Using active learning strategies during a quality improvement collaborative: exploring educational games to enhance learning among healthcare professionals
Marianilza Lopes da Silva, Flavia Fernanda Franco, Jessica Alves Vieira, Juliana Fernandes da Silva, Guilherme Cesar Silva Dias Santos, Beatriz Marques da Cunha, Fernando Enrique Arriel Pereira, Natalia Nardoni, Francielle Bendersky Gomes, Brunno César Batista Cocentino, Roberta Gonçalves Marques, Natalia Souza de Melo, Ademir José Petenate, Andreza Pivato Susin Hamada, Cristiane Maria Reis Cristalda, Luciana Yumi Ue, Cláudia Garcia de Barros, Sebastián Vernal
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Breakthrough Series model uses learning sessions (LS) to promote education, professional development and quality improvement (QI) in healthcare. Staff divergences regarding prior knowledge, previous experience, preferences and motivations make selecting which pedagogic strategies to use in LS a challenge. AIM: We aimed to assess new active-learning strategies: two educational games, a card game and an escape room-type game, for training in healthcare-associated infection prevention. METHODS: This descriptive case study evaluated the performance of educational strategies during a Collaborative to reduce healthcare-associated infections in Brazilian intensive care units (ICUs). A post-intervention survey was voluntarily offered to all participants in LS activities. RESULTS: Seven regional 2-day LS were held between October and December 2022 (six for adult ICUs and one for paediatric/neonatal ICUs). Of 194 institutions participating in a nationwide QI initiative, 193 (99.4%) participated in these activities, totalling 850 healthcare professionals. From these, 641 participants responded to the survey (75.4%). The post-intervention survey showed that the participants responded positively to the educational activities. CONCLUSION: The participants perceived the various pedagogical strategies positively, which shows the value of a broad and diverse educational approach, customised to local settings and including game-based activities, to enhance learning among healthcare professionals.