Escape rooms, a form of collaborative live-action gaming requiring participants to solve clues to escape a locked room, have grown in popularity across the nation. Games bring together problem solving, critical thinking, and teamwork. This game method has not yet appeared in nursing education literature. The authors describe two versions of the innovative escape room pedagogical method used in undergraduate nursing education. Theoretical bases, learning activities, and types of game clues that could be used are detailed. Future research will address the ability of students to reach learning objectives before and after the game.

No abstract

Background: Generation Z college students often prefer individualized, immersive learning experiences. Faculty designed an educational escape room to engage nursing students and improve knowledge in cardiovascular critical care. Method: This study evaluated the educational innovation's impact on changes in knowledge and perceptions of the educational innovation with a pre- and postknowledge assessment and a validated perception survey. Students discussed their experiences and reflections in a focus group. Results: Pre- and postknowledge assessment scores showed statistically significant improvements in knowledge ( p < .05). Student perceptions were statistically significantly higher than the mean value for the evaluation scale ( p < .001). Analysis of focus group transcriptions revealed four themes: Logistics of the Learning Activity, Cognitive Learning, Team Learning, and Professional Practice Skills. Conclusion: The cardiovascular escape room increased student knowledge and was positively received by students. The educational innovation encouraged student engagement in learning, content application, peer communication, and nursing practice skills. [ J Nurs Educ . 2020;59(2):111–115.]

Background. The implementation of educational escape rooms has shown great value in learner outcomes. The design of such simulations requires a thoughtful, well-defined process. Objective. The purpose of this article is to encourage educational escape room designers to use a thoughtful, methodical, iterative process to ensure quality, educational capacity, and a positive learner experience. Application. When designing an educational escape room, designers should consider implementing a cyclic design process: design, pilot, evaluate, redesign, re-evaluate, and repeat. Discussion. A methodological process for educational escape room design can promote deep learning and positive student perceptions.