Debriefing and Clinical Judgment Ability in Nursing Education: A Scoping Review

Clinical judgment is a critical competence for nursing students, yet its development remains inconsistent across nursing programs. Debriefing has emerged as a promising educational strategy to enhance this ability, particularly when integrated with simulation-based learning. The Method used a scoping review followed the Arksey and O'Malley framework to identify debriefing techniques used in undergraduate nursing education, their outcomes on clinical judgment, and learning activities that support their development. Fourteen studies published between 2016 and 2024 were included from three databases (ProQuest, MEDLINE, and PubMed). Inclusion criteria were English-language, full-text available, and focused on undergraduate nursing education. Results of this study are structured and theory-based debriefing methods were found to significantly improve nursing students’ clinical judgment, particularly in noticing, interpreting, and reflecting. Simulation-based learning combined with reflective debriefing and clinical placements further supported skill transfer into real practice settings. The conclusion is that structured and theory-informed debriefing significantly enhances clinical judgment in nursing education. Integrating reflective debriefing into simulation and clinical learning activities is essential to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and clinical competence. Recommendation is that educators are encouraged to adopt structured, theory-based debriefing models and ensure that facilitators receive proper training. Future research should explore longitudinal and interprofessional effects of debriefing on clinical competence.