A scoping review of international allied health professions escape room practices and scholarship

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this scoping review is to assess the literature on allied health professions escape rooms (AHPERs), investigating their common purposes and practices, and the trends in scholarship.

Methods

This scoping review followed PRISMA-ScR guidelines to assess the size and scope of evidence in the literature, categorize common purposes and practices, and explore trends in AHPER scholarship. Two reviewers developed a review protocol, collected literature using a search strategy aligned with inclusion criteria, and charted review results.

Results

The literature search yielded 6,170 articles. After the final review, 34 unique records met inclusion criteria. Studies were conducted in the United States, Spain, Australia, France, Brazil, and Canada. Most escape rooms reported participants, team size, puzzle type, and outcomes, but few used causal research designs, primarily using pre-post with no control designs. AHPERs represent an increasingly popular pedagogical approach. AHPERs tend to be simply structured, patient themed, and convey either disciplinary or interprofessional lessons. Generally, AHPERs were self-reported as effective and satisfying, but scholarship supporting AHPERs was insufficient in design for causal claims.

Conclusion

Developers and scholars may benefit from considering frameworks and guidelines for consistent creation and increased trustworthiness in the AHPER practice and knowledge base. Where AHPER scholars can increase attention to learning outcomes, and plan scholarly works in advance of the escape room, the AHPER body of knowledge will increase.

Keywords:

• Escape room
• allied health professions
• scoping review
• interprofessional education
• scholarship

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Amanda K. Burbage

Amanda Burbage, PhD is an assistant professor in the Medical and Health Professions Education program at Eastern Virginia Medical School, specializing in distance education, instructional design, and equity issues.

April A. Pace

April Pace, DHSc, MLS is an educator in the School of Health Professions, evidence based medicine discipline director for the School of Medicine, and associate director of the library at Eastern Virginia Medical School.