A Step-by-Step Design of a Nursing Educational Escape Room: An Innovative Experience in Team-Based Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training Process

Abstract

Introduction: Mastering team-based skills in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a critical competency for nursing students. Traditional teaching methods often fail to promote active participation, hands-on learning, and team cohesion. This study presents a novel experience in the structured design and pilot implementation of an educational escape room to improve CPR team management skills.

Method: This study followed Gordillo’s four-phase model: design, development, implementation, and evaluation. In the design phase, learning objectives were identified through expert interviews. In the development phase, escape room puzzles were constructed collaboratively with a focus group, aligned with Bloom’s taxonomy and adult basic life support protocols. The implementation phase involved a pilot run with sixth-semester nursing students. Finally, participants' satisfaction and feedback were collected and analyzed in the evaluation phase.

Results: Learning objectives covered cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains. The escape room was structured linearly, set in a hospital crisis scenario, and featured tiered hint systems with point deductions. The pilot test showed high feasibility, student engagement, and perceived effectiveness in reinforcing teamwork, clinical reasoning, and role clarity.

Conclusion: A structured educational escape room focused on CPR team management offers an interactive, realistic, and goal-oriented environment to enhance rapid decision-making, communication, and collaborative practice. This documented approach can inform the expansion of game-based learning in nursing and interprofessional education.