145 - Making the Most of Periop Education Time

Description: As perioperative educators, we are fortunate to have dedicated monthly education hours. But how often do we leave feeling like we were talking to a wall, or overwhelmed by what we could have done differently? This time is limited, flies by, and can easily become unproductive. The use of micro-learning techniques and gamification during this education time improves staff retention and engagement, as well as creates a more efficient use of time for the educator.
Making the most of this limited time is crucial for educators to increase the efficiency of education by boosting staff engagement and the retention of information. Aligning with AORN guidelines is a part of daily life in the OR, why treat education differently? To align with the Team Communication guideline, educators must implement varied and interactive approaches to initial and ongoing education. Education techniques such as micro-learning and gamification have transformed education throughout the perioperative areas. These techniques improve staff satisfaction with learning activities and increase the efficiency of education time. Micro-learning and gamification allow education sessions to be more effective- reducing the amount of follow-up work needed by the educator.
The team of staff educated during these sessions includes operating room and paranesthesia nurses, surgical technologists, first assistants, and at times sterile processing staff. Preparation and planning for these education sessions includes collaborating with staff and perioperative leadership to identify knowledge gaps or new supplies and equipment that require education. Much of the planning is in applying the concepts of micro-learning or gamification to the topics that need to be taught. Assessment includes identifying micro-learning strategies and gamification strategies and evaluating the best method to incorporate into a topic for the target audience. Implementation of micro-learning and gamification occurs during dedicated education time. Examples of gamification include scavenger hunts, relay races, escape rooms, beach ball trivia, guess who/what games, and a human slot machine. Examples of topics for which micro-learning has proven successful include positioning, code blue skills, and introduction of new supplies or equipment. The outcome of applying these innovative methods to education time is increased staff engagement, retention of information and increase efficiency for both learner and educator. These techniques have vast implications for perioperative nursing. Meaningful education time fosters confidence, improves motivation, and supports professional growth for learners and educators.