An Escape Game for Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Students: Is Time on Your Side?

Literature supports integration of active learning strategies into curriculum.

This article highlights an innovative approach to engage students in application of didactic lecture into a clinical management scenario through creation of a neonatal escape game.

A case-based escape game required students to critically evaluate laboratory values, assessment findings, and perform calculations to solve clues to "escape" within a 20-minute period. Pre- and post-surveys measured confidence related to clinical reasoning.

Three out of 4 teams successfully "escaped" within the set time limit. Simulation Effectiveness Tool-Modified (SET-M) mean scores (n = 13) across prebrief, scenario, and debrief showed increased confidence. Curriculum content comparison between pre- ( M = 3.36) and post-assessment ( M = 3.97) revealed an 18.15% growth with P <.05. All students reported the experience contributed to their learning.

Alternative learning activities, such as an escape game, enhance application of didactic material before transition into clinical practice.