Self-motivated learning with gamification improves infant CPR performance, a randomised controlled trial

Gamification in medical education: identifying and prioritizing key elements through Delphi method

BACKGROUND

Gamification has gained popularity in medical education, but key elements have not been formally identified. This study aimed to generate and prioritize a list of key elements of gamification in medical education.

METHODS

This study utilized a two-stage approach, including the Delphi method and qualitative interview. Nineteen medical educators with expertise in gamification participated in the Delphi method stage. Experts who had more than three years of experience with gamification in medical education constituted the expert panel. The experts were then asked to rate the gamification elements using the Likert five-point scale through at least two consensus-seeking rounds. Consensus for key elements was predefined as ≥ 51% of respondents rating an element as 'important' or"very important." In the qualitative interview stage, 10 experts provided feedback on the application of these key gamification elements.

RESULTS

Eighteen participants (11 males and 7 females) completed the entire Delphi process for this study. After two rounds of surveys, the consensus was reached on all elements. Thirteen elements scored more than 4 points (37%) and reached the criteria of key elements of gamification in medical education. The top five key elements were integration with instruction objectives, game rules, rapid feedback, fairness, and points/scoring. The thirteen key elements for successful gamification in medical education were further organized into two main categories: (1) gamification design principles and (2) game mechanisms.

CONCLUSIONS

Integration with educational objectives, gamification in curriculum design and teaching methods, and balancing between the mechanisms and principles were the three key components for successful gamification. This study explored the gamification key elements, providing practical tips for medical educators in their efforts to gamify medical education. Future studies involving learners could be performed to examine the efficacy of these key elements in gamification.

Gamified learning for resuscitation education: A systematic review

Aim

To systematically review published literature to evaluate the impact of gamified learning on educational and clinical outcomes during life support education.

Methods

This systematic review was conducted as part of the continuous evidence evaluation process of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR). A search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane was conducted from inception until February 12, 2024. Studies examining incorporation of gamified learning were eligible for inclusion. Reviewers independently extracted data on study design and outcomes; appropriate risk of bias assessment tools were used across all outcomes.

Results

2261 articles were identified and screened, yielding sixteen articles (seven randomized trials, nine observational studies) which comprised the final review. No meta-analyses were conducted due to significant heterogeneity of intervention, population, and outcome. Only one study was found to have a low risk of bias; the remaining studies were found to have moderate to high risk. Fourteen studies were in healthcare providers and two were in laypersons. Most studies (11 of 16) examined the impact of a digital platform (computer or smartphone). Most (15 of 16) studies found a positive effect on at least one educational domain; one study found no effect. No included study found a negative effect on any educational domain.

Conclusion

This systematic review found a very heterogeneous group of studies with low certainty evidence, all but one of which demonstrated a positive effect on one or more educational domains. Future studies should examine the underlying causes of improved learning with gamification and assess the resource requirements with implementation and dissemination of gamified learning.

Guess it (SVUAL): An app designed to help nursing students acquire and retain knowledge about basic and advanced life support techniques

To design an app that helps nursing students to acquire and retain knowledge of Basic and Advanced Life Support techniques, as well as analyze the students' gamification experience. The study had two phases: 1) App design and development and 2) experimental study. A total of 184 students participated, with 92 in the experimental group and 92 in the control group. The instruments used were the Guess it (SVUAL) app, a test on knowledge and the Gameful Experience Scale. The app was deemed to have a suitable level of content and user-friendliness of 97%. The experimental group obtained a higher average score on the knowledge test than the control group (U = 2835.500; Z = -3.968; p < 0.05). On the re-test, the experimental group also obtained a higher average score than the control group. As for the experience within the game, all the dimensions scored higher than average, except the absence of negative effects dimension, which indicates that the app had very few negative consequences on the participants. The developed app has proven to have a good level of content and to be user-friendly, improving knowledge levels and retention of information in nursing students.

Recent Advances in Simulation for Pediatric Critical Care Medicine

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review highlights the emerging fields of simulation research by tying innovation into principles of learning and process improvement.

RECENT FINDINGS

Advances have been made in both educational simulation and simulation for quality improvement, allowing this versatile modality to be more broadly applied to healthcare and systems.

SUMMARY

Simulation in pediatric critical care medicine continues to evolve. Although the majority of simulation is focused on learner education, emerging research has broadened to focus on patient- and system-centered outcomes, leading to improvement in the quality of care delivered in the ICU.

The effect of an International competitive leaderboard on self-motivated simulation-based CPR practice among healthcare professionals: A randomized control trial

BACKGROUND

Little is known about how best to motivate healthcare professionals to engage in frequent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) refresher skills practice. A competitive leaderboard for simulated CPR can encourage self-directed practice on a small scale. The study aimed to determine if a large-scale, multi-center leaderboard improved simulated CPR practice frequency and CPR performance among healthcare professionals.

METHODS

This was a multi-national, randomized cross-over study among 17 sites using a competitive online leaderboard to improve simulated practice frequency and CPR performance. All sites placed a Laerdal® ResusciAnne or ResusciBaby QCPR manikin in 1 or more clinical units - emergency department, ICU, etc. - in easy reach for 8 months. These simulators provide visual feedback during 2-minute compressions-only CPR and a performance score. Sites were randomly assigned to the intervention for the first 4-months or the second 4-months. Following any CPR practice by a healthcare professional, participants uploaded scores and an optional 'selfie' photo to the leaderboard. During the intervention phase, the leaderboard displayed ranked scores and high scores earned digital badges. The leaderboard did not display control phase participants. Outcomes included CPR practice frequency and mean compression score, using non-parametric statistics for analyses.

