Real-Time Debriefing After Critical Events: Exploring the Gap Between Principle and Reality

Debriefing after perioperative crises (eg, cardiac arrest, massive hemorrhage) is a well-described practice that can provide benefits to individuals, teams, and health systems. Debriefing has also been embraced by high-stakes industries outside of health care. Yet, in studies of actual clinical practice, there are many critical events that do not get debriefed. This article explores the gap that exists between principle and reality and the factors and strategies to offer opportunities to reflect on actual critical events, when indicated, across the increasing scope of environments where anesthesia care is provided.