Mountain rescuers’ experiences with video-assisted and verbal debriefings: a qualitative study

Abstract The reflection on previous performance during debriefing plays an important role in learning from simulations. While debriefings are traditionally held as verbal debriefings (VD), advancements in video and software technology led to an increased use of video-assisted debriefings (VAD). Although VAD is nowadays considered to be the gold standard, prior research has found mixed results concerning the experiences connected to this form of debriefing. This study sheds light on the experiences of all the actors involved in the process, by including both participants and facilitators. A distinction between their experiences within VD, lower-tech and high-tech VAD was made. In total, 42 mountain rescuers and five facilitators participated in this study during three one-day-long simulation trainings. While participants shared their experiences in focus group interviews, the facilitators were invited for individual interviews. The results indicate that both participants and facilitators preferred high-tech VAD for its ability to objectively review their performance in detail. It was seen as beneficial to gain a deeper understanding of how mistakes occurred during the simulation and the visualisation improved the acceptance of feedback. However, it has also been found that VAD in general can be intrusive and cause additional cognitive demand, stress, and unpleasant emotions. The study shows that VAD can have advantages over VD but requires careful implementation by the facilitators to prevent the possible drawbacks.