RESULTS

Nine-hundred nineteen participants completed 1850 simulated CPR episodes. Exposure to the leaderboard yielded 1.94 episodes per person compared to 2.14 during the control phase (p = 0.99). Mean CPR performance participants did not differ between phases: 90.7 vs. 89.3 (p = 0.19).

CONCLUSION

A competitive leaderboard was not associated with an increase in self-directed simulated CPR practice or improved performance.

Simulation in endoscopy: Practical educational strategies to improve learning

In gastrointestinal endoscopy, simulation-based training can help endoscopists acquire new skills and accelerate the learning curve. Simulation creates an ideal environment for trainees, where they can practice specific skills, perform cases at their own pace, and make mistakes with no risk to patients. Educators also benefit from the use of simulators, as they can structure training according to learner needs and focus solely on the trainee. Not all simulation-based training, however, is effective. To maximize benefits from this instructional modality, educators must be conscious of learners' needs, the potential benefits of training, and associated costs. Simulation should be integrated into training in a manner that is grounded in educational theory and empirical data. In this review, we focus on four best practices in simulation-based education: deliberate practice with mastery learning, feedback and debriefing, contextual learning, and innovative educational strategies. For each topic, we provide definitions, supporting evidence, and practical tips for implementation.

Gamification in Action: Theoretical and Practical Considerations for Medical Educators

Gamification involves the application of game design elements to traditionally nongame contexts. It is increasingly being used as an adjunct to traditional teaching strategies in medical education to engage the millennial learner and enhance adult learning. The extant literature has focused on determining whether the implementation of gamification results in better learning outcomes, leading to a dearth of research examining its theoretical underpinnings within the medical education context. The authors define gamification, explore how gamification works within the medical education context using self-determination theory as an explanatory mechanism for enhanced engagement and motivation, and discuss common roadblocks and challenges to implementing gamification.Although previous gamification research has largely focused on determining whether implementation of gamification in medical education leads to better learning outcomes, the authors recommend that future research should explore how and under what conditions gamification is likely to be effective. Selective, purposeful gamification that aligns with learning goals has the potential to increase learner motivation and engagement and, ultimately, learning. In line with self-determination theory, game design elements can be used to enhance learners' feelings of relatedness, autonomy, and competence to foster learners' intrinsic motivation. Poorly applied game design elements, however, may undermine these basic psychological needs by the overjustification effect or through negative effects of competition. Educators must, therefore, clearly understand the benefits and pitfalls of gamification in curricular design, take a thoughtful approach when integrating game design elements, and consider the types of learners and overarching learning objectives.

Basic life support training into cardiac rehabilitation programs: A chance to give back. A community intervention controlled manikin study

AIM

Early basic life support is crucial to enhance survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest but rates remain low, especially in households. High-risk groups' training has been advocated, but the optimal method is unclear. The CArdiac REhabilitation and BAsic life Support (CAREBAS) project aims to compare the effectiveness of two basic life support educational strategies implemented in a cardiac rehabilitation program.

METHODS

A community intervention study including consecutive patients enrolled on an exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program after acute coronary syndrome or revascularization was conducted. A standard basic life support training (G-Stan) and a novel approach integrating cardiopulmonary resuscitation hands-on rolling refreshers (G-CPR) were randomly assigned to each group and compared. Basic life support performance was assessed by means of simulation at baseline, following brief instruction and after the 2-month program.

RESULTS

114 participants were included and 108 completed the final evaluation (G-Stan:58, G-CPR:50). Basic life support performance was equally poor at baseline and significantly improved following a brief instruction. A better skill retention was found after the 2-month program in G-CPR, significantly superior for safety and sending for an automated external defibrillator. Confidence and self-perceived preparation were also significantly greater in G-CPR after the program.

CONCLUSIONS

Integrating cardiopulmonary resuscitation hands-on rolling refreshers in the training of an exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program is feasible and improves patients' skill retention and confidence to perform a basic life support sequence, compared to conventional training. Exporting this formula to other programs may result in increased numbers of trained citizens, enhanced social awareness and bystander resuscitation.

Very brief training for laypeople in hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Effect of real-time feedback

BACKGROUND

Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) improves survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, but rates and performance quality remain low. Although training laypeople is a primary educational goal, the optimal strategy is not well defined. This study aimed to determine whether a short training with real-time feedback was able to improve hands-only CPR among untrained citizens.

METHODS

On the occasion of the 2015 World Heart Day and the European Restart a Heart Day, a pilot study involving 155 participants (81 laypeople, 74 health care professionals) was conducted. Participants were invited to briefly practice hands-only CPR on a manikin and were after evaluated during a 2-minute chest compression (CC) test. During training brief instructions regarding hand position, compression rate and depth according to the current guidelines were given and real-time feedback was provided by a Laerdal SkillReporting System.

RESULTS

Mean CC rate was significantly higher among health care professionals than among laypeople (119.07 ± 12.85 vs 113.02 ± 13.90 min(-1); P = .006), although both met the 100-120 CC min(-1) criterion. Laypeople achieved noninferior results regarding % of CC at adequate rate (51.46% ± 35.32% vs health care staff (55.97% ± 36.36%; P = .43) and depth (49.88% ± 38.58% vs 50.46% ± 37.17%; P = .92), % of CC with full-chest recoil (92.77% ± 17.17% vs 0.91% ± 18.84; P = .52), and adequate hand position (96.94% ± 14.78% vs 99.74 ± 1.98%; P = .11). The overall quality performance was greater than 70%, noninferior for citizens (81.23% ± 20.10%) vs health care staff (85.95% ± 14.78%; P = .10).

CONCLUSION

With a very brief training supported by hands-on instructor-led advice and visual feedback, naïve laypeople are able to perform good-quality CC-CPR. Simple instructions, feedback, and motivation were the key elements of this strategy, which could make feasible to train big numbers of citizens.