Interprofessional Simulation to Improve the Understanding of Obstetric Sepsis

The application of an escape room teaching method on the training for ICU new nurses: a quasi-experimental study

BACKGROUND

There is a severe shortage of intensive care nurses worldwide, and training a qualified ICU nurse is hard since it takes a very long time to accumulate the intensive care knowledge and skills needed. This study aimed to examine the effect of an escape room teaching method on teamwork attitudes and intensive care knowledge of ICU new nurses, their satisfaction with, and willingness to participate in escape room training.

METHODS

A convenience sampling approach was utilized to enlist new nurses from April 2023 to March 2024 in China. ICU nurses with less than two years of experience in the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University were involved in our study. Most of them were female (85.71%) with bachelor's degrees (85.71%), and without escape room experiences (92.86%). Teamwork attitudes were collected through the TeamSTEPPS Teamwork Attitudes Questionnaire (T-TAQ) developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ); intensive care knowledge were collected by researchers-made online intensive care knowledge tests; satisfaction with escape room training, and willingness to participate in the escape room training were collected by researchers-made online questionnaires. Finally, the data were analyzed with SPSS v.26. Descriptive statistics, the paired samples test, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, multivariate regression, and Pearson correlation were utilized for analysis.

RESULTS

Fifteen groups of new nurses participated in the escape room training. For teamwork attitudes, there were significant differences in the mean T-TAQ total score (p < 0.001) and in the dimensions of teamwork (p < 0.001), leadership (p < 0.001), situation monitoring (p = 0.019), mutual support (p < 0.001), and communication (p < 0.001) before and after the escape room training. For the learning level, the mean intensive care knowledge scores were significantly different before and after the escape room training (p < 0.001). As for the reaction level, the satisfaction of ICU new nurses with the escape room training was high (9.23 ± 0.869), and the majority of them (95.24%) were willing to participate in the escape room training.

CONCLUSION

Implementing the escape room teaching method could promote teamwork attitudes and intensive care knowledge of ICU new nurses, and they were satisfied with and willing to participate in the escape room training. The key limitations in the study are the absence of a control group and data loss, and the results should be taken with caution. Our findings indicate that the escape room can be conducted in clinical practice learning for nursing and medical education settings with some props, and in ways of game playing, which doesn't require expensive equipment and can be conducted conveniently, suggesting that escape room might be a promising method with cost-effectiveness value for nursing and medical education globally.

Exploring the use of escape rooms in nursing: A comprehensive scoping review

AIM

This review aims to map and analyze the various practical uses of escape rooms in nursing, both in the education of students and the ongoing practice of nursing professionals, highlighting existing gaps that may guide future research in this field.

BACKGROUND

Escape rooms challenge players to solve puzzles and complete tasks within a set time frame and are being used in the training of healthcare professionals, particularly in nursing.

DESIGN

A scoping review METHODS: A comprehensive scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. Searches were conducted across multiple databases, including Medline, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, Academic Search Complete, MedicLatina, Teacher Reference Center, Scielo and Cochrane, searching for articles in Spanish, English, or Portuguese from inception until June 2024.

RESULTS

The review included 72 studies published between 2018 and 2024, predominantly from the USA, revealing a prevalent use of escape rooms in the initial training of nursing students. The most common themes included medical-surgical and emergency situations. Studies indicate significant outcomes in participant satisfaction, knowledge, teamwork, engagement and motivation, development of specific skills and improvement of clinical judgment.

CONCLUSIONS

Escape rooms offer significant potential to enrich nursing education. However, studies with greater methodological rigor are needed to definitively conclude their efficacy. The integration of these innovative resources must be adequately planned to ensure their educational purpose.

The effect of education provided with the escape room game on nursing students' learning of parenteral drug administration

AIM

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of education provided to first-year nursing students with the escape room game on their learning of parenteral drug administration.

BACKGROUND

The use of escape room games in education supports formal education in providing students with professional knowledge and skills.

DESIGN

A randomized controlled study design was used in this study.

