Code Sepsis: Using an Escape Room as a Creative Teaching Strategy to Engage Nursing Students in Learning Diagnosis and Interventions in Sepsis Care Management

Abstract

Objective: To engage students in a flipped classroom activity utilizing an escape room to teach the importance of systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria recognition, sepsis diagnostics, the anticipation of medical doctor orders, and the implementation of nursing interventions for the care of a sepsis patient. To escape the room, students must work together to answer a series of questions to solve all of the puzzles and open the locks. Methods: A total of 32 fourth-semester students over three semesters participated in the sepsis escape room. Groups were randomly assigned as students came into the simulation room. Students were oriented to the room, given the objectives of the activity, and provided a patient scenario to start the escape room. During the activity, students completed a variety of math equations, puzzles, and advanced nursing skills to progress through the room. Students were timed while completing these activities; the goal, to escape the room in less than an hour. Results: Students were actively engaged and involved in the escape room learning activity. All groups completed the sepsis escape room under one hour. After the escape room, a debrief was conducted, and a survey was given to all the students. Survey results and discussion revealed that the escape room was a more meaningful and engaging learning activtity for new material versus traditional lecture. Conclusion: The escape room is a valuable learning activity to teach sepsis diagnosis and treatment for fourth-semester nursing students. The application of an escape room could be modified and used for any level of nursing student or any disease process.