Escape room simulation improved knowledge and satisfaction while reducing anxiety in nursing students compared to traditional education.

This randomized controlled trial evaluated the impact of an escape room simulation intervention on emergency nursing education among 40 students at a university in Istanbul. Participants were assigned to either the escape room simulation group or a control group receiving traditional education methods. Assessments were conducted immediately after the education session, one week later, and one month later to evaluate changes in knowledge, anxiety, and satisfaction.

Results indicated that knowledge levels were significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the control group at all follow-up points, with a p-value of less than 0.001. Similarly, satisfaction levels were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.001). Regarding anxiety, no significant difference was observed between the two groups before and after the education. However, within the intervention group specifically, anxiety levels were significantly reduced after the training (p < 0.001).

No adverse events, serious adverse events, discontinuations, or specific tolerability issues were reported for either group. The study did not report specific effect sizes or absolute numbers for the outcomes, relying instead on statistical significance to describe the differences. The authors noted that the small sample size and the specific institutional setting are key limitations that may affect the applicability of the results.

The practice relevance suggests that while the escape room simulation intervention showed promise in improving educational outcomes, it is recommended that this approach be investigated in more studies within nursing education to confirm these findings before widespread adoption.