METHOD

The current study was conducted with 72 first-year nursing students. Data were collected with the Descriptive Characteristics Questionnaire (DCQ), Parenteral Drug Administration Information Test (PDAIT), Parenteral Drug Administration Sub-Checklists (PDASC) and Game Evaluation Form (GEF) between May and June 2022. The initial knowledge and skills of all students participating in the study were measured after completing the parenteral drug administration theoretical course and laboratory skills course. Students were assigned to the intervention (n=36) and control (n=36) groups by the stratified block randomization method according to their initial knowledge and skill measurements. Unlike the control group, the intervention group played the escape room game once in groups of four. The control group was allowed to work freely in the laboratory during this period. The final knowledge and skills of the intervention and control groups were measured immediately after the intervention. Students' skills were measured with an objective structured clinical examination.

RESULTS

It was determined that the post-test knowledge level of the students in the intervention group and their post-test skill mean scores for drug withdrawal from an ampoule, subcutaneous injection administration, intradermal injection administration and intravenous push drug administration were higher than those of the students in the control group (p<0.05). Additionally, Intervention group students evaluated the escape room game positively.

CONCLUSION

This study concluded that the escape room game supported formal education and could be used in teaching parenteral drug administration.

Escape rooms in nursing education: An integrative review of their use, outcomes, and barriers to implementation

OBJECTIVES

Escape rooms are becoming a popular teaching method in a variety of fields and settings, but have not been examined for their effectiveness in nursing education. The aim of this integrative review was to map trends in escape rooms in nursing research and evaluate support for using this innovative, simulation-based teaching method.

DESIGN, DATA SOURCES, AND REVIEW METHODS

Using Whittemore and Kanfl's framework, this integrative review analyzed the use of simulation-based escape rooms in nursing and nursing education. Results were refined using inclusion and exclusion criteria, and evaluated with use of the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Databases searched were PubMed, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Google Scholar, and ERIC.

RESULTS

A total of 18 studies were included. Common categories identified included student satisfaction with escape rooms and barriers of cost and time to educators. Desired outcomes of the studies reviewed focused on teamwork, perceived learning or increased confidence, or increase in knowledge. Optimal group size and theoretical support recommendations for escape rooms are lacking with the need for further research.

CONCLUSIONS

Escape rooms are effective at improving knowledge in a variety of nursing education topics, and their use has been well-received in a variety of nursing and professional health students. Long-term outcomes have not been assessed. There is need for more research in assessing ideal group size when using escape rooms in education settings, more rigorous study design to determine effectiveness of escape rooms to produce education-focused outcomes, and more consensus on appropriate theoretical frameworks that can guide the implementation and study of escape rooms in practice.

A Virtual Escape Room versus Lecture on Infectious Disease Content: Effect on Resident Knowledge and Motivation

Introduction: Medical educators are constantly seeking methods to increase engagement in the era of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) where virtual and blended learning formats are increasingly common. Educational escape rooms have previously been used to motivate learners, enhance communication skills, and cultivate teamwork. However, it is not known whether escape rooms increase learner knowledge as compared to a lecture format. Methods: This quasi-experimental study included 30 emergency medicine residents at two programs who participated in both a virtual escape room and a lecture on infectious disease content. Learners completed a pre- and post-quiz and a tool to gauge resident motivation for each activity (the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory [IMI]). The primary objective was to determine a change in knowledge as a result of the activities, and a secondary objective was to determine resident motivation for each format. Results: At both programs learners demonstrated a significant improvement in their pre- vs. post-quiz scores for the escape rooms (University of California Irvine [UCI]: 77.8% to 88.9%, p = 0.028, Prisma: 73.81% to 89.68%, p = 0.002), whereas the lectures did not impact a statistical improvement (UCI: 73.8% to 78.6%, p = 0.460, Prisma: 85.71% to 91.27%, p = 0.236). Learners at UCI noted equivalent results on the IMI for both formats, while residents at Prisma noted they were more motivated by the escape room. Conclusion: Emergency medicine residents at two programs participating in a virtual escape room demonstrated a statistical increase in knowledge on infectious disease content as compared to a lecture format and reported positive motivation ratings for both formats, with one program preferring the escape room.