The use of escape rooms to enhance paramedic resuscitation training

Background: Recreational escape rooms are gaining popularity in education, offering gamified, immersive learning across disciplines. Aims: A resuscitation-themed escape room was developed to teach basic and advanced life support (ALS) skills, aligning with the abilities expected of Australian paramedics. Methods: A pilot was carried out with final-year paramedic students, and the study was evaluated using post-event questionnaires relating to recall of standard ALS features and participant experiences. Findings: Of 92 participants, 85 completed the survey, with 100% of responders both recalling all of the imbedded ALS themes and agreeing that the escape room was a highly effective way to teach resuscitation. Qualitative responses highlighted the value of supplementing the normal high-stakes, life-and-death pressure on learning resuscitation. Students described the experience as memorable, enjoyable and novel. Conclusion: The findings suggest escape rooms can offer an effective education experience to complement traditional resuscitation training modalities.