Application of Plus - delta Worksheet in Simulation-based Education

Abstract

Nowadays, simulation-based education has become a vital learning method in medical and health professions education because of its educational effectiveness and patient safety. Debriefing is the crucial process of simulation-based education. It allows learners to reflect on their experiences and fosters behavior changes regarding learning. There are several debriefing techniques and no consensus on which one has superior educational effectiveness. Nevertheless, simulation-based education in Thailand has faced the challenge of resource limitation. Due to limited resources, simulation-based education in Thailand is often established with many learners in one class. Larger class sizes can decrease student engagement in learning activities, especially for students who are observers. Consequently, this limitation negatively affects educational effectiveness. In this article, the authors suggested a solution for this challenge. Utilizing the plus - delta model in the debriefing process combined with the plus - delta worksheet could be a possible solution. The plus - delta model is an effective debriefing technique that allows students to reflect on positive experiences and challenges them with alternative strategies for managing simulated scenarios. According to the authors' observation, after implementing the solution, students increased their engagement, and educational effectiveness was improved. Further studies should be conducted to evaluate the educational effectiveness of this solution.