Training Nurses With Video Games

Today’s day in age is increasingly dependent on screens to entertain themselves. Recently, the nursing field has adopted video games, not to entertain, but to teach and practice hands-on skills.  This article will walk you through the purpose of and how to use videos games in nursing practice.

Purpose of Video Games in Nursing

Some have shown that video games help the elderly stay active and help keep hand eye coordination strong. Nurses use video games in healthcare to help onboard nurses, understand medical information and provide a different way of learning. Video games help identify nurses that need additional training and education in a custom way.

Video games are increasing in popularity because of increased phone use. Nurses are looking at their phone during meetings and throughout the day. With that, they have learned to watch online presentations on a computer, but also how to skip through online presentations, mainly because of boredom and lack of interaction.

The Frequency of Video Games

At the hospital, Mercy Medical Center, using video games helps in various learning environments, starting with onboarding new nurses.

Some examples of online games include:

• Quizzes – An interactive quiz game helps educators test participants knowledge of the presented material
• QR Code – QR Code game helps nurses navigate the unit during a scavenger hunt.
• Quest for Magnet Status – a pyramid game for nurses to learn about Magnet and earn tokens
• Online Certifications – Online certification courses like Neonatal Resuscitation has made part of renewing or obtaining a certification, a process of online learning. You complete scenarios by dragging icons to help the baby in distress. Also, the American Heart Association uses online learning in their Basic Life Support training, much like the Neonatal Resuscitation, users have scenarios and act by dragging icons and providing care.
• World Of Salus – This is a game in which the nurses are oriented at Mercy Medical Center. It gives them a self-paced opportunity, and nurses can go back at any time to learn.

Benefits of Gaming in Healthcare

Nurses’ feedback is positive after using video games at Mercy. Educators like them because it gives them a different way to help their staff in learning. When the user signs into the game, it’s easy to see what they need to know, instead of having to learn everything they always know. At Mercy, they mention that “Video games have improved the way our staff critically thinks and approached problems.”

Doctors have also used online video games to advance their knowledge. Kaizen, an online game, gives clinicians multiple choice questions that can be answered quickly, in an elevator, or walking back to a call room. An online leader board helps the user know who is in the lead to help motivate them. Jerry White M.D. mentioned that “Everyone is pushed for time; students realize that Kaizen is a great way to learn on the fly!”

If you are inspired by the new way of learning through video or online gaming, don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Nursing gaming educators are available to help onboard healthcare organizations using gaming tools. Think of how it can help your unit at work and bring up the idea for the future of nursing.