Opportunity
In recent years, the National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN) has focused on creating innovative and engaging experiences for conference attendees. One such initiative is the development of a clinical escape room at the annual conference. Designed to provide a fun and interactive break from traditional lecture-based learning onsite, the clinical escape room brings together teams of 4-6 attendees who work collaboratively to solve challenges to escape the room. This case study explores the evolution of the escape room project over 3 years.
Year 1: Initial Concept and Implementation
The escape room began as a simple, enjoyable activity for nurse attendees to take a break from lectures. NANN member volunteers selected both clinical and non-clinical themes and crafted corresponding obstacles. They also provided the necessary props and items for the escape room to run smoothly. A digital sign-up system allowed attendees to register before the conference, and 98% of slots were filled by the opening reception. The escape room received positive feedback in the post-conference evaluation.
Year 2: Sponsorship and Enhancing the Experience
In the second year, NANN collaborated with AMC’s Strategic Events and Industry Relations team to secure sponsorship for the project. With additional funds, the escape room’s aesthetics and props were upgraded, and the project generated revenue for the conference. GE HealthCare partnered with volunteers to enhance the experience, which included a photo backdrop for “after” photos, a screen that displayed previous teams’ successes, and medical equipment within the room. Attendees appreciated the elevated experience, and GE Healthcare gained valuable insight into the educational needs of neonatal professionals.
Year 3: Toolkit Development
Building on the success of the escape room, NANN worked with Studio AMC to develop the 2024 and 2023 escape rooms into enduring toolkits that were offered free to members and as a for-sale product to non-members. The toolkits, which use topical public-domain images, are available for immediate download and include printouts for use in recreating the activities in the user’s facility.
Challenges
Throughout the project, several challenges were encountered:
- Resource Constraints: In the first year, planning and resources were minimal. Volunteers selected themes, crafted obstacles, and brought necessary props and items themselves.
- Sponsorship Coordination: Securing a sponsor and coordinating with them to enhance the escape room experience was beneficial but did require increased effort and collaboration. The involvement of a sponsor in the second year added complexities such as ensuring both the planning committee and sponsor agreed on the overall direction of the escape room and that all needs and expectations were met.
- Pandemic Impact: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift from lecture-based education to more thoughtful, connection-focused, and experiential activities. This required ensuring the escape room concept met new expectations and safety guidelines in a post-pandemic world.
Impact
The escape rooms at the 2023 and 2024 conference significantly enhanced engagement at NANN conferences, providing the more than 400 attendees who participated with a unique, interactive, and memorable experience.
“The Escape Room was a fantastic break from the usual conference sessions. It was both fun and educational, and I loved the teamwork aspect!”
Conference Attendee
Through partnership with AMC’s SEIR team and Studio AMC, NANN secured sponsorship and developed the escape rooms into sellable toolkits, creating a sustainable model for future conference offerings and a successful revenue-generating product stream:
- The 2024 Escape Room Toolkit has seen immense interest with more than 300 downloads in the first 6 weeks.
- The newly launched 2023 Escape Room Toolkit, which is being piloted for a fee to members and nonmembers, is already seeing the same success as the 2024 Toolkit just 2 weeks postlaunch.
“The Escape Room Toolkit is a great idea! I’m excited to bring this back to my unit and see how my colleagues respond to it.”
Conference Attendee
NANN plans to continue implementing activity-based experiences like the escape room at future conferences, including a case study–based scavenger hunt planned for 2025 that will engage attendees, both in-person and on-demand, with plans to double as a conference promotional tool through participation leading up to the event. NANN may also explore turning over the escape room fully to sponsors as an exhibit hall booth option. By allowing sponsors to run the project, volunteers will be free to participate in additional new and innovative options.