Teaching Evidence-Based Sepsis Care: A Sepsis Escape Room

Abstract

Background: Using evidence-based sepsis guidelines, nurse educators identified the nursing skills required to recognize and treat sepsis.

Method: Nurse educators created an innovative, interactive sepsis escape room to provide sepsis education. The escape room included a manikin, puzzles, distractors, riddles, and props. Participants were given 20 minutes to solve four puzzles/riddles to treat the sepsis patient and escape the room.

Results: All but two (N = 16) groups solved the clues and riddles to prioritize treatment in the allotted time. Evaluations were excellent. Mean score (1 = poor to 5 = outstanding) for overall escape room experience was 4.92. Adherence data improved on the Surviving Sepsis Campaign sepsis performance measure intervention bundles (SEP 1-3 care bundles) 2 months following the escape room. Bundles are a group of interventions that improve care.

Conclusion: The escape room engaged nurses in educational gaming, stimulating critical thinking and problem solving contributing to improved clinical outcomes. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2021;52(5):217-225.].