Two nurses at Central Texas Veterans Health Care System designed a flu pandemic escape room that led to an increase in hand-washing and flu vaccine acceptance at the Temple-based organization.
Gracia Boseman, RN, and Kristy Causey, MSN, RN, created the zombie-themed high consequence infectious disease escape room in 2017 to boost staff attendance at voluntary infection prevention and control education sessions.
"The escape room was successful beyond our wildest expectations," Ms. Boseman in a news release.
Self-reported data from participants showed a 61 percent increase in hand-washing and 21 percent jump in use of personal protective equipment. Attendance also increased from an average of 20 clinical workers per training to 189 clinical and nonclinical attendees.
"Staff also became acutely aware that contaminated surfaces play a role in disease transmission as they carry viruses and bacteria, and the importance of wearing PPE — knowledge that would prove invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic," Ms. Boseman added.
Ms. Boseman and Ms. Causey presented their findings June 28 at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology's virtual annual conference.
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