Many healthcare simulation educators use gamification as an educational strategy to be able to make sure clinical simulation participants reach learning objectives through an engaging and fun educational experience. Although a healthcare simulation board game may be fun to play, these educational tools are not designed specifically for this purpose. Healthcare simulation board games are great for clinical simulation participants to be able to practice non technical skills such as team work, leadership and communication skills. This article by Erin Carn-Bennett, RN, MSN, will explore the current top healthcare simulation board games and their application for clinical simulation educators, clinical simulation participants and beyond.
Healthcare simulation board games are a great way for teams to bond and can contribute towards improved team relationships. Playing healthcare simulation board games together as a clinical team will usually take between 30-60 minutes. At the completion of the board game, clinical colleagues will know more about their colleagues and this can contribute to improved connections with one another.
Clinical teams can discover communication patterns, learn more about their own skill sets and those of their colleagues. In often challenged work environments healthcare simulation board games can assist with team culture and also enable learning to occur while having fun. What a concept!
The department of all hospitals that has the highest patient turnover is in general the ED. Patient acuity levels go up and down as does the patient flow. On top of this staffing levels and their clinical experience levels also vary. Management of the emergency department through this lens is a complex yet essential skill. This critical ED management skill is part of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, (RCEM), curriculum.
View the HealthySimulation.com Webinar Unlocking Innovation: Using Escape Rooms in Nursing Simulation to learn more!
Table-top healthcare simulation is a low fidelity clinical simulation tool that is impactful and useful for multiple admission incidents and natural disaster training. Table-top healthcare simulation is a low cost way to train clinical staff to be able to practice responses to high impact yet low frequency events. Due to the increased pressures in emergency departments, the floor game developed the easy to use Table-top clinical simulation in order to develop clinical skills required in order to manage a high acuity and ever changing emergency department.
The Floor game has been carefully curated to be intense, enjoyable and effective for all that play this table top healthcare simulation experience. The floor game has been tested by a range of emergency departments across the world and those who have experienced the floor game include doctors, nurses and executive managers in both clinical and non-clinical roles.
The board game Gridlocked is a co-designed learning platform, which was designed by both emergency medicine teams and also medical students. The goal in the creation of the Gridlocked game was to create a game that would enable future doctors to be able to learn a systems approach to patient management. The Gridlocked board game does this in a safe and low stakes environment.
In the Gridlocked board game, players work together as a team to treat and prioritize patient clinical care. The Gridlocked board game allows for collaboration and communication skills to be refined by teams. The Gridlocked game allows players to experience what a real ED can feel like, without the high stakes and consider what to do if in the position to do so.
Friday night at the ER is an internationally noted healthcare simulation game used for all levels of healthcare staff education and also across different industries. Friday Night at the ER is a healthcare simulation board game which challenges teams of four players to be able to manage a hospital in a 24 hour period. Friday night at the ER assists teams to apply three main strategic moves from silo thinking to systems thinking. These three strategic moves are inbuilt into Friday night at the ER to improve organization’s performance.
All health professionals are aware that the renal system is the key organ involved in the production and excretion of urine as well as the important role in the maintenance of the composition of body fluids. Health professionals are required to understand structures of the renal system, how the renal system works in order to enable them to be able to detect associated issues with the renal system.
The Renal Game comes with more than 250 question cards with 6 topics. The Renal Game allows students and qualified health professionals to test knowledge of renal system physiology, anatomy and biochemistry. The Renal Game mobilizes through the nephron and discusses questions based around: glomerulus, proximal tubule, loop of henle, distal tubule, collecting duct and antidiuretic hormone. (ADH)The Renal Game was created by Gill Hart, Clinical Nurse Educator at The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Sepsis is often a life-threatening condition that can lead to shock, multiple organ failure and death if not recognised early and treated appropriately. In order to treat sepsis effectively there is a multi-disciplinary responsibility across all healthcare team members. Relevant and effective education about sepsis is essential.
The Sepsis Game is a board game for team based education and is also supported with a digital Sepsis Quiz. The Sepsis Challenge is an online game and educational app. These healthcare simulation board games assist staff and students to recognise the signs of sepsis and increase health professional confidence to respond quickly and effectively to sepsis. Each Sepsis Game contains scenario card packs that are designed to simulate conversations that raise awareness and improve clinical care skills and knowledge.
The Sepsis Game has been designed for up to 12 players which are split into two teams that compete against each other. A game takes around 45 minutes and can be used in any environment. All that is required to play is a table and some chairs. The rules are kept simple and the facilitator does not need to have sepsis expertise.
This article has explored healthcare simulation board games and game based education. Five top healthcare simulation board games have been demonstrated. Board games as a healthcare simulation educational tool continue to gain traction as a fun and impactful way for clinical simulation participants to be able to effectively learn.
Learn How Gamification Improves Healthcare Simulation Medical Training
