Psychological Safety and Leadership in Operating Room Debriefing: Insights from Frontline Workers

The study conducted interviews with 40 operating room staff in a tertiary children’s hospital to explore effective debriefing policies. The findings revealed three key themes: commitment to learning, the importance of creating a safe space for debriefing, and the valuable role of leadership. It was found that psychological safety is both a prerequisite for and a outcome of debriefing, and that collective responsibility in leadership could help dismantle existing hierarchies. The study suggests that well-implemented debriefing can enhance psychological safety, promote team learning, reduce errors, and improve patient safety.