Debriefing: from military origin to therapeutic application.

1. The objective of the debriefing process is the prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Risk factors for PTSD can be classified into three categories: premorbid personality, the environment, and the trauma itself. 2. Nurses are in a position to intervene using debriefing at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of prevention. 3. Debriefing, individually and in groups, is an effective intervention in preventing the adverse reactions incurred by a traumatic stressor. The use of a debriefing model counteracts the tendency to suppress the powerfully affective component of the traumatic experience.