(EA01-09-25) Incorporating an Escape Room Activity in a Graduate Clinical Nutrition Course to Enhance Proficiency in the Nutrition Care Process, Clinical Reasoning, and Teamwork

Scientific conference where the work was recently presented: Texas Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics Annual Conference & Expo (Georgetown, TX)

Date on which the work was previously presented at the scientific conference listed: April 4, 2025

Objectives: The use of escape rooms in health education reinforces theoretical knowledge and helps students build the soft skills essential for effective healthcare practice including collaborative problem solving and critical thinking. Additionally, understanding the nutrition care process is paramount for future Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) to be prepared for entry-level practice. Therefore, we developed a classroom-based escape room for future RDN students to reinforce the nutrition care process, clinical reasoning, and teamwork.

Methods: A four-room, sequential escape room themed around the popular entertainer Taylor Swift was incorporated into a graduate level clinical nutrition course. Puzzles and associated clues were developed using a commercially available standard escape room kit. Each room had a 15 min time limit and required a team of 3-4 students to collaboratively work to solve puzzles using elements of the nutrition care process including analysis of lab values, determining nutrient needs, and recommending appropriate nutrition interventions. Students anonymously completed pre- and post-activity questionnaires with a 5 point Likert scale to self-assess if the escape room improved their proficiency in the nutrition care process, clinical reasoning, and teamwork.

Results: Participants (n=15) completed the escape room activity. Students reported that the escape room activity led to enhanced proficiency in using nutrition care process knowledge and skills as a part of MNT, clinical reasoning, and teamwork. Improvements were additionally reported in problem solving, planning and time management, and autonomous learning.

Conclusions: Our findings support use of escape rooms in graduate coursework to enhance future RDNs knowledge and interpersonal skills related to the clinical setting.

Funding Sources: None