Escape rooms in nursing education: An integrative review of their use, outcomes, and barriers to implementation.

OBJECTIVES

Escape rooms are becoming a popular teaching method in a variety of fields and settings, but have not been examined for their effectiveness in nursing education. The aim of this integrative review was to map trends in escape rooms in nursing research and evaluate support for using this innovative, simulation-based teaching method.

DESIGN, DATA SOURCES, AND REVIEW METHODS: Using Whittemore and Kanfl's framework, this integrative review analyzed the use of simulation-based escape rooms in nursing and nursing education. Results were refined using inclusion and exclusion criteria, and evaluated with use of the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Databases searched were PubMed, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Google Scholar, and ERIC.

RESULTS

A total of 18 studies were included. Common categories identified included student satisfaction with escape rooms and barriers of cost and time to educators. Desired outcomes of the studies reviewed focused on teamwork, perceived learning or increased confidence, or increase in knowledge. Optimal group size and theoretical support recommendations for escape rooms are lacking with the need for further research.

CONCLUSIONS

Escape rooms are effective at improving knowledge in a variety of nursing education topics, and their use has been well-received in a variety of nursing and professional health students. Long-term outcomes have not been assessed. There is need for more research in assessing ideal group size when using escape rooms in education settings, more rigorous study design to determine effectiveness of escape rooms to produce education-focused outcomes, and more consensus on appropriate theoretical frameworks that can guide the implementation and study of escape rooms in practice.