IDD after critical events is a simple, feasible intervention that can decrease the level of burnout in ICU care teams. Healthcare leaders can use strategies to facilitate debriefing, leading to reduced turnover and costs associated with burnout.
Notes
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Theta Tau
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Quasi-Experimental Study, Other
Research Approach
Quantitative Research
Keywords:
Acute Care, Interprofessional and Interdisciplinary, Stress and Coping, Clinical Practice, Workplace Culture, Debriefings, Interdisciplinary Debriefings
Recommended Citation
Souther, Shannon; Lee, Eunyoung; and Staykova, Milena, "Interdisciplinary Debriefing after Critical Events: The Impact on Burnout and Teamwork" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 168.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/168
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-12-04
Interdisciplinary Debriefing after Critical Events: The Impact on Burnout and Teamwork
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Healthcare workers are frequently exposed to critical events, which can lead to emotional stress and burnout. Burnout can significantly impact the healthcare system and healthcare workers on a physical, mental, and emotional level, which can lead to a higher level of turnover. One strategy to reduce burnout is to introduce interdisciplinary debriefing (IDD) after critical events. Debriefing may decrease burnout among healthcare workers and increase teamwork, reducing turnover intent. However, there is limited research to demonstrate a relationship between IDD, burnout, and teamwork.
Purpose: This study aimed to identify the impact that IDD after critical events has on teamwork and staff burnout in intensive care unit (ICU) teams.
Methodology: A QI project was performed with a quasi-experimental, two-group comparison study with pre-and-post-tests. The study includes full-time, multidisciplinary employees who provide direct patient care within three ICUs at a level II trauma center in Southwest Virginia. A new IDD process was introduced by offering a “hot debriefing session” within the shift after critical events. Debriefings were 10-minute, structured debriefings utilizing the Post Code Pause. Code Lavender, an innovative hospital-wide alert, was introduced to facilitate debriefings and call for supporting staff. Demographic data, burnout, and teamwork scores were collected at the start of the study and after 12 weeks. Burnout was assessed using the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT), and teamwork was measured using the Nursing Teamwork Survey (NTS). A PIN was created allowing for the data to be paired to measure a relationship between IDD, burnout, and teamwork for those who participated in debriefing.
Results: Baseline burnout and teamwork score were neutral, scored with 2.32, and 3.88, out of 5-point scale. There was a higher level of burnout in women and in nurses when compared to other non-nursing roles. After the 12-week implementation period, participants who attended a debriefing had a decrease in burnout compared to those who did not attend (p <0.05). There was an increase in teamwork (NTS score) for those who attended debriefing, without statistical significance.
Implications: IDD after critical events is a simple, feasible intervention that can decrease the level of burnout in ICU care teams. Healthcare leaders can use strategies to facilitate debriefing, leading to reduced turnover and costs associated with burnout.
Description
Healthcare workers are exposed to critical events, leading to stress and burnout. This study aimed to introduce an Interdisciplinary debriefing (IDD) and evaluate its impact on burnout and teamwork in ICU care teams. A quasi-experimental study with pre-and-post-test design was conducted. This study observed individuals who participated in debriefings had a significantly lower burnout, and a higher perception of teamwork. Nurse leaders can utilize strategies to facilitate IDD to reduce burnout.