GOALS OF THE EBP GAME

 To provide an international centre for teaching and learning related to EBP in Nursing and Midwifery.
 To stimulate and support nursing/midwifery students and nurses and midwives by learning EBP.
 To support lifelong learning in Evidence-based Practice in Nursing and midwifery.
 To describe the teaching models of EBP across EU countries, and explore how EBP is embedded in curricula at the different HEI (incl. good practices).
 To develop an online escape room based on the 5-step EBP framework, literature about gamification for training in healthcare, partner HEI’s expertise, and importantly, by participation of the target groups (students, educators, professionals) in game development
 To test the online escape room with the target groups for relevance, user satisfaction, and impact on EBP knowledge
 To develop supporting material for ‘players’ on how to implement the 5 steps of EBP in daily clinical practice (material included in the game and an information sheet to receive after playing the game).
 To embed the game in the curricula of the partner HEI’s as well as disseminate the project results to also have impact in other EU HEI’s.

With this project, we will develop an online escape room to gain knowledge about evidence-based practice (EBP) and to implement EBP in an innovative way in classes and in daily clinical practice. It will be a method for healthcare students and professionals to be trained individually or as a team, in assessing a real-life patient case, but in a safe environment, without the full responsibility of a real patient.

EBP integrates the best available research evidence, expert opinions, and patients’ individual preferences to analyze and address clinical problems. It encompasses five steps:

1.Framing an answerable question
2.Obtaining the best evidence to answer the question
3.Critically appraising the acquired evidence
4.Translating the evidence into clinical practice
5.Evaluating the effectiveness of the previous step

Despite increased recognition of the importance of EBP, healthcare providers (HCPs) still identify a need for more education and skill-building in the process used to provide evidence-based care. Educators play a vital role in addressing these needs. Many healthcare professionals and students report feeling intimidated and overwhelmed by EBP.

They struggle to search for relevant literature on electronic databases, appraise acquired evidence, and apply EBP knowledge in clinical practice. However, the integration of best evidence into clinical care delivery is essential for improving the quality of care and patient safety.

Saunders and Vehvilainen-Julkunen (2016) reported on the continued shortfall in professionals’ readiness to implement EBP in daily clinical care. Although they were familiar with EBP, had positive attitudes toward it, and believed in its value for improving care quality and patient outcomes, they perceived their own EBP knowledge and skills as insufficient, which hindered its application in practice.

The lack of individual and organizational readiness among nurses for applying EBP is just one part of a multitude of complex factors that hinder the integration of best evidence into clinical practice. Many approaches can be used to teach EBP, increasing student engagement and fostering a deeper understanding of EBP content and relevance.

Research demonstrates that learning should be interactive, multifaceted, integrated into clinical practice, and include assessments. Interactive methods include:

+ Interactive lectures
+ Small group work
+ Journal clubs
+ Reading quizzes
+ Clinical nurse presentations
+ Workshops
+ Problem-based learning

At first, the escape room materials will be developed with input from the target groups. Next, a mock-up version of the game is made to gather feedback (during workshops) and to make changes before game production.

Next, pilot testing of the online game will evaluate user satisfaction and increase in  EBP knowledge, and allow adaptations to deliver a final version of the game.

Finally, the game is embedded in the partner curricula, and disseminated to create impact also externally.

 University Colleges Leuven-Limburg (Belgium, Coordinator)
 Catholic University of Louvain (UCL) (Belgium, Project partner)
 Cooperativa de Ensino Superior Politécnico e Universitário CRL (Portugal,
Project partner)
 Medical University of Warsaw (Poland, Project partner)
 Laurea Ammattikorkea Koulu OY (Finland, Project partner )
 Universitat Autonoma De Barcelona (Spain, Project partner)
 LudusXR Aps (Denmark, Project partner)