Abstract
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic exposed challenges in nurse engagement and participation in continuing education, impacting professional development and patient safety. Escape room–based learning has emerged to address these gaps by fostering collaboration and active participation. While escape rooms are reported as engaging, evidence comparing their effectiveness to traditional classroom education remains limited.
Purpose: To compare escape room learning and classroom instruction on nurses’ confidence, knowledge retention, and perceived meaningfulness.
Methods: An IRB-exempt, prospective, controlled trial included 128 nurses assigned to either escape room (intervention) or classroom (control) education. Both groups completed pre/post surveys and longitudinal surveys at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months via REDCap. Analysis used descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests to evaluate changes in confidence, knowledge scores, and perceived meaningfulness over time.
Results: Confidence improved in both groups post-activity. Initial knowledge retention was slightly higher in the classroom group; however, escape room participants demonstrated greater retention at 3 and 6 months and rated training as more meaningful and engaging.
Limitations: Prior experience, familiarity with escape rooms, survey attrition, and additional education between surveys may have influenced outcomes.
Conclusions: Escape room education was perceived as more meaningful and resulted in higher knowledge retention over time, suggesting interactive, gamified learning may enhance nursing education outcomes and support innovative approaches to professional development. Further research will explore scalability and its impact on patient outcomes.
Notes
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References:
1. Barner, J., Beer, R., & Edwards, T. (2023). Exploring the impact of escape rooms on clinical judgment to improve patient outcomes: A quality improvement project. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 18(2), 304-307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teln.2022.12.006
2. Daniels, D. A., Caruso, S., Morrell, B., & Eukel, H. N. (2023). The safety showdown: Perceptions and practice change of inpatient caregivers after a patient safety escape room. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, 39(3), 136–142. https://doi.org/10.1097/NND.0000000000000888
3. Iverson, L., Jizba, T. & Manning, L. (2023). Beat the clock! Implementation and evaluation of an escape room. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 19(5), 104523. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2022.12.007
4. Köse, A., & Özcan, S. (2025). Effectiveness of escape rooms in nursing education: A systematic review. Nurse Education Today, 151, N.PAG. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2025.106745
5. Reinkemeyer, E. A., Chrisman, M., & Patel, S. E. (2022). Escape rooms in nursing education: An integrative review of their use, outcomes, and barriers to implementation. Nurse Education Today, 119, 105571. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105571
Sigma Membership
Kappa Zeta at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Quantitative Research
Keywords:
Continuing Education, Faculty Development, Teaching and Learning Strategies, Gamification, Experiential Learning, Escape Rooms, Teaching Methods, Interactive Learning, Problem-Based Learning, Knowledge Retention, Knowledge Transfer
Recommended Citation
DeFrancisco, Michael Scott; Bennett, Amanda; and English, Victoria, "Escape Room vs. Classroom: A Comparative Study on Meaningful Learning and Knowledge Retention" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 269.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/269
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-09-07
Escape Room vs. Classroom: A Comparative Study on Meaningful Learning and Knowledge Retention
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic exposed challenges in nurse engagement and participation in continuing education, impacting professional development and patient safety. Escape room–based learning has emerged to address these gaps by fostering collaboration and active participation. While escape rooms are reported as engaging, evidence comparing their effectiveness to traditional classroom education remains limited.
Purpose: To compare escape room learning and classroom instruction on nurses’ confidence, knowledge retention, and perceived meaningfulness.
Methods: An IRB-exempt, prospective, controlled trial included 128 nurses assigned to either escape room (intervention) or classroom (control) education. Both groups completed pre/post surveys and longitudinal surveys at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months via REDCap. Analysis used descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests to evaluate changes in confidence, knowledge scores, and perceived meaningfulness over time.
Results: Confidence improved in both groups post-activity. Initial knowledge retention was slightly higher in the classroom group; however, escape room participants demonstrated greater retention at 3 and 6 months and rated training as more meaningful and engaging.
Limitations: Prior experience, familiarity with escape rooms, survey attrition, and additional education between surveys may have influenced outcomes.
Conclusions: Escape room education was perceived as more meaningful and resulted in higher knowledge retention over time, suggesting interactive, gamified learning may enhance nursing education outcomes and support innovative approaches to professional development. Further research will explore scalability and its impact on patient outcomes.
Description
Ready to unlock the secrets of learning? Step into a session that cracks the code on nursing education—pitting traditional classrooms against escape rooms. Which approach holds the key to confidence, lasting knowledge, and truly meaningful learning? Solve the puzzle with real research and surprising results!