Jeopardy-Style Learning

One way to increase participation during a staff in-service or small group meeting is to incorporate gaming as a method of educational delivery. One tried-and-true game that my coworkers like to play during a staff in-service is modeled on the popular television show Jeopardy. Jeopardy-style templates can be found quickly by searching online; many are available free of charge. Two websites that offer a free template with sounds are Slide Lizard and Slide Carnival.

Categories

One positive aspect of a Jeopardy-style game is that the categories can be customized to the topics of your choosing. For example, if your institution is within The Joint Commission window, you can customize the categories to review the content that may be included in the survey. One category could be environment; it could feature responses ranging from easier (eg, What is the acceptable humidity range in the OR?) to more challenging (eg, What is the minimum distance between the storage of items and the ceiling?). Other category ideas are listed in Sidebar 1.

To add a funny and playful dimension, a category can be added that contains random facts about staff members, supervisors, or managers. This category is typically the first to be answered and organically promotes a positive experience as the game is getting started.

Groups Large and Small

For larger groups, you may consider dividing into teams. To make this even more fun, you could ask each group a specific question to nominate a team leader or proxy. One fun example is, “Who has been in health care the longest?” Identifying the leader within each team encourages teamwork and collaboration. When a question is answered correctly, the team leader or proxy will be responsible for selecting the next question. At the final round, you can award the winning team with something like candy, treats, or meal passes (Sidebar 2).

For smaller groups, you may encourage each person to choose a category and dollar amount and then respond to the question. The person who responds correctly names another person in the group to go next. For these smaller groups, I recommend a candy or treat dish to pass around for positive responses. It is simply amazing how a candy bar can motivate us!

Conclusion

This tried-and-true game promotes teamwork and collaboration, especially during the early morning hours of a staff in-service. Education, when delivered in innovative ways, can be fun. I encourage departments to try this out and be prepared for staff to be talking about how much they enjoyed it during their shifts.

AORN Resources

Open access:

• 4 Benefits of Game Play in Periop Practice - AORN Article
• OR Educators: Take Your Practice to the Next Level – The Periop Life – AORN Blog

AORN members can access:

• Educator Resources | AORN
• Engaging Perioperative Learners Using Online Game‐Based Education - AORN Journal