Its All Fun & Games

Introduction

  • Experts in pediatrics and advocates for children participate in the 2025 Pediatric Virtual Symposium which takes place live on October 10, 2025, with access to sessions through December 31, 2025.

  • Key note presentation: "It's all fun and games until someone learns something" by:

    • Daniela Moscarella, DNP, APN, CPNP-PC, PMHS, CCRN-k
    • Diane Gillooly, DNP, APN, RN-BC
    • Maryse Bouton, MSN, RN, CWCN
    • Rutgers University School of Nursing

  • Presentation is under the auspices of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (2025).

Speaker Disclosure

  • The speakers declare no financial relationships with commercial interests.
  • The presentation contains no references to unlabeled or unapproved uses of medications or products.

Objectives

  • The learner will be able to:
    • Define types of generational learning needs.
    • Describe how gamification can meet student learning needs while increasing engagement.
    • Identify various activities that can be utilized in the classroom to enhance learning experiences while meeting generational needs.

Importance of Engagement in Nursing Education

  • Encourages student participation and contributes to effective learning.

The Millennial Generation

Attributes

  • Known as the "internet generation."
  • Digital natives; familiar and comfortable with technology from a young age.
  • Good collaborators who value social networking (e.g., Facebook, Instagram).
  • Prefer mobile communication methods.

Learning Preferences

  • Favor hands-on learning experiences over lecture-based methods.
  • Engage actively with technology-based learning environments.
  • Typically work well in group projects and seek interactive experiences.

Generation Z

Attributes

  • Highly tech-savvy with a natural inclination towards technology.
  • Thrive in hands-on learning environments and prefer interactive experiences.
  • Exhibit short attention spans and may struggle with focus and patience.
  • Are open-minded and seek instant gratification.

Learning Preferences

  • Prefer individual, self-paced learning experiences.
  • Engage best in active and visually stimulating learning environments.
  • Appreciate immediate and constructive feedback on their performance.
  • Value short, visually-rich content to facilitate understanding.

What is Gamification?

  • Defined as:
    • Hands-on active learning activities that utilize game elements in non-game settings.
    • Implementation of games to achieve learning outcomes.

Benefits of Gamification

  • Increases student engagement and classroom participation.
  • Provides instant feedback, making learning not only fun but also memorable.
  • Supports mastery of skills and fosters critical thinking abilities.

Gamification Techniques in Action

  • Four areas identified where gamification enhances learning in pediatric nursing courses:

    • Cardiac anomalies.
    • Cerebral disorders.
    • Gastrointestinal disorders.
    • Endocrine disorders.

  • Implementation examples in classrooms for each area included:

    • Reward systems with small incentives (points added to grades, candy, stickers).

Cardiac Clay Modeling

  • Students engage in models to learn about congenital heart defects.

Neurological Bingo

  • A gameplay format utilizing:
    • Readings and case studies from cerebral dysfunction, head injuries, neurological disorders.
    • A 20-space bingo card where students mark disorders called out by the instructor to foster engagement.

Use in APN/PNP Program

  • Bingo can be used as a pre-test to recap prior knowledge and synthesize concepts covered previously, adaptable to virtual environments through electronic tools like bingobaker.com.

Gastrointestinal "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?"

  • An 11-question quiz game conducted on the Kahoot platform covering common pediatric gastrointestinal problems such as:
    • Hirschsprung Disease.
    • Celiac Disease.
    • Intussusception.
    • Pyloric Stenosis.
    • Biliary Atresia.
    • Appendicitis.
    • Crohn's Disease.

Kahoot in APN/PNP Programs

  • Enhances critical thinking while providing opportunities for self-reflection.
  • Reinforces disease management using board-like questions.
  • Kahoot Jumble can be used for prioritization skills in clinical settings.

Endocrine Escape Room

  • Problem-based, time-constrained activities requiring collaboration, reinforcing skills such as decision-making under pressure and teamwork.

Impact of Gamification

  • Assessment scores indicated improved teaching effectiveness based on student instructional rating surveys for pediatric nursing sections.
  • Activities such as cardiac clay modeling and cerebral bingo enhanced students' understanding and engagement.

AACN Essentials and Competencies Supported by Gamification

  • Gamification supports several AACN Baccalaureate Essentials:
    • Domain 1: Knowledge for Nursing Practice
    • Implementation of case studies and simulation-based quizzes enables students to apply theoretical knowledge.
    • Domain 2: Person-Centered Care
    • Role-playing games enhance communication skills and empathy.
    • Domain 3: Population Health
    • Public health challenge simulations facilitate clinical reasoning for real-world applications.
    • Domain 4: Quality and Safety
    • Error-identification games reinforce the importance of safety in care delivery.
    • Domain 6: Interprofessional Partnerships
    • Team-based games enhance collaboration skills within multidisciplinary teams.

Ongoing Domains of Competency

  • Comprehensive coverage from Domain 7 (Systems Based Practice) to Domain 10 (Personal, Professional, & Leadership Development) designs learning environments that reflect real healthcare challenges and instill professionalism.

Implementation Tips for Educators

  • Activities designed should be:
    • Fun and competitive while connecting directly to learning objectives.
    • Relevant to the curriculum and informative.
    • Encouraging active participation through small rewards.
    • Scalable to larger groups with technology and effective organization.

Evaluation of Gamification Strategies

  • Involves formative assessments and student satisfaction surveys to gauge effectiveness.

References

  • Chang, C., Kao, C., Hwang, G., & Lin, F. (2020). From experiencing to critical thinking: a contextual game-based learning approach to improving nursing students' performance in Electrocardiogram training. Educational Technology Research Development, 68(3), 1225–1245.
  • Fraguas-Sánchez, A. I., Serrano, D. R., & González-Burgos, E. (2022). Gamification tools in higher education: Creation and implementation of an escape room methodology in the pharmacy classroom. Education Sciences, 12(11), 833-844.
  • Grellinger, K., et al. (2025). BINGO! Elevating medical physiology tutorials through gamification. MedEd Portal, 21, 11491.
  • Larekang, H. S., et al. (2019). Exploring the millennial learners’ attributes and needs in educational environments. ELS Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 2(3), 389-397.
  • Shorey, S., et al. (2021). Learning styles, preferences, and needs of generation Z healthcare students: Scoping review. Nurse Education in Practice, 57, 103247.