Debriefing offers an opportunity to ensure that students can master critical components of nursing that they might not otherwise learn and to remove epistemological roadblocks to knowledge acquisition. Within this study, Debriefing for Meaningful Learning (DML), a theoretically-derived, evidence based and structured debriefing method, was used to explore student's knowledge acquisition, knowledge retention, and application of knowledge from one patient situation to a different, yet parallel, situation. This quasi-experimental pretest, posttest study explored the impact of the type of debriefing method on the development of knowledge, knowledge retention, and knowledge application. Eighty-two prelicensure baccalaureate nursing students, enrolled in an adult health (medical-surgical nursing) theory course, participated in this study testing the use of Debriefing for Meaningful Learning compared with customary debriefing. The outcomes of this study revealed a significant difference in knowledge acquisition, knowledge retention, and knowledge application with DML compared to customary debriefing. These findings are significant for nurse educators using simulation to potentiate clinical learning in prelicensure students and add to the growing evidence regarding the impact of debriefing. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]