"Instead of it being, 'Here we are going through another policy,' people are a little bit more engaged in trying to get through the game quicker because there is that competitive component or that reward at the end. That makes it fun and it's a little bit different." — Jama Goers, PhD. RN, director, Nursing Education and Research, Denver Health

When learning and fun come together, it creates the best of both worlds. Denver Health understands that, and has embraced gamification, a growing trend in healthcare, in its nurse education programs. New nurses learn policies and culture while competing in a scavenger hunt or race against the clock in a virtual escape room to avert an IT disaster.

I talked with Jama Goers, PhD. RN, Denver Health's director of Nursing Education and Research, about how in-person and online games developed specifically for Denver Health, are a successful part of larger orientation and training programs.

Read about it HERE.

Gamification Brings Effective Learning, Along with a Bit of Fun, to Nurse Education

Denver Health's online scavenger hunt and escape room helps train new nurses by 'hitting different modalities of learning and being able to capture all learners,' Denver Health nursing educator says.

Emergency Nurses Launch Firearms Injury Prevention Program

Online education resources identify, assess, and counsel patients at risk for harm.

RNs Keeping Up the Momentum of Vaccinating Underserved in South Los Angeles

Disaster-response nurses are seeking RN volunteers to administer COVID-19 vaccines through May.

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Addressing Behavioral Health Needs Helps Patients, Providers and Communities

America’s healthcare system is experiencing a significant need for high-quality behavioral health services.

Coronavirus Pandemic Stressors Impacting Careers of Healthcare Workers

Work-life challenges have implications for retention off staff and trainees, survey finds.

Pandemic Highlights Need for Urgent Care Clinics for Women

For years, many women with common but urgent conditions like painful urinary tract infections or excessive bleeding in the aftermath of a miscarriage have faced a grim choice between waiting weeks for an appointment with their regular OB-GYN or braving hours in an ER waiting room.

Must Reads

Hero to zero: Putnam Hospital lays off nurses as COVID remains a threat — lohud.com
Missouri Emergency Nurses Association asks for more protection for healthcare workers in the ER — KY3
Six hours, ten doses: Follow a nurse practitioner's nightly rush to vaccinate homebound Philadelphians — The Philadelphia Inquirer
Nurse creates innovative way to monitor patient oxygen — Yahoo! News / Fox 4 Now Florida
5 healthcare jobs on the rise — The New York Times
Why some healthcare workers in Washington state were reluctant to get COVID shots — The Seattle Times

Thought Leadership Opportunity

We're seeking a few select health system nurse executives to join our virtual Healthcare System of the Future event on June 16. This thought leadership event offers opportunities for meaningful connections with your peers.

The virtual event will feature a keynote speaker and several 90-minute coinciding moderated panel discussions, one of which will consist exclusively of chief nursing executives and officers. Space is limited, so if you're interested in participating, please contact me at cdavis@healthleadersmedia.com. Please put "Thought Leadership" in the subject line.

Discover new ways to connect with HealthLeaders through our events, podcasts, our magazine, by subscribing to our specialty newsletters, or connecting with me on LinkedIn.

That's all for this Monday. Thank you for turning to HealthLeaders for your healthcare nursing news. We're always interested in what management strategies, innovations, or best practices you have to offer your peers.

Please email me at CDavis@HealthLeadersmedia.com with any ideas or suggestions. Have a good week and stay safe!

Carol Davis

Nursing Editor