Acquisition of Learning and Empathy Towards Patients in Nursing Students Through Online Escape Room: An Exploratory Qualitative Study

Figures & data

Figure 1 Escape room flowchart.

Table 1 Main Category 1: Escape Room Design

Main Category	Sub-Category	Number of Statements	Examples of Statements
Escape room	Gamification elements	41 from 44, 93.18%	What I liked the most was the narrative … the fact of getting to know the character little by little while you were playing. (S17) I have really enjoyed the challenges. Our team had to think a lot about how to open each lock, but we managed to get Enrique out. (S20)
	Fun	40 from 44, 90.91%	It has been super fun and entertaining, it’s great to be able to do these activities from time to time. (S36) I have found the way in which they have proposed to teach us very funny. I wish we could repeat it! (S41)
	Motivation	36 from 44, 81.82%	Everything in general has motivated me, both the way in which you have to look for the clues and the story. It would be very useful for those people who do not take into account mental illness and who unfortunately suffers a large part of the population. (S1) I found it very funny and motivating, the truth is that you are so focused that you do not realize what is happening around you. (S43)
	Flow	34 from 44, 77.27%	I have felt the need to know what was happening and how to end the escape room. It has thrilled me. (S8) The narrative has made us forget everything else and want to keep playing to help Enrique. (S44)

Note: S (which stands for student) and a number (which was chosen for each student in a linear order).

Table 2 Main Category 2: Empathy and Learning

Main Category	Sub-Category	Number of Statements	Examples of Statements
Empathy and Learning	Empathy with the character and understanding of mental health	35 from 44, 79.54%	You empathize with Enrique almost without realizing it. (S15) This escape room has helped me learn about people with mental illness, and especially disprove hoaxes from the movies. (S11)
	Educative innovation	11 from 44, 25%	Learning like this has been something different. Being able to interact and put oneself in Enrique’s shoes has been very different and innovative. (S6). It has been an educational proposal very different from what we are used to, and I have loved it. (S3)
	Teamwork	8 from 44, 18.18%	(What I liked the most was) the teamwork and the originality of the activity. I have had a great time with my friends and the video that we have seen on YouTube has made my hair stand on end because I did not expect it at all, it has been super interesting. (S34). It is quite achieved and looks totally like an escape room. I have been to several in person, and it has been quite like the normal ones. In the group we have helped each other, and we have solved it together so that no one is left behind. (S9)
	Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)	4 from 44, 9.09%	I liked learning about mental illness in an interactive way. (S5) I liked that the game is interactive, and we can play and learn. (S32)

Note: S (which stands for student) and a number (which was chosen for each student in a linear order).

Table 3 Main Category 3: Improvement Proposals

Main Category	Sub-Category	Number of Statements	Examples of Statements
Improvement proposals	Continuity of innovative practices	4 from 44, 9.09%	It would not improve anything. I would like there to be more escape room to be able to repeat the experience in classroom. (S1) Activities like this should be done more often, it brings us closer to the reality that we will see in the hospitals. (S37)
	More duration	3 from 44, 6.83%	(I wish it were) longer. I had a lot of fun, great! (S3) The activity could be longer. (S38)
	More clues	3 from 44, 6.83%	It seemed complex to me; with more clues it would be easier. (S6) A script of clues would have helped us to solve it in less time because we would not have been stuck. (S40)
	Greater difficulty	1 from 44, 2.27%	I liked it but maybe I would put more problems to make it longer. (S12)

Note: S (which stands for student) and a number (which was chosen for each student in a linear order).