4 Benefits of Game Play in Periop Practice

Life isn’t all about fun and games, but for some periop professionals, they’re a vital part of it. 

Games like Jeopardy and scavenger hunts have become a common part of making learning engaging for periop nurses orienting to the role or during nursing competencies at Southern Ocean Medical Center at Hackensack Meridian Health in Manahawkin, NJ. That’s according to MaryClair Delbury, MSN, RN, CNOR, NE-BC and Jennifer Collins, MSN, RN, CNOR, NE-BC, MEDSURG-BC.

But these nurse leaders wondered how games could also be used to improve clinical performance. They decided to try.

Delbury and Collins first introduced game play into performance improvement by implementing a ticket system for on time first case start metrics. When a complete team assembles in the OR on time for a case, each team member receives a simple ticket (like one you would win at a carnival). Team members then renew their tickets for prizes such as a free lunch, gift cards, tumblers, lottery tickets, or the chance to choose their own OR assignment (a very popular prize). Team members can also put their tickets toward winning a popular monthly raffle basket.

Since implementing this ticket system in 2022, on time first case starts have increased by around 30%.

Seeing this success, the nurse leaders applied game play to another area for practice improvement. They turned the “downfall of being assigned call shifts” into a game, where staff names are posted on a peg board. Staff members can move their name down to the bottom each time they voluntarily take a call shift.

Ultimately, Delbury and Collins say game play gives staff a real-time reward and real-time feedback of their success in that moment.

They break down periop game play into four key benefits:

1. Improves team performance and camaraderie.
2. Increases workplace satisfaction.
3. Creates opportunities to advance clinical understanding.
4. Adds an element of fun in day-to-day work.
   

Delbury and Collins will share more ideas for bringing game play to your periop setting during their education session Utilizing Game Play to Increase Team Member Performance and Satisfaction at AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo in San Antonio, TX. 

To learn more about gamification in the workplace, Delbury and Collins suggest these research articles:

• I PLAY AT WORK—ten principles for transforming work processes through gamification
• Gamification in human resource management—Status quo and quo vadis
• Game on: Engaging customers and employees through gamification

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