Rapid Sequence Information: A Game-Based Learning Approach to Reinforce Core Concepts in Anesthesiology Training.

BACKGROUND

Gamification and serious games are emerging as educational tools to enhance learning in medical education. We developed a board game titled Rapid Sequence Information (RSI) to help teach residents about important American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) keyword topics. The primary aim of this study was to determine how well a serious game can engage trainees while also assisting with board exam preparation.

METHODS

A competitive board game was created using simple materials and game cards that quizzed participants on their knowledge of ABA BASIC exam keywords. The game was played as part of the lecture series for clinical anesthesia first year residents at 2 different institutions as well as an educational session at the national American Society of Anesthesiologists meeting. A total of 68 participants completed a postgame survey.

RESULTS

Among those who completed the survey, most reported little to no prior exposure to game-based learning (82%). The game was very well received: 73% of participants rated it as fantastic and a combined 86.8% (95% CI, 76.4%-93.8%) agreed or strongly agreed that the session improved their understanding of anesthesia-related topics.

CONCLUSIONS

Game-based learning is an innovative approach to medical education that is growing in popularity across many fields. Whereas its use in anesthesia education remains relatively unexplored, this study shows that games can be used to effectively engage anesthesia learners. The RSI game and others like it could be incorporated into resident didactic sessions, board preparation workshops, or small group teaching focused on foundational topics.