Teaching competence in Prebriefing: A comparative analysis of international definitions in Clinical Simulation.
Abstract
Introduction: Simulation-based education (SBE), with its phases of prebriefing, simulation, and debriefing, requires simulationists to be competent in each stage. Among these, prebriefing has been described with multiple definitions, generating theoretical and practical confusion. Aim: To compare the main definitions of prebriefing from the Healthcare Simulation Dictionary of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare and the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice of the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning, and to apply a contextualized prebriefing to the Teaching Competency Model Based on Simulation Activities of Universidad San Gregorio de Portoviejo (MCDBAS-USGP) and to the preparatory phases of the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Method: Qualitative study based on documentary and comparative analysis. Results: Although different terms are used to describe prebriefing, commonalities include prior preparation, psychological safety, clarity of objectives, role definition, and fidelity. This analysis enabled the proposal of a unified and contextualized definition of prebriefing and the development of 25 quality items, demonstrating how prebriefing is applied within the MCDBAS-USGP and a methodological guide for the OSCE, thereby supporting competency-based training and assessment. Conclusion: Conceptual unification reduces the theoretical-practical confusion surrounding prebriefing and enhances its quality and relevance. The MCDBAS-USGP incorporates prebriefing as a transversal teaching competency and phase, evaluated through compliance and quality items, offering replicability and continuous improvement.
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