An instructor at the UNMC College of Nursing Lincoln Division recently created “escape rooms” that challenge her undergraduate nursing students to solve high-risk obstetrics health emergencies in a dynamic environment.
“It’s a hit with students,” said Dawn Tassemeyer, instructor and family nurse practitioner. “I thought it would be a creative and engaging method to teach.”
In the college’s simulated hospital room, the exercise focuses on an unexpected event after a birth using Victoria, a high-fidelity simulation mannequin and includes tools such as stethoscopes, dressing supplies, and other props.
Tassemeyer said each spring, senior students participate in a high risk obstetrics simulation experience to be exposed to situations they don’t normally get to see during their labor and delivery rotation in a hospital. The idea is to have students practice skills in a simulated environment so they are familiar with what to do.
“Last fall, I wanted to try new, interactive things. I was inspired by the learning environment section in the faculty development book we received at the beginning of fall semester called “Thrive” about escape rooms.
In two separate rooms, 10 students work together.
Tassemeyer said students will open seven different locks to interpret changes in lab values, anticipate sudden changes in nursing assessments, and be prepared to administer needed medications and interventions. They have to find and decipher nine clues throughout the escape room.
Students have 45 minutes to escape.
Tassemeyer said a friendly competition develops between the two groups of students that compete concurrently.
After the escape room is complete, students move into the other simulations with Victoria focusing on safe care of the high-risk “patient.”
“We try to incorporate a lot of simulation in classes, but sometimes with busy students going in different directions, it’s kind of tricky. They like to have the comfort of making a mistake or admitting they don’t know an answer so when they’re in a hospital, they’ll know what to do.”
“The escape room postpartum simulation was a great team building exercise,” said student Madison Buckminster. “It allowed us to critically think outside the box and piece our ideas together to create a positive outcome in a limited time period. This simulation taught us to act fast and effectively, but also allowed us to have fun, which makes it even better.”
Another student, Alexa Dolesh, said the escape room experience was one of her favorite experiences in nursing school.
“When time is of the essence in a situation like this, the ticking timer in the escape room was a great way to simulate not only a time-sensitive situation that we could be in as a nurse, but also how to efficiently and effectively collaborate with a team,” Dolesh said. “I think that this simulation was a unique and memorable way to prepare me for my future career as a nurse.”