DASH Aids Development of Paramedic Debrief Model

Blog - DASH Aids Development of Paramedic Debrief Model

In February 2016, Alan Wilson contacted the Center for Medical Simulation (CMS) with a request. As part of his Master of Professional Practice program at Whitireia Community Polytechnic in New Zealand, Alan was formulating his research project.  His focus would on the development of a paramedic specific model for simulation debrief. He needed a way to rate the effectiveness of the debriefings and found the Debriefing Assessment for Simulation in Healthcare© (DASH) tool at CMS:

“I first heard of the tool when doing some post graduate study in clinical education that involved doing some papers focused on simulation in clinical education. More specifically when looking at the debrief component of simulation training I quickly became aware that the DASH tool was a widely regarded and evidenced based tool that was good for not only evaluating the effectiveness of debrief but gave some really valuable insight into the key components and elements for an optimal debrief. When I developed an interest in exploring debriefing in simulation in paramedic education for my masters research project it became very evident as I began to source and review the research literature on debriefing that the DASH tool was widely referenced and utilized.”

Alan contacted CMS to use the DASH tool for his research and Robert Simon, Senior Director, Educational Leadership & International Programs at CMS, gladly obliged. The DASH tool was used by a group of paramedic students and their mentors to rate and assess debriefings following simulation-based learning activities. Alan’s research lead to the development of the Paramedic Debrief Model (PDM). He now hopes to publish his research and share the concept of the PDM to be used as a standardized, reliable and validated tool for facilitation of paramedic focused simulation debriefs. Alan could have used a number of other debrief rating systems, but he is confident that he used the right tool for the job: “Given that my primary measure for effectiveness and utility of the PDM was the perceptions of student and tutor participants on the debrief, the DASH tool was the ideal choice.”

If you’re interested in learning more about the DASH tool and how to be trained to use it effectively, please visit the Center for Medical Simulation’s DASH Rater Training Workshop page.