Check-in guide

Prompts for a four-step debrief to help staff at the end of their shift. This guidance was put together by colleagues at Greater Manchester Resilience Hub.

Following shifts where teams are working with difficult material, issues or stuations, it can be very helpful and containing for staff to be provided with a brief amount of reflective team time.

This enables individuals to ‘check-in’ with themselves and others, and to share broad themes of what they experienced on shift. This may include what they have been impacted by, or what they believe went well.

It is also an opportunity to understand what others have experienced and what their views on those issues are. It may be important for participants to acknowledge and reflect on what is purely work related, and what may resonate with them personally due to their own circumstances and experiences.

For example a staff member may overidentify with a particular patient or family due to sharing characteristics with them such as age, or ethnicity, or having similar social circumstances.

Oversharing is discouraged, as is providing unnecesary detail that could upset others. Instead broad themes are encouraged.

These ‘check-ins’ are typically built into the end of shifts so as not to impact on rest and recuperation time. In these circumstances it can also act as a reflective space that sits between a difficult working environment or piece of work, and the returning back to home life. Check-in works best with teams of staff who finish shifts around the same time.

Duration depends on factors such as number of staff present and the type of shift it has been. Until you have the hang of it and know what feels right for your need, as a guide allow 20-30mins.

These end of shift check-ins can be particularly useful where teams have been brought together, and where informal relationships do not already exist. It can additionally provide a sense of team cohesion where all participants have equal status and value. If facilitated well, this simple process can contribute to team resilience and enable early identification of those that may need additional support from peers, and of understanding how processes, procedures and decision making impacts on different team members in different ways at different times.

It is often helpful to make brief notes to record a summary of key themes from the shift. This will enable periodic collation and review to highlight repeating challenges to enable steps to be taken to address recurring needs or issues. Decide who these records are returned to and how they are to be stored and used, in line with local information governance procedures.

Step 1: Explain what the purpose of this end of shift ‘check-in’ is and how long it will last.

Cover this step anytime new personnel are present.

"This time is to provide staff with an opportunity to reflect on the shift”.

“We can briefly explore difficult or complex situations and decision making from this shift” (normalise different participants’ reactions).

It’s also for recognising what went well (despite challenges) and promotion of peer support.

Step 2: Confidentiality.

Discuss usual rules of confidentiality.

"This is a safe place to discuss issues from this shift, individuals are not to discuss clients details outside of the clinical group”. An attendance record will be kept. Brief thematic note taking will usually take place during the check-in.

Step 3: Check-in.

Record names of staff in check-in, as a register of attendance, and label who was facilitator/scribe.

The facilitator does not need to be the most senior person, but ideally an experienced member of the shift.

  • "What kind of issues did you each deal with?”
  • "Any difficult aspects?”
  • “What was it about the situation that was challenging?”
  • “What went well? Any positives?”

Provide normalisation of thoughts and feelings and promote self-care strategies. Encourage staff to feel more comfortable with what they may have been involved in and exposed to.

Step 4: ‘Check-out’ that staff feel ok, and can leave work at work

  • “Anything still bothering anyone?”
  • “Any questions?”
  • "Thank you for your contribution and support today”

If needed, alert staff to support available to them going forwards if impacted by a troubling situation. Inform staff where they can get additional support themselves. This may include line mangers, clinical supervisors, staff wellbeing service, utilisation of local and national offers.