Mystery in the Crib: An Interactive Case Study Experience

Nurses and nurse practitioners are often required to process vast amounts of information while caring for neonates. The ability to process available information, analyze relevance, and collaborate with others requires specialized knowledge and skills. Mystery in the Crib is an innovative, critical thinking activity where neonatal nurse practitioner students are presented clues in the form of historical, diagnostic, and clinical data. Students are required to critical appraisal available information, collaborate with others to develop a plan of care, and present findings and a plan of care. Students demonstrated an enhanced ability to synthesis relevant clinical information, effectively collaborate, and develop comprehensive plans of care. While designed for graduate students, this activity was adapted for undergraduate and clinical practice application. Critical thinking and collaboration activities such as Mystery in the Crib are versatile and can be utilized by other specialties, various disease processes, and by all levels of learners.